Pupils of Enrich@ILT — the centre for Southland’s talented and gifted children — have spent the last term working on a graphic novel which will become a book.
They held an open day to showcase their work to their parents this week.
Teacher Marlene Campbell said about 200 pupils had the help of Dunedin illustrator Janet De Wagt and had also been mentored by Cilla McQueen, a well-known poet based in Bluff.
The novel portrayed the history of Murihiku through the eyes of a small Kiwi, she said.
"It takes the reader on a journey through the province combining some actual facts and some fun facts.
"There’s no nutshell as such, because when you’re working with gifted and talented children, you’re working with random, quirky, curious, funny . . . it doesn’t follow a linear process of telling a story."
"But obviously, some of our students are emotionally intense, and some of them suffer from perfectionism.
"For some of them, it wasn’t perfect enough . . . but Janet is the most amazing guide on the side for that, and she just was able to talk them through it."
Among the children who took part in the project was 7-year-old Willow Burke, who said she was really proud with the work they did.
"I have never done it before and it was very fun.
"My favourite part was that I could do so many different pages that I got to experience different arts."
The pupils’ work was digitalised and would be part of an 80-page book and an art exhibit at He Waka Tuia in February.
