NEW CASTLE What a story! Pupil gets published

The 8-year-old said she is overwhelmed by her sudden celebrity status.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Stephanie Moore's twin brother, Scott, just won't let her forget the spooky Halloween story she wrote about him.
Her story about a game of "Truth or Dare" gone awry was an assignment by Beth Bakuhn, Stephanie's second-grade teacher at Neshannock Memorial Elementary School. It was another scary story Stephanie wrote earlier this year, however, that has thrust her into the limelight the past few days.
Stephanie, 8, is about to become a published author. She even had to sign a notarized agreement that she would not allow her story, "One Scary Night" to be published anywhere else.
The story is one of just 10 from some 3,000 submissions by second- and third-grade pupils to be published by Scholastic Inc. this fall in celebration of the 60th anniversary of Gertrude Chandler Warner's "The Boxcar Children" series.
It's got it all
Stephanie said her piece for Scholastic contains all the elements of a good story. She learned in Bakhun's class that a good story should have a great beginning, interesting characters and events, a good middle and a great happy or sad ending. She said she thinks the editors liked her story because it is exciting, and that in telling her scary story, she included scientific facts about bats.
Bakuhn encourages her classroom of budding authors to write regularly, and they read and critique one another's writings. Stephanie is toughest on her own work. Reviewing another story she wrote in class recently, she noted, "I could use a little better vocabulary."
Stephanie lives in Neshannock Township with her parents, Steve and Sandy Moore, twin brother and younger brother, Matthew.
She said she is always reading and writing, even in the summer, with books by Beverly Cleary among her favorites.
"I'll be up in my bedroom reading at 10 or 11 o'clock at night and my mom will keep telling me, 'Stephanie, go to bed!' But it's hard to go to bed when I'm reading a good part."
About the series
Bakuhn explained that "The Boxcar Children" series is aimed at second- and third-grade pupils, so Scholastic asked second- and third-graders to write their own adventures for a new book.
She said "The Boxcar Children" books are normally just one story, but the special edition will instead have individual adventures written by 10 children.
When the book is published, local bookstores plan to have signing receptions for Stephanie, who will receive 100 copies of the book to give to family and friends.
Stephanie grinned sheepishly when explaining that she felt good about being published. She admitted being overwhelmed by her sudden celebrity status.
Stephanie said she worried a little when thinking about the Scholastic editors' reading her story. "I thought they'd say 'What is this story about?'" Now she is amazed that thousands of children will read her story, "all over the country, and in Japan and everything."
When asked how she comes up with the ideas for her stories, Stephanie thought a moment and shrugged. "I just use my brain."