This past summer the Hackettstown Free Public Library hosted a writing program for children ages 8 and up. Local poet and author Melissa Frentsos and Hackettstown Library’s Children’s Program Coordinator, Megan Davis led participants though a 4-week writing workshop aimed at encouraging creativity and developing emerging writing skills.

Each week children were given the space and supplies to write their stories and share their work with their peers. At the end of the writing and editing process, the children’s stories were published. Each child received 6 copies of their book, and each story was put into an anthology collection that will be available for check-out at the Hackettstown Library.

On Saturday, November 13th, the library held a special reception and author meet and greet for friends and family. During the Author Meet and Greet, children were given the opportunity to read aloud an excerpt from their book. They then signed their copies of their books to give to family and friends.

Participants ranged in age from 8 years to 13 years old and wrote on a variety of subjects. Participants were Hannah Cacciatore, Lydia Frentsos, Braeden Krug, Kaitlyn Krug, Shannon Krug, Helen Laforge, Mary Nawrocki, Haylee Rothstein, Laura Testerman, Hailey Yoza, Ryan Yoza.

The Hackettstown Free Public Library is located at 110 Church Street. The library is open from 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday – Thursday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Friday, and 9 a.m. – noon on Saturday. The library currently offers both in-person and virtual programming for children and adults. New to the library’s children’s collection are “Wonderbooks” (read-aloud books) and Playaway Launchpad learning tablets. For more information and to view the Hackettstown Library’s calendar of events visit: www.hackettstownlibrary.org.

In the group photo above, participants included, left to right, Helen Laforge, Laura
Testerman, Ryan Yoza, Hailey Yoza, and Hannah Cacciatore.