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The Unbound
Bookmaker Project

The Unbound Bookmaker Project, launched in May of 2012, provided an authorship experience for children in the Marshall Islands to write, illustrate, and publish their own stories, in both Marshallese and English. This was a major collaborative effort across the board and the Pacific Ocean.

Our aims for this project were to promote literacy, creativity, and confidence, with the additional benefit of teaching important life skills, imparting knowledge on environmental issues, and preserving local culture. About 300 students in the Marshall Islands have participated in creating 15 class books. Each has received a copy as part of the project, and each library has a set of the books.

Jamie Zvirzdin was interviewed by ABC Radio in Australia at the beginning and end of the project, and The Marshall Islands Journal, the main newspaper for the country, featured the project multiple times.


Where Are the Marshall Islands?


Books Created through The Unbound Bookmaker Project



On a School Day in the Marshall Islands
by the 5th and 6th Grade Students of Japo Elementary

  Sponsored by MOE

Japo, Arno Atoll

 
WT Vol: Jenna Brusca
Picture


Click on

the image to see
the book on
Amazon.com
.



The Important Book
about Majuro

by Mr. Savu's Fourth
Grade Class

Pilot Project

Sponsored by Ethel Nelson

Majuro Cooperative School, Majuro Atoll
Picture

WAM: Canoes of the Marshall Islands
by the WAM Students of 2012–2013

Sponsored by Waan Aelõñ
in Majel (WAM)

WAM, Majuro Atoll
Picture


Takki and His Boat
by 12C of Kwajalein Atoll High School

Co-sponsored by the Billfish Club/ Mieco Yacht Club

Kwaj High School,
Kwajalein Atoll

WT Vol: Sharlen Smith

Picture

Life in the Marshall Islands: Then and Now
by Ms. Dribo and Ms. Lorennij’s Fifth-Grade Class at Ebeye Public Elementary School

Directed by Susannah Prenoveau


Ebeye Island, Kwajalein Atoll
Picture


Exercise in the
Marshall Islands
by Ms. Ceci Guillén's 7th and 8th Grade Class

  Sponsored by MOE

Arno, Arno Atoll

WT Vol: Ceci Guiller
Picture

The 3 Rs in the Republic of the Marshall Islands
by Woja Elementary School's 8th Grade Class of 2012–2013

Sponsored by Majuro Atoll Waste Company

Woja, Majuro Atoll
 
WT Vol: Lauren F
Picture


Daga and His Family
by Ms. Julia Reilly's 6th and 7th Grade English
Language Arts Class

Sponsored by MOE

Aerok, Ailinglaplap Atoll

WT Vol: Julia Reilly
Picture

From Homeless to King:
A Sharing Tale
by Ms. Julia Coleman's 7th and 8th Grade Classes

Sponsored by the
KIO Club

Tobal, Aur Atoll

WT Vol: Julia Coleman

Picture


Everyone Needs
Solar Energy
by Mr. Chuck McKeever's 7th and 8th Grade Classes

Sponsored by the Embassy of Taiwan

Aur, Aur Atoll

WT Vol: Chuck McReever
Picture

Legends from
Jaluit Atoll
by Imroj Elementary School, Grades 5–8

Sponsored by MOE

Imroj, Jaluit Atoll

  WT Vol: Jessica Robertson
Picture


The Legends of Mili
by Ms. Leslie Osborne's
7th and 8th Graders

Sponsored by MOE
 
Emejer, Mili

  WT Vol: Leslie Osborne
Picture

Animals and Creatures
in the Marshall Islands
by Boo Flynn's 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Students

Sponsored by MOE

Bikarej, Arno Atoll

WT Vol: Boo Flynn
Picture


The Magic Chalk of Rita Elementary School
by Miss Kristan Thatcher's 6B English Class

Sponsored by Grace Warren

Rita, Majuro Atoll

  WT Vol: Kristan Thatcher
Picture

Legends from Wodmej
by Elizabeth Miller's 5th and 6th Grade Class from Wodmej, Wotje

Sponsored by MOE

Wodmej, Wotje

WT Vol: Elizabeth Miller
Picture

Major Donors and Supporters Who Made This Project Possible

Thank You!

Thank you for your donations and your support! The books are available on Amazon.com at the cost of production to encourage use in schools and in homes.

Many thanks to Ethel Nelson, who bought all the supplies for our Co-op pilot project, created lesson plans, taught the first day, and got the kids pumped for the project (and for being my supporter and adviser in this project since its inception!). She also provided the supplies for the Ebeye book under Susannah Prenoveau's direction.

Thanks to Daryle Newman, a dear friend and talented artist who taught the units on illustration and portraiture, and who also advised me on the project; Susannah Prenoveau, who directed the project on Ebeye from Kwajalein; Kathy Stratte, for being very encouraging and willing to let us test our project at Co-op; Becky Lathrop, for teaching the illustration workshop to the WorldTeach volunteers; and the WorldTeach directors, Laura Sundblad, Todd Mulroy, and Ken Hagberg, and the WorldTeach lesson planners, Stephanie Pierce and Katie Greyerbiehl, for taking this idea and making it better.


Additional Thanks to:

  • The WorldTeach volunteers for helping the students create their class stories;
  • Gordon Benjamin for his legal advice concerning copyrights and appropriate protocol;
  • The James deBrueys Memorial Fund for its donation;
  • Payless Supermarket for donating two full bags' worth of colored pencils, sharpeners, and paper;
  • Grace Warren and her family and friends for donating enough to fund an entire book;
  • The Billfish Club and the Mieco Yacht Club for co-sponsoring a book on boat safety;
  • Majuro Atoll Waste Company for sponsoring a book on the three Rs: Reuse, Reduce, and Recycle;
  • KIO Club for sponsoring a book on the importance of sharing/giving;
  • Copymasters for their box of colored pencils, black pens, and pencil sharpeners, as well as their generous monetary donation;
  • Office Mart for two full boxes of paper and sets of colored pencils;
  • EZ Price for their donation of many colored pencils and a discount on the rest.
  • The Embassy of Taiwan for sponsoring a book on solar power;



  • U.S. Ambassador to the Marshall Islands Tom Armbruster for supporting the project.
  • General Pat O'Reilly and his team on Kwajalein for taking an interest in how the books can be used by volunteers at the U.S. military base to help Marshallese children.
  • The RMI Ministry of Education for funding the majority of the project.
  • Lauren Pallotta for donating part of the proceeds of her art prints;
  • Majuro Computer Services for their donation.
  • All donors who gave online via the WorldTeach website as well as individually. Thank you for your generosity!
  • The Kwajalein Yokwe Yuk Women's Club for the educational grant for the second Ebeye book.
  • Shannon Paulsen's fundraising efforts with the Kwajalein 4-H Cooking Club.

Education is a community effort!

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© 2020 Jamie Zvirzdin/The Unbound Bookmaker. All Rights Reserved.