NPHS Student Publishes Debut Novel

September 18, 2024, Alleman, IA

The start of a new school year brings many fresh beginnings: new paint on the walls, new shoes on our feet, new friends to meet, new classes to attend, new teachers to learn from, and new books to explore. But this year, there's something even more special that we don't hear about every day—a new title authored by one of our very own students, now proudly featured in our libraries.

Most students take the summer break to hang out with friends, take a swim at the local pool, and go camping. However, NPHS student, Frankie Huether, was a little busy this summer with another special project, publishing her own novel. 

This project was a few years in the making but finally came to life over the summer when she was able to publish a Young Adult (YA) novel titled A Song of Land and Sea. This story was written between her 8th and 9th grade years at North Polk. 

Last school year, Frankie spent countless hours working with North Polk Instructional Coach and English Teacher, Mrs. Dose to edit, refine, and revise the 300-plus page novel into its final form for the annual Scholastic Art & Writing competition last year. This is a renowned competition that gains students recognition, publication, and scholarships. 

Last year, the annual contest featured over 110,000 students throughout the U.S. and Canada with over 340,000 original works in 28 different categories of art and writing. At the regional level, Huether won a Scholastic Gold Key in a category that had over 20 works

written by 8th-12th graders with only two students from Iowa receiving awards for their novels. Her work subsequently progressed to the national level of Scholastic's Art & Writing. Through this experience, she was able to navigate the comprehensive publishing process.

Frankie’s novel is now available for checkout through the High School and Middle School libraries. In addition, it can be found in both the Ankeny Kirkendall Public Library and the Polk City Library and for purchase on Amazon. 

“A Song of Land and Sea is a compelling story filled with friendship, mythical creatures, and pirates that begins an epic journey within a fantasy world very different from our own.”

A Song of Land and Sea by Frankie Huether, NP class of 2027