Reading Rockets offers a wealth of reading strategies, lessons, and activities designed to help young children learn how to read and read better. Our reading resources assist parents, teachers, and other educators in helping struggling readers build fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension skills.
  • Email this page
  • Print-friendly version of this page
 

The Exquisite Prompt Write It, Film It Video Contest

Steven Kellogg

The Inspiration

More about Steven Kellogg

Watch an animated version of Steven Kellogg's Chicken Little or take a look at some other animated Folk Tales, Fairy Tales and Fables.

Steven Kellogg

Steven Kellogg is an author and illustrator of picture books — many, many picture books! He's published about 110 books in the 45 years he's been writing and illustrating, many of which he's written himself. He's also illustrated a great many titles by other authors.

He has always loved to draw and the way that pictures can deepen and expand the text of a story — creating what he calls a "beautiful duet." Kellogg started building this connection as a child, "telling stories on paper" to his two younger sisters, making up fanciful stories, and creating quick illustrations one after another to accompany the tales.

The Prompt

Write It Film It

In a number of his books, Steven Kellogg retells classic tales. In revitalizing often told fairy tales and tall tales, Kellogg makes some exciting and interesting word and illustrative choices to build tension and drama, as well as to bring humor to his retellings. Create your own animated retelling of the classic "The Three Bears." Your version can be very traditional, modernized, or even "fractured."

Write It

An animation script is very detailed. Whatever you write, you are going to have to animate, so you’ll want to be very clear about the actions of your characters, as well as thinking creatively about how to illustrate those actions. For example, if a character is going upstairs, will you show the character on the staircase or just show the character behind a staircase railing? Animation often has less dialogue between characters; the action is often more central to telling the story than what the characters have to say.

Submit your animation script.

Film It

There are lots of different ways to create animation. Check out these Resources and check into the resources that you have. The type of animation you decide to use will depend on available materials and equipment.

Upload your animated film.

Get our newsletters!

Follow Reading Rockets

Become a fan of Reading Rockets on Facebook! Follow us on Pinterest! Watch our videos on YouTube Check out our podcasts in iTunes
Start with a Book: Open up a world of discovery this summer! Summer books and activities for kids 3-9 years old

Daily Lit Quiz

What does Zack get in the mail from his uncle?

An alligator keychain
A penguin
A toy car

Every day you get an answer right, you'll be entered into our monthly drawing for a $20 gift certificate to Amazon.com!

Donate to Reading Rockets online

The Literacy Calendar

Find out what's happening! Read Across America, D.E.A.R., día de los niños, and more...

Quotable Quotes

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you'll go."
— Dr. Seuss
Reading Rockets Podcasts