I think this kid’s story “Mashed Potato Pizza” is a great example of effective personal narrative. Check it out and let’s talk.

Did you find this story compelling? I did. First I chuckled and that’s always a good sign. But deeper layers emerged too.

To me it is a nice “simple yet profound” blend. We all have been there – being embarrassed in public & being comrades within a group. I liked being reminded about the great value of laughing at yourself.

To me this story follows the essential aspects outlined in my post Key Ingredients of Digital Storytelling.

It is a personal experience expressed using conversational language. There is emotion and feelings … impatience, hunger pains, and misfortune  to name a few. The story effectively conveys an unfolding scene taking place in a school lunch line. There is effective story contrast. Do we get pizza? We got pizza! Arghh … dropped pizza! I especially like the contrast between deep dismay and deep laughter.

This story on paper effectively evokes pictures and sounds in our heads. What would this look like as a digital story?