HDS Authors

HDS AUTHORS HDS AUTHORS

HARBOR HARBOR DAY CELEBRATES A COMMUNITY OF WRITERS DAY CELEBRATES A COMMUNITY OF WRITERS

By Noelle Becker

James Wang | Class of 2027

Harbor Day third-grade student James Wang wrote a short story called “A Universal Deal” that can be found in the Inklings Book of short stories published in 2021. The Inklings Book is produced annually and based on the Society of Young Inklings contest that looks for young writers.

What is the summary of the story? The story is about three kids who work together, stop an alien invasion, befriend an alien queen, and become the heroes of their town. The theme of climate change is also embedded in the story.

What inspired you to write this story? The inspiration for this story came from the discussion of aliens’ existence on the “lifeless” Mars. After reading a lot of articles on this topic, I was fascinated, leading me to write this piece of fiction.

What advice would you give to students who are interested in writing? Some advice I would give is that revision is extremely important. Revision is like the ornaments on the Christmas tree, and it is the part that makes a story powerful, good, and beautiful. Editing is a process that cannot be skipped. To make a story better, it needs to be revised many, many times.

Aurora Sun | Class of 2025

Harbor Day fifth-grade student, artist, and author Aurora Sun created a comic book published in 2021.

What is the summary of the book? Holly’s Jolly World is an entirely hand-drawn book that includes several stories. Holly is a little girl who is normally very happy but sometimes has problems. For example, she [has a new] baby sister. She is also starting her first day of school and needs to figure out new friendships. Her character learns a lot as she grows up and that it’s she who needs to take on more responsibilities.

What inspired you to write this book? When COVID started, I saw everyone had to stay home, but a lot of police and doctors had to still go out to work and help the community. I wanted to draw the comic (Be Safe Dad) to make them happy. Then I thought maybe I can do more of them and maybe make it into a book. I also added some more real stories based on my family.

What advice would you give to students who are interested in writing? This book isn’t something that only a few people can do because everyone will do something—maybe something even better—if they try very hard. Also, I think everyone should keep going. For example, in Wonder, which we read in class this year, [there was] a quote that I really liked. “Just follow the day and reach for the sun.”

Ry O Hill | Class of 2022

Eighth-grade student Ry O Hill is a writer for the local magazine North Laguna Living. He has his own column called “Keeping it Real with Ry” and has written seven monthly articles on things that interest him.

How did you get involved with writing for the North Laguna Living magazine? My sister and my mom both wrote for this magazine in the past and had great experiences with it. I remember how cool it was to see them published in a magazine, and that made me want to try it, too.

— WILSON KNAPP | NEW MOON ZOOM

What inspired you to start writing? I was looking for ways to earn money last summer. When I asked my mom, she mentioned writing for the local magazine. I thought it sounded really fun to be able to share my interests with my neighborhood. I also thought it would be a great compliment to my high school applications. Plus, it’s pretty cool now that I can say I’m a published writer.

What advice would you give to students who are interested in writing? Just go for it, and write about things that interests you. Have confidence when you apply to be a writer. It only takes an email!

Liam '18 and Ryan Razmjoo '18

Harbor Day graduates Liam and Ryan Razmjoo published a book of short stories in 2021 called Twin Anthology of Short Stories. Although fictional, some of the stories are based on actual events.

Wilson Knapp '05

Under the pen name Wees A. Bacon, alumnus Wilson Knapp '05 wrote the children’s book The Adventures of You: New Moon Zoom. The book launched in September of 2021.

What is the summary of the book? New Moon Zoom is the first book of the Adventure of You series. In this astronomical, rhyming adventure, you are the main character who will find out what happens on the moon when it’s new. You’ll make a new friend and see some wacky things too. Every line ends with a “long u” sound in order to teach the different ways it can be written and read, such as “oo,” “ew,” “ue,” “ui,” and even weird ones like “ough.” You, too, will be amused as you cruise through spoonfuls of “oos” with the New Moon Zoom debut!

What inspired you to write this book? I have always enjoyed poetry, phonics, and how people learn, especially children. I think children can absorb wholesome lessons and moral truths easier through syntax and rhyme. I wanted to write a series of children's books (this one being the first in the series) that were a fun adventure, taught a good life lesson, and helped children learn phonics. Each book of the Adventure of You series will focus on a particular long vowel sound, such as the “long u” in New Moon Zoom, and teach a life lesson like using imagination to overcome obstacles or that kindness is more valuable than gold. What advice would you give to students who are interested in writing? If you are interested in writing stories, the best place to start is with something that you believe in or are passionate about. Take that belief or passion and create a story around it. Whether you want to create something new or retell a story from history, my advice would be to sit down, turn to a new page, and write. The hope is your writing can become more than just putting words down on a page; it can open the door to a new world with unlimited possibilities.

Nithin Jilla

HDS Board of Trustees | Founder of Dreams for School

What is the summary of the book? R is for Rice is a children's rhyming ABC book on Asian American foods to celebrate Asian cultures infused in daily American life! The book was created with an intent to be inclusive of a shared Asian American identity and excite kids and parents about Asian American culture through food.

What inspired you to write this book? As Asian Americans growing up in the U.S., we rarely saw ourselves reflected in popular books and media. When we looked specifically at children's books that fostered an appreciation of Asian American heritage and influences on American life, we saw even more gaps. We created our first book, R is for Rice, to celebrate Asian cultures infused in daily American life! We wanted to create something new and meaningful for our families and our communities to be proud of and embrace.

At JKL Teahouse, we are proud of our multiple Asian heritages, and we are proud to be Americans. Our mission is to inspire current and future generations of Asian Americans to feel pride in their unique American identity by creating products and media that reflect the lasting impact of Asian communities on American life.

What advice would you give to students who are interested in writing? I’ve always looked at writing as a powerful form of expression because it provides choice and agency to share about what motivates, empowers, interests, and inspires us. My advice for any future writer is to trust your gut and start writing about things you’re interested in, know about, or want to learn. If you don't know about a topic, don’t think you'll never write about it either—it will just take time for you to understand the topic before you write about it. I never imagined that I would write this book and help bring awareness about Asian American culture. My co-authors and I started with a passion for bringing visibility to Asian American culture, our love for food, and lots of research and time spent! Start small, but continue your efforts. Little things add up to big things. n