When fourth-grader Gabe Paese was told his memoir would be published in the next edition of Kaleidoscope Magazine, all he could say was ‘what the …??
The Oxford Elementary student had no idea his teacher, Jaime Bartlo, had sent his story to the magazine.
‘I stared at it for like 10 seconds and then (the principal) told me about it and gave me the slip that said it was published,? Paese said.
Paese’s story entitled ‘Catch, Fillet, Eat!? about a fishing trip with his grandpa won the hearts of Bartlo and the rest of the faculty because of the ‘articulate? and ‘conversational? way it was written.
‘When I was reading it, it was like he was reading it to me,? she said. ‘It just tells the story perfectly.?
At the beginning of each school year, the teachers at OES launch a writer’s workshop that teaches the children how to write a memoir.
It took Paese about a month to complete his work.
‘All the kids wrote all kinds of crazy memories,? Bartlo said.
But, out of seven children at OES to submit a story, Paese’s seemed to stand out the most.
Kaleidoscope, which is published twice a year, is in its 15 year of publication and publishes student writings assembled by the Michigan Reading Association (MRA).
Each of the 109 schools who participate send in one submission per school. The young author’s ages range from kindergarten to grade 12.
Paese, along with other students who will be published, will get to attend a luncheon at the MRA’s annual conference March 19 at the Cobo Center where he will receive a copy of the July issue featuring his Catch, Fillet, Eat!
So, will Paese be the next J.K. Rowling? Probably not.
‘It really depends on the (writing) topic,? he said.
Paese plans on spending the rest of his childhood fishing, reading and using his imagination.
Right now, that grown up stuff can wait.