This very special chapbook, produced by the students of 826CHI’s after school tutoring program, contains writing from Winter 2012-2013 and details the various exploits of 826CHI founding staff members Patrick Shaffner and Kait Steele, who left Chicago in the Fall of 2012 for, we can only assume, their next big adventures. Featuring a stellar introduction from rising literary star Patrick Somerville and art by the incomparable Aaron Renier.

from An Elevator with Different Floors

Every day, Kait and Patrick would go into the woods. They liked to think about pizza, hamburgers, bacon, clothes, and shoes. They liked to go to the woods to think because it was quiet and calm. One day they were thinking hard when all of a sudden Patrick said that he wanted a truck-full of bacon. Kait said that there was a website where you can buy as much bacon as you want. They ordered the bacon, but then Patrick said the he didn’t want bacon.
“Now I want pizza.”

by Catherine, grade 5

This past spring 826CHI encouraged 70 Chicago students making their way through their teenage years to respond to prompts like: “Who are you? What’s been the most powerful experience in your life?” They responded with stories that are profound, amusing, sincere and begging to be heard. With a foreword by Luis Alberto Urrea, the pieces explore the power of love, violence, moving, death, and everything in between.

Get your hands on the latest compilation of student work, 826CHI Compendium Vol. 3. It features all sorts of great pieces written at 826CHI over the past year.

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

It has been a long-held principle of The Boring Store that the tried and true, analog methods will win out in the end. In keeping with tradition, we reintroduce to you the Standard Eavesdropper, a 16 oz glass multi-tool capable of culling truth from the staunchest of sippers or, used in its original capacity, penetrating secret-keeping walls to extract valuable intel.

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

Now when your travels go international, you can take your allegiance with you. Simply pull back the paper and apply this adhesive identifier to your favorite suitcase.

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

Distinguish yourself as indistinguishable with these accessories coopted from The Boring Store’s own awning design by Chris Ware.

INCLUDES:

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

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.

These postcards are the fruits of an on-going collaboration between 826 students and artists/graphic designers from the Chicago community, including local comics artist Jeffrey Brown and graphic designer Thomas Quinn. Drawing inspiration from student-produced material, these cards are the perfect way to express any sentiments that may, and almost surely will, arise.