It’s been a while since I wrote a letter that wasn’t an attempt to get out of a parking fine. It’s been even longer since I wrote correspondence by hand that wasn’t a postcard. And for the remainder of 2010 I’ll be writing and receiving letters that have nothing to do with 15-minute parking zones nor exotic travel spots.
I say this as I’m very excited to be involved in the Pigeon Letters project this year. Pigeon Letters is a program that matches up authors (and illustrators) with primary school students, getting each author-student combo to write letters back and forth and collaborate to write a short story. Pretty cool, huh!
Some of the authors involved in the project last year include Tony Wilson, Sally Rippin and Michael Wagner. And some of the kids involved last year include Leif, Jasmine and Alex (all from North Melbourne Primary School).
This year I’ve been matched up with a grade five student called Toni from Footscray City Primary School. I received Toni’s first letter last week (pictured above) and I can already tell that Toni and I are going to write a mad story together.
In her letter she told me ‘I am interested in writing an action-packed story with you if that is OK with you’. It sure is Toni! I love action-packed stories almost as much as I like authors who know exactly what they want to write. Conviction FTW!
Here’s me with Toni’s letter.
I have spent this weekend writing a letter back to Toni. I would tell you what I have written back to her, but letters are private, don’t you know? I’ve already said too much by quoting from Toni’s letter and showing you what it looks like. But the good news is that at the end of the project, all author-student stories will be published as a special Pigeons book. Here’s what last year’s Pigeons book looked like. Pretty pigeons!
Jenna and Lachlann (the excellent peeps behind Pigeons) have almost doubled the number of creative types involved in the project since last year and this time around have 20 authors/illustrators working with 20 lucky Footscray City students. Toni and I are just one of 20 collaborative teams. Collaboration FTW!
For more info visit the Pigeons website and while you’re there check out what my pen pal Toni had to say about The Greatest Blogger in the World.
Just found your site through your famous ‘how to get your camera back’ post/email (freaking brilliant by the way).
Hope i am not too late to get on the band wagon of, as my mum put it when i forwarded the email to her, “another nutcase like you”. 😀 😀 I took it as a compliment.
Cheers mate
Hey, neat. That’s going to be one weirdly awesome story.
sounds like a nice project…good luck with it!