The Superheroes who Escaped by 826michigan

The Superheroes Who Escaped From the Dragon’s Mouth

Written by Second Grade Students from Ms. Laburn’s Class

at University Prep Math & Science Elementary in Detroit, MI

An 826michigan Publication | <3 | 2023

Once upon a time, there was a girl dragon named Jenny with big sharp teeth at the top and no teeth at the bottom. With a redhead and rainbow tail, she liked to eat pizza, hot chips, and meat. She could fly and swim and had two superheroes that lived inside of her mouth. Brook Uno Eagle Girl wore a crown, glitter wings, and a dress and shoes made of Uno cards. Pay Zip Ball Man had a ball on his head,

carried a shield, and had money and lightning powers coming from its hands.

One day, Brook Uno Eagle Girl and Pay Zip Ball Man decided to band together to get out of Jenny’s mouth. They needed food like noodles and soda and it smelled like the dragon hadn’t brushed her teeth in decades! They made

up a gadget to help them escape that smelled like lavender and rose perfume. The next time Jenny breathed out fire that smelled like spoiled rotten milk, the two friends followed the dragon’s tongue into another world… her stomach!

They were super grateful to be away from all those bad smells. Their new home smelled like a toothpaste factory, but they were still not free. So they tried a new plan to get away…

inspires school-aged students to write with skill and confidence in collaboration with adult volunteers in their communities. Our writing and tutoring programs uphold a culture of creativity and imagination and support students in establishing strong habits of mind. Through publication and community engagement, we provide students with an authentic and enthusiastic audience for their writing. Our programs provide an energizing creative outlet for students and meaningful volunteer opportunities for community members.

SCHOOLWORK SUPPORT

We organize trained volunteer tutors to work with students one-on-one with their homework after school. Homework support is available for all subjects, for students ages 7–18.

WORKSHOPS

We offer a number of free workshops taught by professional artists, writers, and our talented volunteers. From comic books to screenplays, bookmaking to radio, our wide variety of workshops are perfect for writers of all ages and interests. One of the most popular workshops we offer is our weekly Wee-bots program for elementary-aged writers.

IN-SCHOOL PROJECTS

Our trained volunteers go into local public schools to support teachers with their classroom writing assignments. Based on the teacher’s curriculum, assignments range from writing tales to crafting college essays to exploring poetry.

FIELD TRIPS

Students come as a class to our writing lab to join a group of volunteers, interns, and staff in order to help solve a problem through writing—whether that is our editor Dr. Blotch’s insomnia, our looming story deadline, a mystery in need of solving, or one of the many others we encounter. Our field trips always end in a finished publication of original writing that students take home.

OUR STORE

Our Robot Supply Co. store is your one-stop shop for robots, robot owners, and enthusiasts alike. It’s designed to inspire creativity and bring awareness of our programs to the community. In addition, our online store is always open; visit the Robot Supply Co. at onwardrobots.com. All proceeds from our store directly fund our free student programming. Onward robots!

WRITING IS

826 National was inspired to take a stand on issues of inclusion and diversity in light of the many events that spotlighted social and racial injustices throughout the country. We as educators, volunteers, and caring adults need to be aware of the wide range of issues our students face on a day-to-day basis. We need to support these young people as they navigate through and try to make sense of the world and their own identities.

We need the support and the feedback from our community to ensure 826 is living up to these standards. Through our inclusion statement, our internal diversity and inclusion group, cultural competency resources provided to staff and volunteers, and partnerships with other organizations, we are always working towards being a more inclusive and supportive organization.

We at 826 have the privilege of working with the next generation of scholars, teachers, doctors, artists, lawyers, and writers. It's our job to make sure they are able to take their own stands.

As an organization committed to encouraging youth in their creative expression, personal growth, and academic success, 826 National and its chapters recognize the importance of diversity at all levels and in all aspects of our work. In order to build and maintain the safe, supportive 826 environment in which great leaps in learning happen, we commit ourselves to inclusion: we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, nationality, marital status, English fluency, parental status, military service, or disability.

The 826 National network is committed to encouraging youth to express themselves and to use the written word to effectively do so. We encourage our students to write, take chances, make decisions, and finish what they start. And 826 strives to do this in an environment free from discrimination and exclusion.

by Gerald Richards, CEO

SELF PORTRAIT OF THE AUTHOR ABOUT THE AUTHOR

— first u.s. edition —

Written, Drawn, Printed, and Bound in Michigan, the United States of America

blotch books 826michigan.org

All papers used by Drs. T & G Blotch are slightly moldy and therefore should be kept in a cool, dry place. Please save this book for when you are older.