A Side x Side bookmaking program for fourth graders recently wrapped up at Connors Elementary School in Lewiston. Led remotely by teaching artists Leah Cross and Karen Brooks and integrated with a literacy unit on narrative writing, students learned how various collage artists utilize different techniques, colors, and shapes to create a range of moods and feelings. During the program, students created self-portraits to represent their personal traits and unique identities as well as illustrations that represent the fictional characters they developed for their stories. Students imagined stories from their own lives and stories they wish existed while developing believable characters with struggles and motivations. Each student created a book/journal that used collage and illustration to bring their fictional stories to life.