Courses/Storybook
Storybook
Available nowWrite and illustrate original stories with AI as a creative partner.
Students learn to structure a narrative, guide AI for characters and scenes, and refine their story into a finished storybook they can share with pride.
- Ages
- Ages 8 to 14
- Format
- 8 hours over 2 weekends, with small groups, hands-on projects, and mentor guidance.
- Location
- In person, venue chosen in South San Francisco or Stanford
We occasionally host free trial sessions. Spots are limited.
Who it's for
Students who love stories, characters, and illustration, and want to finish a real book they can show family and friends. AI is used as a creative partner; students stay in charge of the ideas.
What students learn
- ✓Structure a beginning, middle, and end
- ✓Guide AI for characters, scenes, and dialogue
- ✓Iterate on drafts instead of accepting the first output
- ✓Produce a finished illustrated storybook
Course materials
Included with enrollment. Contact us for more info.
Learning journey
Where students start, and what they can do by the end. Every student moves through these at their own pace with mentor guidance.
Find the story
A student arrives with a loose idea and leaves this stage able to state their premise in one sentence, with a beginning, middle, and end they chose themselves.
Build the cast
Characters and settings stop being vague. Students learn to describe what they picture precisely enough to get it back, and to say no when what comes back is not it.
Revise like an author
Every student rewrites. They compare drafts, name what the first attempt got wrong, and keep directing changes until the pages match what they actually meant.
Publish and read aloud
The student finishes an illustrated storybook they can open, share with family, and read aloud, in the same format as the finished books further down this page.
In the classroom
Moments from live sessions: small groups, mentors, and hands-on work.
Student projects
Characters and finished storybooks students create and share.
Characters
Storybooks
Who teaches this course
Storybook is taught by the co-founders, with a focus on helping students direct AI for characters, scenes, and revision, not accept the first draft.
Tuition
30% OFF, ENROLLING NOW
$560$800Save $240
for the full 8-hour course
DIRECT30Enter this code on the application form.
Available to the first 8 students who enroll.
ApplyParent FAQ
The questions families ask us most. If yours is not here, email us.
What will my child have finished by the end?
An original illustrated storybook, start to finish: their own premise, their own characters, and pages they revised themselves. You can open and read books finished by previous students further down this page.
What ages is Storybook for?
Ages 8 to 14. Groups are small, so mentors work with each student at their own reading and writing level rather than teaching to a single grade.
How long is the course, and when does it meet?
8 hours total across two weekends, with small groups, hands-on project time, and mentor guidance throughout.
How many students are in a class?
Capped at 10. The small group is the point: every student gets mentor attention on their own story rather than sitting through a lecture.
Does AI write the story for my child?
No. AI is a creative partner, and the student stays in charge of the ideas. A large part of the course is learning to judge what AI returns and reject the parts that miss what the student meant.
Does my child need writing experience, or any experience with AI?
No experience is required. Students arrive with an idea and nothing else, and the course is built around teaching them how to develop it.
How is my child’s AI use supervised?
Closely, and by design. Students are required to write their own idea down first, before going to AI at all. Mentors watch how each student uses AI throughout the session and step in when a student starts accepting output instead of judging it. The habit we want them to leave with is simple: always think first.
Where are classes held?
In person in the Bay Area. We choose each cohort’s venue after the group forms, based on where the enrolled families actually live. Currently that means South San Francisco or Stanford. Applying early influences where the class runs, not just whether your child gets a spot.
When does the next cohort start?
Dates are set once a group fills, because we hold cohorts to 10 students. Apply to hold a spot and we confirm the two weekend dates and the venue with you as the group comes together.
What does my child need to bring?
A laptop. Students work on their own computer so they leave with their project and their files.
Which AI tools will my child use?
The mainstream tools professionals actually use, such as ChatGPT and Claude, alongside AI image tools for illustration. The specific mix changes as the tools change, because the skill we teach is directing AI, not memorizing one product’s buttons.
Who teaches the course?
AI practitioners working in the tech industry, not hobbyists. One co-founder has a decade of data, AI, and AI-product work behind her; the other is a software engineer who also teaches and mentors CS students. Between them: Asana, Twitter, Glassdoor, Arista Networks, UC Berkeley, Stanford, and the University of Chicago. Short intros are below; full bios are on the About Us page.
Can we see real work from previous students?
Yes. Character work and finished storybooks from real sessions are published on this page, and the books open in your browser so you can read them before deciding.
Can my child try a session before we commit?
We occasionally host free trial sessions for Storybook. Spots are limited, and the free trial form on this page is where to register interest.
How much does it cost?
Tuition is $100 per instruction hour, so Storybook’s 8 hours come to $800. With the current enrollment promotion the code DIRECT30 takes 30% off, bringing it to $560.
How do we sign up?
Through the application form on this page, entering the promotion code when you apply. If you would rather see the room first, the free trial form is the lower-commitment way in. Either way, groups are capped at 10 students.
Ready for Storybook?
Apply with the application form, or join a free trial when one is offered.