Pen and Tell It! for Grades 2-8
ABOUT Pen and Tell It!
Summer camp is long in the books, which means it’s time for Pen and Tell It! You will have the opportunity to try your hand at new ideas, writing skills, fascinating prompts, and more.
All classes are stand-alone sessions. Tuition is $20–$25. If you register for two or more classes, you’ll receive 10% off! You can mix and match if you have more than one writer in your family, too.
LOCATION
Classes take place at Thurber Center, 91 Jefferson Avenue, Columbus, OH 43215. If you have accessibility needs, please contact us before registering.
HAVE A QUESTION?
Contact Meg Brown at megbrown@thurberhouse.org. To receive email updates about children's education programs, please use the sign up form at the very bottom of this page.
The deadline to register is the Friday before class. Registrations are non-refundable. Enrollment is first-come, first-served. If there’s a class you really want to take, don’t wait! For questions, contact Meg Brown at megbrown@thurberhouse.org.
2nd/3rd Grade Classes
Kids Writing Club
Sunday, Nov. 2 from 1:30-3:00 pm
TUITION: $20
Description: We all have stories to tell. Did something funny happen at a family holiday? A pet mishap? A pesky sibling? These are things you can put into stories! Join us as we show you how to take your every day events and put them on paper!
Teacher: Dr. Eunice Inez Petty-Newsome is the author of the picture book, My Father’s Antique Store, as well as a teacher in Columbus City Schools, and founder of @Education Today, LLC. Her goal is to build bridges across generations. Visit her website at www.educationtoday1.com.
Forest Adventures!
Sunday, Nov. 9 from 1:30-3:00 pm
TUITION: $20
Description: The forest is filled with all sorts of fun! From critters to bugs to tents and camping, we'll explore all things to do with the forest! We'll do some writing and imagining, as well as a forest craft. We'll even end our session with a forest themed game.
Teacher: Andra Gillum (she/her) is a children's author, teacher, and tutor. She writes books about her dogs Riley and Lucy. Her new chapter book, Forest Drama, is the inspiration for this fun class! Visit her website at www.doggydrama.com.
Story Suitcases
Sunday, Nov. 16 from 1:30-3:00 pm
TUITION: $20
Description: We’re packing a suitcase! Maybe not an actual suitcase but you’ll get to picture what characters would pack if they were moving, facing new situations, and turn those ideas into stories, drawings, or poems. No luggage required, just your imagination.
Teacher: Miranda Kogon Montoya (she/her) is a children’s author, educator, and mental health professional who believes in the power of stories to build resilience and connection. Her debut picture book, Petunia Moves Again, was inspired by her own childhood, moving frequently and learning to find joy and belonging along the way. When she isn't writing, Miranda enjoys spending time with her family, which includes three very cute fur babies.
The deadline to register is the Friday before class. Registrations are non-refundable. Enrollment is first-come, first-served. If there’s a class you really want to take, don’t wait! For questions, contact Meg Brown at megbrown@thurberhouse.org.
4th/5th Grade Classes
Who’s That?
Sunday, Nov. 2 from 1:00-3:00 pm
TUITION: $25
Description: One of the best parts about writing stories is making up characters! Are they good? Bad? Have eight arms and one eye? Whether they’re human, creature, alien, villain, or something in between, you’ll have a blast creating your own cast of characters to make up your own tales.
Teacher: Belle Machado (she/her) graduated from the University of California Santa Barbara with a Bachelor's in Writing and Literature, and recently graduated from Otterbein with her Master's in Teaching. When she isn't working in schools as a substitute teacher, she's working on writing fantasy novels, going to poetry open mics, and reading Agatha Christie. She loves working with kids, because she's just a child trapped in an adult's body.
Six Sentence Stories
Sunday, Nov. 9 from 1:00-3:00 pm
TUITION: $25
Description: Do you struggle writing a story from beginning to end? Have no fear because you’ll learn how to do it in six sentences here! (No rhyming necessary.) You’ll get examples, tips, and tricks from a published author to walk you through story structure and help bring your stories to life.
Teacher: Erik Jon Slangerup is an award-winning children's author. His books include Dirt Boy, Monsterlicious, and Molly and the Machine, an 80s sci-fi adventure for ages 8-12. His next book, The Intergalactics, will be out in Fall 2026. A father of six, Erik lives in Columbus, Ohio with his family. He enjoys visiting schools across the country. Read more about his work here: www.erikjonslangerup.com.
Act Up!
Sunday, Nov. 16 from 1:00-3:00 pm
TUITION: $25
Description: Sometimes you just need to move around to get ideas and this is the perfect class for that. Using theater improvisation games, you’ll discover a new way to make up characters for your writing. At the end of class, you’ll have the option to act out your story. (No experience necessary.)
Teacher: Kit Cave (she/her) is received her Master’s Degree in Theatre Education from Wayne State University. She has had children's plays produced throughout the Metro Detroit Area, including her interactive comedy, The Peanut Butter Pickle. Wendy has worked at Gotham Writers Workshop in NYC, as well as The Late Show with David Letterman. Currently, Wendy works full time at the Girl Scouts and performs professionally in the Columbus area.
The deadline to register is the Friday before class. Registrations are non-refundable. Enrollment is first-come, first-served. If there’s a class you really want to take, don’t wait! For questions, contact Meg Brown at megbrown@thurberhouse.org.
6th/7th/8th Grade Classes
The Monsters Are Due on Jefferson Avenue
Sunday, Nov. 2 from 1:00-3:00 pm
TUITION: $25
Description: An old sci-fi TV show called The Twilight Zone was so spooky they almost took it off the air. It used robots, aliens and zombies to make people question the world around them — now you will, too. Pull up a chair if you dare and enter: The Thurber Zone!
Teacher: Justin Martin (he/him) is a writer and English teacher who's been with Thurber House for many years, even though students have said he has "a math teacher's forehead" to his face. He loves using sci-fi, fantasy, and game design to get people to think things they haven't thought before with people they haven't noticed yet.
Going Old School
Sunday, Nov. 9 from 1:00-3:00 pm
TUITION: $25
Description: We’re used to writing on paper but today, you get to make it! We’re taking you back to the 1800s to learn how paper was made by hand. You will use a traditional mould and deckle and make several sheets of paper to take home to dry and write your ideas on later. No experience necessary and all tools and supplies will be provided.
Teacher: Ron Shaull (he/him) is a long-time Thurber House volunteer and a Central Ohio hand papermaker, paper artist, bookmaker, and writer. He has studied book binding and hand papermaking under master artists throughout the United States and Italy. He teaches these workshops throughout Central Ohio, and is co-founder of the Columbus Hand Papermakers meet-up group.
Short and Snappy Poetry
Sunday, Nov. 16 from 1:00-3:00 pm
TUITION: $25
Description: Who has the time to write an epic nowadays? We know you’re busy so we’re bringing you a variety of poetry forms that you may have never heard of before, can play around with, and most importantly, finish because they’re short! Don’t worry, it’s not all haikus.
Teacher: Ty Williams (he/they) is an autistic poet, essayist, and zinemaker from Columbus, Ohio. He has taught poetry workshops for Thurber Summer Writing Camp and other programming for years. He is a judge for the 2026 Thurber Prize for American Humor in Writing.
The deadline to register is the Friday before class. Registrations are non-refundable. Enrollment is first-come, first-served. If there’s a class you really want to take, don’t wait! For questions, contact Meg Brown at megbrown@thurberhouse.org.
FAQ & Disclaimer
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You will receive an email order confirmation containing your registration information.
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On Jefferson Avenue: Easy street parking is available all along the Jefferson Avenue oval. Parking is free, with no time limit, on Sundays. Note: only the spots along the one-way oval are free; the spots along the two-way ends of Jefferson Avenue (near Broad Street and Long Street) are not free.
Off N. 11th Street (behind Thurber House): Free visitor parking is available in the small lot directly behind Thurber House, accessible off N. 11th Street and located here. There is no time limit as long as you are visiting Thurber House. All other parking lots do not belong to Thurber House and you may be towed.
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The first floor of Thurber Center is handicap/wheelchair accessible, including the first floor restrooms. There are no elevators, but all staircases to the second floor are wide with handrails.
How to reach the wheelchair ramps:
If you park on Jefferson Avenue: There is a slight curb (some wheelchairs can navigate this). The closest “ramp” cut is the entrance to the large parking lot on the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Long Street (here).
Thurber Center wheelchair ramp: Follow the sidewalk through the Thurber Center front gate. Take the sidewalk around the porch on the right side of the building. The entrance to the wheelchair ramp will appear on your left, past the porch.
If you park in the Thurber House rear parking lot: Follow the sidewalk between the handicap parking signs (here). The sidewalk will take you around the north side of our multipurpose building, Thurber Center.
Thurber Center wheelchair ramp: The ramp will appear on your right and leads up to the front porch.
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All registrations are final and non-refundable.
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Views, thoughts, and opinions expressed by event and program speakers in all mediums are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Thurber House, its affiliates, or its staff/board.
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Contact Meg Brown at megbrown@thurberhouse.org. To receive email updates about children's education programs, please use the sign up form at the very bottom of this page.
