Topics ranging from wolves to snowmen filled the air March 24 at Mountain Brook’s Newk’s restaurant as more than a dozen aspiring authors from Helena Elementary School shared their year’s work.

Thirteen students — many dressed in their Sunday best — from Laura Sokol’s second-grade class read their best stories to a group of more than 30 visitors as the class celebrated the reading skills they obtained over the past school year.

After the reading sessions, parents and restaurant visitors raised $165 to donate to Birmingham’s Children’s Hospital by bidding on bound volumes of the children’s literary works.

“I was expecting to raise about $100 tonight, so this is great,” Sokol said after the auction. “These are stories we have collected throughout the year.”

The students’ stories featured everything from favorite colors to African elephants and instructions on how to ride a bike.

Jaycee Adams shared stories about the color pink and the reasons she loves to write; Camerone Pannell compared China and America and gave the audience ice skating instructions; Tyler Jackson shared stories on snowmen and the reasons he is a powerful writer and Janie Acton read her stories about the sun and hummingbirds.

Taelor Watts explained why her favorite color is blue and read about snowflakes; Cody Foster explained how to ride a bike and also shared his love for the color blue; Justin McShea shared his story about Africa’s animal giants and why his favorite color is red and Wesley Kitchens shared stories on puffins and the color white.

Cole Huff and Sam McCourt explained why Mrs. Sokol is one of their favorite teachers at Helena Elementary School and why their favorite color is green, and Olivia Hudson read about snowmen and explained what she likes about her second-grade class.

Chris Woodfield gave the audience a lesson on wolves and shared his love for the color red, and Dylan Mays explained his love of the color blue and shared a tale about a town overrun with race cars.

“We just wanted to celebrate the writing success the students have had this year,” Sokol said. “The kids really enjoyed this. It was sort of a community-building event for everyone.”