The Room 2, Year 2 students won an NZ Transport Agency competition in November to professionally publish a picture book on active travel, written and illustrated by them. The picture book competition was part of the Feet First walk to school initiative, which promotes safe walking in fun and unusual ways.

Since winning, the students have worked with a professional picture book editor Don Long and picture book illustrator Ali Teo to prepare their book for publication. The finished book is online here . The first version is the original work, submitted into the competition. The second version is the final result after the winning story took up their prize of having a writing and illustrating workshop with Ali Teo and Don Long.

Readers can see all the original collage backgrounds in the book were kept. Ali Teo worked with the students in Room 2 to recreate their characters for the story.

The judges said: Lucky Pancake was a fantastic story. Room Two had some amazing and resourceful collage work for the background scenes and an adventurous story. They took Pancake skateboarding and kayaking. And then they put scuba gear on her! Way to go, Pancake! And way to go, Room Two!

Every student at Otonga School has received a free copy of the book. A copy of the book will also be sent to every primary school library in New Zealand. 

Further information: feetfirst@nzta.govt.nz, .