When I do school visits, I like to talk about how bits and pieces of Ava Lin were inspired by my life. For example, when I was a little girl, a boy put soy sauce in my drink at a Chinese restaurant when I wasn’t looking—just like Justin did to Ava! Or the part where Ava leaves a crayon in her pocket and it goes through the washing machine—my kid did that! Or the part where she sticks a rock in her ear because she wants to keep it hidden—my other kid did that!
Ava Lin is partly inspired by my life, partly fueled by my imagination, and completed with Ava’s character and emotions. Since Ava Lin loves finding treasure of all kinds, here’s an activity sheet to create your own story of treasure!
Instructions
Start by filling in the name of a place you are familiar with, like your school or your home. Next…
• BE INSPIRED BY YOUR REAL LIFE
Have you ever found something strange, unusual, or special in your real life? Add one to three things that you’ve found in your real life to your story.
• USE YOUR IMAGINATION
Is there anything strange, unusual, or special you can imagine finding? Fill in any remaining spots with imaginary things you might find.
• ADD YOUR CHARACTER & EMOTION
How might you feel if you found those items? Imagine a character who finds these items. Draw a picture of your character and add what they would say into the speech bubble if they found the items in your story!
Ta-da! Good job using your own inspiration, imagination, and character emotion!