Castle Hills Elementary PTA is proud to bring you our Kingdom Tales program which provides each student the opportunity to accomplish what many only dream of: publishing their very own book! Students exercise their creativity and imagination while further developing reading/writing skills, computer skills, and creative arts. Click here for the FAQ's.

The 2024 -2025 Kingdom Tales sign-up is now closed. 

Guidelines for Hardcover Books

Guidelines for Softcover Books

Book Sample Pictures

Additional copies of your child's published book will be available. Please fill out the additional order form, and place in the Kingdom Tales envelope.

Kingdom Tales FAQ

● Do I have to be a PTA member for my child to participate in Kingdom Tales? You do not have to be a PTA member, but you will need to create an account (or log in) on this website in order to access the Kingdom Tales registration form.
● I see the softcover books are $10. Can I order a softcover book AND a hardcover book? Only one $10 soft cover is available for each child. If you order a hardcover you are not eligible to receive the $10 soft cover. The one softcover ensures that all children are able to participate without regard to pay.
● I want more than one copy of the book. Why can’t I order copies during the registration process? You can only purchase ONE book-making kit. You will have the opportunity to order additional copies of the book when you turn in your book packet or directly through the publisher AFTER you receive it at the Author Receptions.
● Can the book be on any topic? Your child can write about anything that interests them and can be fiction or nonfiction. Some kids make up their own stories while other kids write stories about events in their own lives, like sports or vacations.
● Can my child write about Star Wars? Ninjas? Space Police? Killing or violence will not be allowed. Ninjas and space police are always welcome, but please be mindful of how rough they get. Content and illustrations printed in Kingdom Tales books will be at the discretion of the CHE PTA.
● Does the book need to be a complete story? The important part of the book is that it comes from your child’s imagination, whether those thoughts are complete or not. You can ask questions like, “Does your story have an ending?” to help them along, but a definite ending is not necessary.
● Do you have any book-making tips and worksheets for each grade level? Yes, they can be found here:
https://studentreasures.com/teachers-lounge/sample-books-topic-ideas/
https://studentreasures.com/teachers-lounge/lesson-plans/
● How much should I be involved in helping my child with their story? Should I correct grammar/spelling/punctuation or help them write complete sentences? The story must be written and illustrated by the author in their own style, but the level of parent participation is up to you. It is completely up to you whether or not you want to correct grammar or spelling mistakes. Some parents like to have their child work somewhat independently on their book so they can get a developmental “snapshot” of their writing abilities at that grade level (i.e., misspellings, incorrect sentence structure/punctuation). Many parents assist their child typing their story on the computer.
● Is there a word minimum per page? My child’s story is very short. The only requirement is that the story be at least 5 pages long for softcovers, and at least 14 numbered pages long for hardcovers (the pages included in the kit you receive) – that could mean one word/sentence on a page or a whole page of text. It is completely up to your child. For hardcover, if your child’s kit is submitted with less than 14 pages, please know that we may have to insert blank pages at the back of the book in order to meet thickness minimum for binding purposes.
● My child colored outside of the margins on the cover page. Is that a problem? It is not a problem as long as you and your child know that anything in the margins will be trimmed for binding.
● Can my child use clip art, photos or magazine clippings as the artwork, or does it need to be hand drawn?
           ○ Softcover: To ensure the best results, illustrations should be printed (can also scan/insert photos) or hand drawn. Your child can use any sort of medium/artwork as long as there are no paperclips, staples, glue, or tape.
           ○ Hardcover: To ensure the best results, illustrations should be printed, hand-drawn on the paper provided in the kit or glued with a glue stick. Your child can use any sort of medium/artwork as long as there are no paperclips, staples, liquid glue, or tape. Photographs can be glued, however, please know that the originals will not be returned.
● How does my child earn the Kingdom Tales Trophy in 5th grade? Your child must have completed at least 3 Kingdom Tales books and their last one must be completed in 5th grade to receive the trophy.
● Will there be time to work on Kingdom Tales stories at school? Kingdom Tales is an extracurricular program and all work on stories will be completed at home.
● Will my child feel left out at the book receptions if they did not write a book? In years past, all kids in a grade level have attended the book receptions. When children see their friends receiving their books it often motivates them to want to write a book the next year.
● Can books be handwritten? We recommend all books to be typed to ensure the best results. We are allowing handwriting as long as it stays within the margins mentioned in the instructions to avoid trimming. If handwriting, use black ink. Do not use colored pencils or crayons, as they do not reproduce well when printed. For illustrating, use washable markers because they produce the most vivid reprints (try to stay away from the bright neon colors as they do not reproduce well).
● My child is in kindergarten/1st grade and is not writing yet? Can he/she still do a book? Of course! Parents can assist in any way needed. Children can dictate stories while parents type. Also, stories do not need to include words at all if your child just wants to do a picture story. If your child does not like to draw, they can use photos or clipart as well. ABC or number books are also fun at this age (A is for Art, etc.)
● Do we need to turn in a rough draft? The rough draft used to be a step in the process, but we no longer accept rough drafts. Authors must only submit their final story when kits are due.
● What if my child makes a mistake and needs a new sheet of paper? Mess up? No worries! When printing replacement pages use white, 24lb, 8.5” x 11” paper to achieve the best results for your finished book. We DO NOT recommend printing on cardstock or any paper lower than 24lb as shadows will appear on the finished book. You can buy 24lb paper at any office store or Amazon. Extra paper, as well as extra cover design sheets for hard covers, will also be available in the front office at CHE.
● Will you check that the book pages aren’t missing and are in order once we return the kit to the school? Parents are responsible for this and the book will be scanned, printed and bound as received in the envelope.
● My child or I lost the envelope. Can I get a replacement? Yes. As long as you registered your child for Kingdom Tales on time, we will gladly assemble a new kit to replace the one you lost. Please contact us at sarahfergusontx@gmail.com