By Casey Neill
Walking to school is a sunny, funny way to start the day, Greater Dandenong kids say.
Students from Dandenong West Primary and Noble Park’s St Anthony’s Catholic Primary joined forces to write and illustrate a book about their morning strolls to the classroom.
They launched My Sunny Funny Walk to School at Dandenong Library on Thursday 27 October.
Greater Dandenong Council successfully applied for a $10,000 VicHealth grant to produce the book with help from Kids’ Own Publishing.
It will be available in the Dandenong and Springvale libraries, which are Australia’s third busiest.
Anna Dollard from Kids’ Own Publishing said the students worked on text for the book in their own classrooms, then came together at a three-hour workshop to create images.
“All these ideas are yours and you should be really proud of that,” she said.
Ms Dollard hoped this book would “inspire lots of other kids to read the book and experience Dandenong through your eyes”.
Dandenong West Grade 5 student Akash, 10, said he made a Pokemon picture with a St Anthony’s buddy.
“I walk every day and I like walking to school because you can see the ways to other places and you’re not in a car and you can get fit, too,” he said.
Classmate Meenu, 9, said the best part about walking to school was she could “sing everything” and chat with her mum and kinder-aged sister.
“You get to exercise instead of being in a car,” she said.
St Anthony’s Grade 4 student Phoenix, 9, drew and road and sign that appears in the book.
“When I cross the road I see the lolly pop sign and they always blow the whistle,” he said.
“They always chat to me.
“It makes me happy in the morning.”
The students read from their book.
