Written and Illustrated by
Shaina Lu
YouthInkwell Publishing 155 South El Molino Avenue, Suite 102 Pasadena, California 91101 www.youthinkwell.org
Copyright Š 2007 by YouthInkwell Publishing All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information retrieval system, without written permission in writing from the publisher. ISBN: 978-0-9773451-8-2
Printed in Singapore by Kay Lau & Associates First Edition, 2007 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
Book Production by YouthInkwell Publishing Director: Project Managers: Written & Illustrated by: Book design:
Jennifer Sarja Maida Chan LeAnne Bagnall Shaina Lu Daniel Carmin for Rtwerk
Written and Illustrated by
Shaina Lu
YouthInkwell Publishing Pasadena, California
Acknowledgements
I
and Such
have absolutely no idea how to write acknowledgements. Hopefully, someone like Jennifer Sarja will read over this giant block of text and edit and cut and add appropriately. Speaking of which, I probably owe my first acknowledgement to Jennifer Sarja.
So, thank you, Jennifer, for helping me conceptualize my illustrations and work out the kinks in the text. I also thank you for all the time you spent helping me fundraise and write letters. You’ve been a really great inspiration to me; thank you for your optimism. And thank you, LeAnne Bagnall, for always being so kind and patient and lovely while I sat like a big sack of potatoes in your office. There were so many days I sat at YouthInkwell unsure of what to do–thank you LeAnne for fixing that. And to my mom and dad, thank you for everything. And when I say everything, I really mean everything. To Kin Yan, Amy, and especially Kevin: your support in this project has really been invaluable to me. Thank you for reading my first draft, encouraging me, and helping out (and in Amy’s case, driving me to various places, like Ford Commercial Graphics.) You three have helped me all the way. And thank you to all the people who also assisted me in my pathetic attempt to fundraise by recycling bottles from school: Sean, Benson, Mr. Cameron, Mrs. Barbarics, and all the teachers that let me put plastic bags in their rooms. I also want to thank Hannah, Brandon, and Tiffany for giving up their free time in the summer to help with fundraising. Thank you, Daniel for designing the book...Ford Commercial Graphics for scanning my pictures at no cost... Kay Lau from Kay Lau & Associates for helping me put the story into an actual book! Maida, thank you for coming back and putting everything together... And thank you to the Youth Board for helping fundraise and market this project. Love,
Shaina
Dedication For the girl that sat next to me in fifth grade.
The girl spent a considerable amount of time with the marionette, for she believed that one day they would perform together on the lovely old stage in the city square.
The marionette’s day began the moment the girl raised the curtains of his little puppet stage.
As she spun the marionette’s handle, he would turn and turn happily.
“You are my dearest friend,� she would tell him as she gently untwisted his strings. And he would smile in the way that only dolls can smile.
Note from the Author: Sure. It’s a sad ending. It’s bound to be sad when you spend so much time dreaming that you forget to live your dreams. Don’t let it happen to you.
Note from the Publisher: We believe all kids have the power to make a difference. At YouthInkwell Publishing, kids are using their art and writing to raise money to help kids far away in East Africa. That’s their dream. If you’d like to help them, check out the pages that follow and see how you can get involved. In the meantime, we know you have dreams of your own, and we want to hear about them. Write about it in a letter, a story, a poem, an essay. Include a picture if you’d like. Tell us what you dream about. How do you plan to share your dream? How will your success change the world for the better? We’ll be selecting entries to post on our website... so get writing. Send submissions to: YouthInkwell Publishing’s “Living a Dream” 155 S. El Molino Ave., Ste. 102 Pasadena, CA 91101 Include your name, age, grade, school, address, phone number and email. One submission only please.
My Dream:
____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ My name: ___________________________________________ My age: _____________ Keep this for yourself and send us a photocopy.
Mission
YouthInkwell Publishing empowers young people to use their writing abilities to make a difference in their communities.
How We Work Young Authors and Artists
Young authors and artists play a huge role at YouthInkwell Publishing. All participants are actively involved in the creation, production, distribution, and outreach associated with their work. To date, YouthInkwell Publishing has published the work of thirty-nine students ranging in age from 8-18.
Youth Board of Advisors In September 2006, YouthInkwell Publishing established a Youth Board of Advisors to learn the ins and outs of running a nonprofit company. Ranging in ages from 9 to 18, these young people submitted applications and were accepted to become representatives of YouthInkwell’s mission–to empower young people through writing. Meeting twice monthly, the Youth Board gathers in Pasadena, California, to discuss upcoming book fairs, marketing strategies, educational materials, and the pressing needs around the world for clean water. Workshops with local community leaders train them in money management, public speaking, and marketing. Youth Board members regularly lead and participate in community outreach. In May 2007, four Youth Board members traveled to Costa Rica to hand out books and inspire kids there to use their own writing and artistic talents to effect change.
Volunteers YouthInkwell Publishing has welcomed dozens of young volunteers to participate in its book selling and water education projects. Students across the country have joined as YouthInkwell ambassadors–selling YouthInkwell books at their own book fairs to raise money for the well building efforts. Other student volunteers have helped as designers, photographers, filmmakers, teaching apprentices, and marketing assistants.
If you’d like to contact us...
YouthInkwell Publishing 155 South El Molino Avenue, Suite 102 Pasadena, California 91101 626.449.6884 www.youthinkwell.org
The Water Well Project Founded by screenwriter and educator Jennifer Sarja, YouthInkwell Publishing helps kids write and illustrate their own books for the purpose of raising money to build water wells in countries like Ethiopia and Uganda. It is the goal of the YouthInkwell authors and artists to free young girls from the burden of walking hours for water that is often very unclean. With wells built directly adjacent to schools, these girls are now safe from disease and assault, and able to attend school and strive for leadership positions within their communities. Sales from YouthInkwell Publishing’s first two books have already aided in the construction of one well at the Kuno Kile School in Ethiopia.
After Photos by Donna M. Guenther, M.D.
Before
Also illustrated by Shaina Lu... The Painted Tea Set ISBN 13: 978-0-9773451-9-9 ~ $6.99 ~ 96 pp Written by Ashley Bae (age 13*) and Victor Hsieh (age 12*) Illustrated by Shaina Lu (age 17*) Additional artwork by Sophie Barker, Sam Stimpson, Annie Stankiewicz, Susie Shepardson, Daniel Levine, Olivia Dei Dolori, Marc Aveni, Simon Hetzler, Zachary Sowerby, Jack Hupper, Mitchell Lorden, Ben Groves, Sam Buck, Luke McDonald, Stuart Cattel, Anya Harter, Nicholas Benham, Michael Lyons, Nick Niose, Tucker Penney, Carter Jones, Julia Washabaugh, Olivia LaddLuthringshauser, Benjamin Janoschek, Allie Cronin In The Painted Tea Set, thirteen-year-olds Ashley Bae and Victor Hsieh tell the story of a struggling young painter named Seymour. Disappointed that no one likes his pictures of fruit bowls with red bananas, Seymour decides to leave his family behind and seek shelter in an abandoned glass factory where he can paint in isolation. When a bewildering path of broken glass leads to a teleporting refrigerator, his solitary journey will bring him to an astonishing realization...and his destiny. pictured, left to right: Shaina Lu, Ashley Bae, & Victor Hsieh
Includes a sensational glossary of entertaining vocabulary for all ages.
*age at time of publication
Also from YouthInkwell... When Watute Wants Some Water ISBN 10: 0-9773451-0-6 ISBN 13: 978-0-9773451-0-6 ~ $20.00 ~ 36 pp Written by Jennifer Sarja Illustrated by Henry Phan (age 17*), Jeanette Low (age 16*), David Ro (age17*) Project Manager: Jessica Chuang Student Marketing Director: Tina Tsaur In Watute’s village, girls must walk for hours everyday to find water–water to drink, water to cook, water to bathe. Watute wants more than anything in the world to go to school, but it seems there will never be time for that. Then, one day, Watute decides something has to change. An inspiring story that shows young readers that it only takes one child to change the world.
Henry Phan
Jeanette Low
David Ro
Jessica Chuang
Tina Tsaur
How to Cook with a Pencil ISBN 10: 0-9773451-7-3 ISBN 13: 978-0-9773451-7-5 ~ $35.00 ~ 120 pp Written and Illustrated by Amelia Mayberry (age 9*), C. Yuriko Hurley (age 10*), Noel Mollinedo (age 12*), Michael Lii (age10*), and Sidney Zahabizadeh (age13*) Additional illustrations by Jessica Chuang (age 17*) Stories of philanthropic pirates, wayward water goddesses, shipwrecked sailors on the island of Shyluvia, and worlds of perishing peaches–all will enchant young readers while inspiring them to use their own storytelling talents to make the world a better place.
Amelia Mayberry
C. Yuriko Hurley
Noel Mollinedo
Michael Lii
Sidney Zahabizadeh