Second graders across the state of Virginia will soon receive the short story, “Gone Country,” by David Simm’s tenth grade English foundations class.  English teacher, Sarah Edwards, inspired the idea after doing a similar project with librarian Mary Ellen Carter a few years ago with the same class level.

“We asked the students, ‘Would you like to do this [ book]?’ and they overwhelmingly said yes, even though they didn’t think it was actually going to happen,” said Simms.

The first step to piecing together “Gone Country” was to develop a good storyline.

“They [students]  came up with the message of somebody adapting from moving from the city to the country, and changing who they were to fit everybody else around them, but ultimately staying true to themselves,” said Simms.

After developing the plotline of their story, the students were assigned various roles  in creating the story.

“Two girls in our class came up with the message, and a male came up with the idea to rhyme the entire book,” said Simms. “There was one illustrator for the entire book and the rest of us came together and we spitballed each idea. We put it together. We rhymed it, and we ironed it out for an entire month or so.”

Simms is planning on sending “Gone Country” to various publications in hopes of winning his sophomore foundations class an award for their hard work.

“Gone Country” was such a hit with his students, that Simms is planning on doing the same project with his future students.

“We have already planned for next year, for the sophomore foundation class, a halloween book,” said Simms. “It might be a great bonding experience to start off the year with.”