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Inside the cozy library of King George School in Saskatoon, young voices filled the air — not with whispers, but with proud readings from their very own books.
Little authors stood in front of their families, teachers and classmates, sharing stories they wrote and illustrated themselves.
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Six-year-old Demi beamed with pride as she presented the book she created with Amber Antymniuk’s support. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)
With beaming smiles and with their brightly coloured books in hand, the students celebrated a journey that may mark the beginning of lifelong creative pursuits.
Listen to Amber Antymniuk and the young authors on Behind the Headlines:
The celebration was the culmination of a special artist-in-residence project funded by SK Arts. Local children’s book author Amber Antymniuk spent weeks working with a Grade 1 and 2 class, guiding them through the full process of writing and illustrating their own books.
“We’ve worked through the writing and illustrating process together,” Antymniuk said.
“I started by sharing some of my books, talking about different watercolor techniques and then we started writing our own books. We chose the theme of seasons.”
These handcrafted books are filled with bright illustrations and heartfelt stories, the result of weeks of hard work by students at King George School. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)
The students took that inspiration and ran with it, creating original books that reflected their own voices and imaginations.
Antymniuk said the process was not a quick one.
“It’s a lot of work to complete a project like this,” she said. “It’s not just like a quick one off. It took weeks and weeks and weeks of editing and revising.”
The book launch event was more than a display of creativity. It was also a showcase of courage.
“I’m so proud of each of them. They did so well, and some of them were so brave to stand up and share their books with everybody – with a group of families and adults that they don’t know. They were so brave, so I’m really, really proud of them,” she added with a smile.
Students were eager to show off their finished books, each one filled with vibrant artwork and personal stories about the seasons. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)
One student, Liam, proudly explained what he learned.
“She told us techniques and how to draw,” the young, first-time author explained. “She taught us like splatter and dry paint and wash.”
When asked what he liked about the process, Liam grinned.
“I like making books because it’s cool,” he said. “It’s kind of cool being my own author!”
Six-year-old Liam said he is very proud of the book he created with guidance from Amber Antymniuk. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)
Antymniuk, who has written five children’s books herself, knows firsthand how powerful storytelling can be, especially when it’s paired with art.
“I think it’s really important, especially at a school like this,” she explained. “They are a very diverse school, right? So some of the kids are just barely learning to read, so images and illustrations are key to telling stories. Some of our families are also newcomers to Saskatchewan. Pictures can kind of tell a really big story, even without words.”
Twenty students from King George School took part in the project, and each one is now the proud author of a book about the seasons, written and illustrated with the help of Amber Antymniuk. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)
As the students discovered their creative voices, Antymniuk experienced a rewarding journey of her own.
“They started a little bit shy and timid, obviously, and they definitely came out of their shells,” she said. “They were really excited every time I came in, and they said, ‘Oh Amber, let’s do this painting technique!’ or ‘Let’s try this that we worked on last time!’”
Amber Antymniuk is the author of five children’s books, including ‘H is for Home: A Saskatchewan Alphabet’ and ‘Play With Me.’ (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)
As Antymniuk watched the young authors proudly present their books and point to their names and pictures on the back covers, she knew the experience would leave a lasting impression.
“It’s really cool for them to see books in a library and know that they are capable of doing just that,“ she said.
“To create their very own book and see their own picture on the back and know that they did it from start to finish, it’s pretty cool.“
And for a handful of these budding writers, their books may be just the first chapter of a much bigger story.
Young authors at King George School proudly presented their finished books during the launch event, where families and teachers gathered to celebrate their accomplishments. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)
