Do You See What I See?
Do You See What I See? was written by the students of the 74th Street Elementary School in 2025.
Introduction
It is a known blessing that stories start young. On the playground, as slides become portals shooting into space. In the grocery store, as the tiled floor transforms into bubbling lava. Sprawled out on the grass, as clouds twist into the shapes of dinosaurs.
Do You See What I See? crafted by the student authors of 74th Street Elementary, is filled to the brim with this youthful and boundless imagination.
For the second time, 826LA had the pleasure of partnering with 74th Street Elementary School to publish their students, creating the book you hold now. During this year’s partnership, the 1st and 2nd grade classes each wrote the beginning of a story together before branching off individually to continue it, generating their own unique characters, settings, and plots. The 2nd graders, specifically, took on a special mission as Story Detectives to piece together half-eaten clues from a manuscript a dinosaur mistook for a snack.
Surprise, relief, humor, and joy are scattered across every page. In the story written by Ms. Brisset-Claxton’s 1st graders, you’ll meet a rainbow-dressed stone, head held high from never losing a game of rock, paper, scissors.
In Lewis A.’s story, you’ll learn of a place that “holds a billion milkways.”
Uncovered by the Clue Makers of Ms. McGhee’s 2nd graders, you’ll receive specific directions to a special headquarters: to the east, down the road, and to the left of the purple octopus.
And in Brielle B.’s writing, you’ll be reminded to persevere after faltering because though her character felt sad that he slipped, “he kept on going on an adventure.”
Thank you to our readers for picking up this book, and thank you to the authors for continuing on the legacy of storytelling.
-Maddie Silva