Seeking Feedback

I feel like I am now at a point in my children’s book where I know my target audience, I have identified the key message of my book, I have a solid storyline, and I know the direction I want to go with my illustrations. The next step is seeking feedback from experienced teachers who work with students daily.

I am particularly interested in understanding how my book resonates in a classroom setting and how it could support both literacy and social-emotional learning. Particularly, would the story capture students’ attention? Are the characters engaging and relatable? Is the storyline easy to follow, or are there sections that may benefit from simpler language or greater detail/context? Could this book support classroom discussions, learning activities, or socio-emotional growth?

When students read my book, I hope that they will feel motivated to cheer on the main character and relate to the feeling of trying something new. I anticipate that some children might see their own experiences mirrored in the story, whether they are already involved in sports or hesitant to join. Students will see moments of challenge, encouragement, and small victories that highlight the value of effort, courage, and friendship (important lessons for students in Grades K-4)

To get feedback from a current teacher, I talked to my mom, who has taught Grade 3 students in BC for a number of years. I outlined my primary reason for creating this book to begin with, and asked her to read my storyline and tell me what she thought about it.

I specifically wanted to know:

• Is the storyline engaging?
• Am I getting across the key messages of the story?
• Could my book be used to support student learning?

I was also curious if she had any ideas related to the illustrations/visual storytelling side of my book. My mom is a skilled artist and teacher, so I was curious if she had any insights about what artwork would resonate with children and how to include impactful images that add depth to my story.

Teacher Feedback

Overall, my mom found the storyline engaging and appropriate for Grade K-4 students. She noted that the main character’s experiences and emotional journey would resonate well with young readers (it is something they can connect to). The key message that all girls belong in sport regardless of ability was clear to her, particularly through the character’s growth and emphasis on teamwork over competition. She also said that the book has strong potential to support student learning, especially within the BC curriculum, as it could be used to facilitate discussions around inclusion, social-emotional learning, and participation in physical and health education. In terms of what I could adapt, she suggested that some students may need more concrete examples of what “belonging” looks like in action (specifically, the younger grades). Also, additional context or clarification around rugby could help ensure accessibility for all learners, particularly those unfamiliar with the sport. This is where the illustrations would be really key to ensure all learners can understand and relate to the book. Overall, my mom provided very helpful insight on the content of my book, and gave me great ideas to consider when it comes to creating illustrations for my book.

MagicSchool Feedback

In addition to getting feedback from my mom, I used MagicSchool as a tool to receive feedback on my storyline. Because MagicSchool is an AI tool specifically for educators, I thought that it would provide strong insight into the effectiveness of my storyline for young readers, the readability of my book, and whether or not my book would be a useful classroom resource.

See my conversation in MagicSchool here:

Overall, MagicSchool gave me strong recommendations and feedback related to engagement, relatability of characters, language clarity, and classroom learning potential. MagicSchool provided me with a few minor tweaks to my storyline to make specific sentences/concepts clearer for younger (K-1) readers. I plan to implement these changes into my storyline. I received positive feedback from MagicSchool on:

• Authentic emotional journey
• Diverse representation of girls in sport
• Growth mindset messaging is naturally woven into the narrative
• Storyline provides an opportunity for powerful visual illustrations
• Empowering message without being cheesy/inauthentic

References

Cup of Couple (2021). Hand holding chat box. Pexel. https://www.pexels.com/photo/hand-holding-chat-box-8015674/

MagicSchool. (2026, March 29). Feedback on children’s picture book and citation assistance [Chat conversation with Raina AI assistant]. Retrieved from https://www.magicschool.ai

Ksenia Chernaya (2021). Kids reading book in the school. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/kids-reading-book-in-the-school-8535173/