Storybird

Storybird offers a very intuitive interface that allows for a professional finish with impressive graphics. But the point is that this can be achieved without too much thought about the tech side of things, allowing for a focus on creativity and originality. The provided guides(opens in new tab) are really useful for teaching or having students work at home. From guides on how to write a prompt, to writing a killer hook, there are lots of ways to work directly on creative writing improvement.

- Luke Edwards

An online writing platform that allows learners at any level to find inspiration, write, read other’s writing, and receive feedback. Storybird has thousands of images to prompt learners’ creativity and get them writing poems, long-form stories, short 500-word “flash fiction,” comics, and even picture books. With hundreds of writing prompts, lessons, video tutorials, and quizzes, educators can assign work in class or use Storybird for homework or classroom extension projects.

- Matthew Lynch

Design: Light and fun best describe StoryBird. Given the target demographic, this is a plus. After logging on, users are only one click away from reading their first StoryBird. The homepage is dominated by a selection of the most recently published stories and offers easy navigation to the sign-up page. All of the StoryBirds are easily navigated. A simple click command turns the pages, making them suitable for younger children to read on their own. Review: The content here is all great—if you’re a young a child. Keep in mind that this is a tool, rather than something aimed at teachers. Lessons run the gamut from what to do when faced with a bully, to how things would be if everyone cared. There are also non-lesson-based stories available for pure enjoyment. All of the StoryBirds are nicely illustrated and beautiful to look at. Their content is very age-specific, but would be very well received by that demographic.

- Jason Tomaszewski