Help to engage the children in the process of creating a story by writing a story as a group. Have one child start the story off with one or two sentences. Then have another student build on what was previously said. Continue throughout the group until each child has contributed. Then, have each of the children write his own ending to the story. They can each take turns sharing it with the class afterward. This will display the individual creativity of each child, and they will be entertained by the variety of different endings that arise from the same story. You can even choose to record and bind the story with all of the different endings for the group to look back on.
Have students get involved with the artistic side of children's books by trying their hand at illustration. Choose a book that you have recently read as a group, and assign each student a different scene or chapter to illustrate. This will give children a chance to think about how they visualize the story, and how to convey that in the form of a picture. It will also display that there are many different ways to tell a story, and it doesn't always have to be solely through words.
Reading a book as a group is a good way to help children pay attention while reading, and to understand written emotion. Assign each child a chapter or page to read out loud as you go along. If the book is written like a play, you can even assign characters. Tell them to think about the emotion that the character or scene is conveying and present that in their voice while reading. It can also be more fun and engaging for children to read together. It makes the book seem more realistic and they are less prone to distractions than while reading in their heads.
Have children share their favorite book with the group. Ask that they tell when they first read the book, why they liked it, and information about the plot and main characters. This helps children to think critically about what they do like to read, while perhaps sparking an interest in the book for others in their class. It may also inspire them to find and read other books like it in the future.