mermaid treehouse: Office Max Publishing House

Today was storytelling day. Seizing this opportunity to develope their young creative minds I told the mermaids that there are three parts of a story: the beginning--

"--the middle and the end," the older girls chimed.

Okay, so they know that. We'll move on to a higher plane.

"Every story has to have a climax," I say. "The climax is the most excititing part of the story. But before the climax you have--"

"the rising action!" says one mermaid.

"and after the climax you have--"

"the falling action!" pipes in the other mermaid.

"Okay, smarty pants, what is after that?" I ask.

"THE RESOLUTION!" the say together.

So thanks to first grade I didn't teach them anything today, but we did make some cute little books. Each put her own personality into her story and after I typed up their stories they added illustrations. The titles are delightful: The Flower and the Monster, Syrena and Tucker, and The Missing Giraffe.

At this point I could have tied the books together and stapled them, but why do that when you can go to

and get your book BOUND!

But is it worth it to drive 20 minutes to Office Max when it is 101 degrees outside and pay three dollars for each book to get spiral bound? Perhaps, I reason...they will make really cute keepsakes...

As we were driving home the orange mermaid says,

"Mom, this isn't a paper book any more. This is a REAL book."

Yup. It was worth it.