Rock Island, Ill. – A ten‑year‑old local author is turning heads and pages alike. Alanis Borner, a fifth‑grader from Rock Island, has already written seven books, each drawn from real events in her own life. She says a simple question sparked her creativity: “When I read a book I thought it was very cool that somebody wrote a book, and then I was like, ‘how do people write books? How do they do this stuff?’ So I wrote one to see how they do it and then it just became fun writing, so I started writing and writing over and more books.”
Family support fuels the writing habit
Alanis credits her family for encouraging the project. “My little sisters and brothers, they like authors that they know. So, I became an author,” she explained. Her grandmother, Adrienne Beason, adds that the writing process helps the young author process feelings. “I also see this as a way for her to deal with different emotions that she’s having,” Beason said. “So to write about different events and tell how she was feeling at that time. If it was funny, if it was sad, you know, it really helps.”
Books designed for early readers
Alanis’s younger siblings were struggling to read, which motivated her to create stories that are both fun and easy to understand. According to Beason, the effort is paying off: the siblings have begun to enjoy reading themselves. The books cover everyday moments – from a family outing to a school project – and are written in language that matches the comprehension level of early elementary students.
Advice for aspiring writers
When asked for tips, Alanis encourages peers to write about what matters to them. “So when you write the book, just write about what you wanna write about,” she said. “If you’re done like, go over it and just have somebody read it too, like an essay.”
Future projects and where to find the books
Alanis is already working on two more titles. All of her books are available for purchase on Amazon and as Kindle e‑books, making them accessible to a wide audience beyond Rock Island. Local librarians and teachers have expressed interest in adding her titles to school collections, noting the value of a peer‑written perspective for young readers.
Community impact
The story of a child author resonates with families across the Quad Cities, highlighting the role of home support and faith‑based encouragement in nurturing talent. As a Christian family, the Borner household emphasizes the importance of using gifts to serve others, a principle that aligns with the values of many Rock Island residents. Alanis’s work not only enriches the local literary scene but also offers a model of how children can contribute positively to their community.
Original reporting: KWQC TV6 Davenport (local) — read the source article.
