Science comes to life in children's books written by students
In the Honours College course 'From Research to Children's Books', students learned how to translate scientific insights into accessible language. This also included writing their own stories for children. After the solitary process of writing and editing, it was time to put their skills into practice.
The students brought their stories to life by reading them aloud to pupils at a local primary school. It was a special moment in which academic knowledge quite literally entered the classroom and was immediately tested against the perspectives and experiences of a young audience. The pupils listened attentively and then cast their votes for the story they enjoyed most.
Jury prize
In addition to this audience award, a jury prize was also presented. A panel of experts assessed which children’s story succeeded best in translating academic knowledge into an accessible, engaging, and age-appropriate narrative. The award highlighted not only creativity, but especially the ability to communicate complex academic insights to a broad audience.
Creative freedom
The session clearly demonstrated the value of hands-on practice. Students had the opportunity to experience first-hand what works — and what does not — when sharing academic knowledge beyond the university setting. At the same time, many students expressed how much they enjoyed the creative freedom the course offered, making the final meeting both an inspiring and rewarding conclusion.
Exhibition
The students get to exhibit their stories and illustrations at BplusC Nieuwstraat in Leiden. The exhibition will open in early February and run for two months.