Lead / Create / Contribute
235 Hope Road, Tinton Falls, NJ 07724  /  732.542.4777

More Stories

List of 10 news stories.

Paulina Pascarella ‘33 Turns Childhood Imagination into Her First Novel

For many young writers, the dream of seeing their name on a library or bookstore shelf is a distant goal. For Paulina Pascarella, a sixth-grade student at Ranney School, that dream is already a reality. Paulina recently published her debut book, William—a horror novel inspired by a surprising muse: her own family dog.

"I developed the idea of this book based on a game my sister and I used to play when we were a bit younger," Paulina shares. "Only I decided with different characters and settings, but the same plot." By translating those playful, imaginative scenarios into a structured narrative, she crafted a suspenseful tale designed to keep readers guessing.

"I chose horror for the genre because I enjoy a good horror book, and I have been reading them since I was in third grade," she explains. "When I read horror books, I like how not everything is predictable and you get to guess what’s going to happen."

That desire to keep audiences on the edge of their seats drove her to write a story designed to stand out. Her primary motivation was simple yet ambitious: "I wanted to write books so that the world can read them and have my book on their shelves.” 

When reflecting on what she is most proud of so far, Paulina points to the tangible milestones of publication. "I am most proud of seeing my name on the cover and having compliments from people who have read my book," she says.

With William now available to readers, Paulina has no plans of slowing down. "I think that my next steps to becoming a successful author would be writing more books, publishing my books to more companies, and for people to recognize me as an author," Paulina says.
Back

Ranney School

235 Hope Road
Tinton Falls, NJ 07724
Tel. 732.542.4777
Our mission is to know and value every child, nurturing intellectual curiosity and confidence, and inspiring students to lead honorably, think creatively, and contribute meaningfully to society. 

We envision Ranney School as a nurturing learning community, in which families, faculty, alumni, and all of Ranney’s constituents collaborate to know and value every child, foster individual talents, sustain powerful connections between children and adults, and graduate resilient, globally-minded citizens.