Barnaby Unboxed

These three picture books by The Fan Brothers — “It Fell from the Sky”, “The Barnabus Project”, and “Barnaby Unboxed!” — are absolute favourites in my classroom. My students light up when we read them and are instantly inspired to write their own fantasy stories.

Fantasy writing is powerful. It taps into children’s imaginations, honours their interests, and invites them into a world where anything is possible. I’ve seen firsthand how engaged they become when given the freedom to create.

Yes, grammar and structure matter. But when we focus too much on getting everything ‘right’, we risk losing the joy of writing.

All children can write — we just need to meet them where their curiosity lives. Let’s give them the tools and the space to be bold, imaginative storytellers. It’s not just about writing skills — it’s about helping them become joyful, engaged learners.

“The desire to write comes easily when children are invited to write about what matters to them.” – Carl Anderson