Chapbook written and workshopped by students of the after-school tutoring program at 826CHI revolving around the theme of “Hide and Seek.” Released April 24, 2012

from Act Like I Was There the Whole Time:

My Hideout Space

My favorite hideout place is the Laundry Room in my house. It is a space as big as a big house, so it is the right length and width for me. There is food in there too! While I hide I eat and I am the only person there. I Kendra goes in there, I will throw food like red apples and pizza at her. I will tell her, “Get out of here!” Then if Kendra started to cry, she would go to my mom and tell on me because she did that before (a long time ago)!

by Kimberly, grade 4

Pre-Order the latest compilation of student work, 826CHI Compendium Vol. 3. It features all sorts of great pieces written at 826CHI over the past year. Expected ship date is late March.

from 826CHI Compendium Vol. 3:

Love is a great thing because it’s made out of hearts and beauty and prettiness and handsomeness and awesomeness. And POW!

Love goes slow. Love is ridiculous. Love is fast like a pony with a wizard costume on and a green mustache.

Love is sad. Love is crazy. Love is around the world. Love is a deck of cards.

Family Love is happy and cool-

boyfriend and girlfriend Love is yuck and nasty.

When it comes to love, a man has to have a job, a good diploma, and has to have an eight-pack.

And he has to cook and has to look handsome. He probably has to be in his thirties.

by Quinn, grade 4

Chapbook written and workshopped by students of the after-school tutoring program at 826CHI revolving around the theme of “Dynamic Duos.” Released February 28, 2012

from One Is Bald and the Other One Isn’t:

Monkey Sidekick

I saw a monkey in the alley. I was afraid he wanted to attack me.

I thought he was going to talk.

He came to me crying, saying, “Can I be your sidekick?” I said yes.

He did a lot of cool stuff for me. He broke into a candy store and got me sugar, and I fed him his food, too.

Why, you ask, is he my sidekick? He is cute.

by Mabel, grade 3

Chapbook of 826CHI student writing from the Fall of 2011—worth the purchase just to know the question for which the answer supplies the title of this book. Beautifully hand-screened by a local artist and chock full of creative brilliance.

from They Want to Kiss the Sidewalk:

I own the food museum. If you go, you will see my face made out of food. My name is Doctor Coconut.

It is like a Food Court—you will smell pickles. You will hear squeaky pickles and cheese. At the playground, there is a tongue. The activities are going to the playground and going down the tongue.

Once you leave the food museum you will never be hungry again. You will see the president with me. He will be wearing a hot dog suit. I will be wearing the president’s suit. The president brought his swim suit for the soda pool.

by Julian, grade 3

The jaw-dropping gorgeousness of the new 826 storefront-themed edition of Sappi Fine Paper’s publication The Standard simply cannot be conveyed through words, but we’ll try anyway.

This year’s issue, titled “Special Effects,” is a journey through time, space, and unnatural history, through a land where superheroes and mythical creatures are real and tangible, where pirates, robots, and secret agents vie for your attention. It is a microcosm of imagination that will leave your fingers tingling, eyes agape, and creativity brimming. Full of tactile and optical special effects, this book can be left on your coffee table as a portal to another world. It also comes with a poster of quirky 826 characters to provide some inspiration when you don’t have time to voyage to a distant universe (or our stores around the country).

Known for being an educational reference for printing and design, The Standard publications are high-demand, limited-edition books. They are never reprinted, and this issue is available exclusively through 826 stores and at Sappi events. For only $25, it’s the best portal/poster deal around.

Poster:

Keep your friends close and your posters closest. We offer you this incredibly exclusive opportunity to adorn your domicile (or hideout, or lair) with this gorgeous poster from the incredibly savvy folks at Sappi.

Includes this inspiring text;

Imagination is a limitless place, free of boundaries and filled with possibilities. It welcomes all ideas, practical and fantastic, simple and complex, inventive and mundane,  allowing them to exist unjudged in the same time and space without a second thought. Imagination inspires creativity, nurturing the first inkling of an idea until it emerges fully formed and ready to take flight.

This inaugural volume highlights student writing created during 826CHI’s diverse programming. This collection of varying literary genres includes writing from more than 50 individual students—-kindergartners through recent high school graduates——and the group work of 10 classes. Overseeing the production was 826CHI’s Student Editorial Board, who reviewed student work, selected pieces and offered creative input for the overall look and the organization of the publication.

from 826CHI Compendium Vol. 1:

How to Eat Chocolate: A Brief Guide for Aliens:

1. Land the UFO.

2. Say, “Earthlings we come for all your c-h-o-c-o-l-a-t-e… Now give it to us or you will be incinerated!”

3. Steal all the chocolate from Jewel-Osco

4. Rip open the wrapping.

5. Stick chocolate bars through each mouth you have.

6. Let chocolate bars melt in mouths and swallow. If you are disturbed, feel free to incinerate earthlings.

7. If you like, you can conquer the Earth. If you don’t, you can destroy the Earth.

by Charles, Grade 8
from “Travel the World Through Chocolate,” a Summer 2008 Workshop

826CHI’s most recent Compendium collects writing from across our full range of programming, in addition to at-large submissions from other outstanding young writers throughout the Chicago area. Looking for some great back-to-school reading? The book features such selections as the tale of a terrible day involving too much ham, an account of two friends engaging in the genteel art of squirrel hunting, a haunting poem about Arthur Rimbaud, and a timely lesson on teaching Rod Blagojevich how to eat chocolate.

from 826CHI Compendium Vol. 2

Waiting

The rose is perfect
sweet-smelling and beautiful
surrounded by metal and leaves
waiting
waiting to be chosen.
For what?
A young girl’s hair, a bouquet
A he loves me, he loves me not
Anything—
For even perfection of the rose
will not mean anything unless
It is discovered.

by Hannah, grade 6

Anywhere at Once is a novel that recounts the fantastic adventures of Sam, Ophelia, and a certain learned lizard, Professor Stephen Scalious. It was written by 106 2nd through 8th grade students in twenty-five classes from twelve schools throughout Chicago and illustrated by the magnificent cartoonists, Aaron Renier and Laura Park.

from Anywhere at Once:

The Mountain: A Poem by Professor Stephen Scalious

Somewhere in the ice mountains,
Professor Scalious looks up at the peaks covered
with white snow. He plants his hiking sticks.
The ice and snow are hard
as a concrete wall.
He pulls himself up to start the adventure.
He breathes the wind
through his blue scarf and gloves and slow dances
with the branches of the trees.
Icicles tinkle together like many glass bottles.
He approaches the first peak and jumps
with excitement.
He builds a small fire from boney twigs
and crunchy leaves. Shivering, he melts
snow into boiling water.
It warms him up like a baby
crawling for the first time.
Professor Scalious closes his eyes
and smiles.

by Hilda, grade 5

Juggling your infrared glasses, sonar pen and Russian-to-English Dictionary/Bible can be an awkward proposition—especially in the field.  Why not engage your mission in comfort and style with The Boring Store Tote Bag.  This simple, classy canvas bag is perfect for managing all your espionage essentials like the savvy spy you are. Available in carrier pigeon gray and shark tank teal.

Take your morning beverage with a spoonful of I-know-something-you-don’t-know in this 12oz ceramic Boring Store beverage receptacle

Newly re-released in two volumes and expanded from the original one, Don’t Forget to Write provides fifty imaginative lessons (per volume) to inspire and direct creative writing teachers (we at 826CHI call them “field operatives”). Volume one focuses on the elementary school years; volume two directs its focus on high school writing lessons, with best practices and brilliant attack strategies.

Newly re-released in two volumes and expanded from the original one, Don’t Forget to Write provides fifty imaginative lessons (per volume) to inspire and direct creative writing teachers (we at 826CHI call them “field operatives”). Volume one focuses on the elementary school years; volume two directs its focus on high school writing lessons, with best practices and brilliant attack strategies.

I Live Real Close to Where You Used to Live is a collection of letters written by kids across America to Michelle Obama and her daughters Malia and Sasha (plus a few to their dog Bo). Each missive differs wildly in subject-from Easy Bake ovens and Pokémon, to immigration, school funding, foreclosures, and war.

You’ll find no shortage of advice, observations, requests, and questions (“Wouldn’t it be awesome if pickles grew on trees?”) from these young writers. Two years into the Obama presidency, they remain as engaged as ever with the events shaping the world around them. Their letters to the first lady and her family are both poignant and hilarious.

Life can be full of obstacles.  Pursued by enemy agents?  Up against a 20’ smooth concrete wall?  Be prepared to ascend with an elegant and classic necessity: the grappling hook.  Designed and tested by actual ninjas, this grappling hook will provide everything you need for a quick and effective escape.