Reflections
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December 20, 2011
the debut of this new picture book. Jessica Meserve's art is fabulous and adds so much to the storyline. ONE SPECIAL DAY is about a young boy who is wild, loud, strong and free until something happens in his life and he decides to add a few new behaviors. Published by Hyperion. Watch for it in March!
12/20/20110 comments -
December 14, 2011
I so enjoyed pulling books off the shelf yesterday that I continued for part of the night and a little bit this morning. As promised, here is a list of books that I sometimes use to teach the main craft elements. As you can see, many of the same titles appear on list after list. That's because a strong mentor text will offer its reader great word choice, details, organization and voice. It's what makes good literature stand out. Since craft is the way we link words together to create meaning, the best literature exemplifies attention to craft in several areas.
Remember, read all mentor text in its entirety at least once to the class for pure enjoyment. Later, only use a small part of the text as an example of ONE craft element. Read it to the students, discuss it and then experiment with it. This can happen during a mini-lesson, during a conference, or simply during reading workshop to reinforce the reading process, as well. Writers are great readers and readers are great writers.
Not only can literature be used to teach these major craft elements, but it can be a source of mini-lessons and conversations for how to title a piece, noticing the use of repeating refrains, how to craft leads or endings, the blending of narrative features in nonfiction text, etc. And if you want to integrate the teaching of grammar and punctuation into writing workshop, read Jeff Anderson's books - Everyday Editing and Mechanically Inclined - to learn how to lift "mentor sentences" from literature.
That's the thing about good books - they are our best co-teachers during writing workshop. Cheers!
PS If you're not aware, the post before this one lists choices of mentor texts for genre. Enjoy!
Craft
Focus – books with an easy focus to identify
Just One Bite – Lola Schaefer
Friends – Catherine Thimmesh
Little Dog Poems – Kristine O’Connell George
The Quiet Book – Deborah Underwood
What’s Up, What’s Down – Lola Schaefer
Subway Ride – Heather Lynn Miller
Nine O’Clock Lullaby – Marilyn Singer
Scaredy Squirrel – Melanie Watt
One Is a Snail, Ten Is a Crab – April Pulley Sayre
Flight – Robert Burleigh
How to Clean a Hippopotamus – Steve Jenkins
My Name is Georgia – Jeanette Winter
Rosa’s Bus – Jo Kittinger
Now & Ben – Gene Barretta
Wanted the Perfect Pet – Fiona Roberton
Freedom Summer – Deborah WilesWord Choice
All the World – Liz Garton
A House Is a House for Me – Mary Ann Hoberman
Fletcher and the Falling Leaves – Julia Rawlinson
Grandad’s Fishing Buddy – Mary Quigley
Over and Under the Snow - Kate Messner
Rosa’s Bus – Jo Kittinger
Canoe Days – Gary Paulsen (coined words in use)
Thesaurus Rex – Laya Steinberg
Max’s Words – Kate Banks
Weaving the Rainbow – George Ella Lyon
The Boy Who Loved Words – Roni Schotter
14 Cows for America – Carmen Agra Deedy
Freedom Summer – Deborah Wiles
Yatandou – Gloria Whelan
My Uncle Martin’s Big Heart – Angela Farris Watkins
When Marian Sang – Pam Munoz Ryan
Ubiquitous – Joyce Sidman
Arrowhawk – Lola Schaefer
Earth: Feeling the Heat – Brenda Z. Guiberson
well written poetryDetail
When I Was Young in the Mountains – Cynthia Rylant
When the Relatives Came – Cynthia Rylant
Weaving the Rainbow – George Ella Lyon
Never Smile At a Monkey – Steve Jenkins
All the Places to Love – Pat MacLachlan
Over and Under the Snow - Kate Messner
Grandpa’s Fishing Buddy – Mary Quigley
Freedom Summer – Deborah Wiles
Rosa’s Bus – Jo Kittinger
Twilight Comes Twice – Ralph Fletcher
When Marian Sang – Pam Munoz Ryan
I Dream of Trains – Angela Johnson
14 Cows For America – Carmen Agra Deedy
A Good Night for Freedom – Barbara Olenyik Morrow
Two Bobbies – Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery
My Uncle Martin’s Big Heart – Angela Farris Watkins
Thomas Jefferson – James Cross Giblin
The Secret World of Walter Anderson – Hester Bass
A River of Words – Jen Bryant
Ubiquitous – Joyce Sidman
Selected entries from any of the My Name is America journals
selected passages from well-written novelsOrganization
A Good Day – Kevin Henkes
Diary of Worm (Spider, Fly) – Doreen Cronin
Tomorrow’s Alphabet – George Shannon
Just One Bite – Lola Schaefer
The Quiet Book – Deborah Underwood
What’s Up, What’s Down – Lola Schaefer
Nine O’Clock Lullaby – Marilyn Singer
Flight – Robert Burleigh
Rosa’s Bus – Jo Kittinger
Shark vs. Train – Chris Barton
Trout Are Made of Trees – April Pulley Sayre
This is the Sunflower – Lola Schaefer
Scaredy Squirrel – Melanie Watt
Now & Ben – Gene Baretta
Freedom Summer – Deborah Wiles
Earth: Feeling the Heat – Brenda Z. Guiberson
I Wanna New Room – Karen Kaufman Orloff
Ubiquitous – Joyce SidmanElaboration (books with figurative language, show, don’t tell, and wonderful description)
Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse - Kevin Henkes
Oliver Finds His Way – Phyllis Root
Over and Under the Snow - Kate Messner
Granddad’s fishing Buddy – Mary Quigley
Rosa’s Bus – Jo Kittinger
Weaving the Rainbow – George Ella Lyon
The Firekeeper’s Son – Linda Sue Park
A Good Night for Freedom – Barbara Olenyik Morrow
Two Bobbies – Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery
When Marian Sang – Pam Munoz Ryan
Freedom Summer – Deborah Wiles
The Secret World of Water Anderson – Hester Bass
The Butterfly – Patricia Polacco
Yatandou – Gloria WhelanVoice
If You Were Born a Kitten – Marion Dane Bauer
Diary of a Worm (Spider, Fly) – Doreen Cronin
Scaredy Squirrel – Melanie Watt
Waiting for Wings – Lois Ehlert
Bubba and Beau – Kathi Appelt
All the Places to Love – Patricia MacLachlan
Rudi’s Pond – Eve Bunting
Weaving the Rainbow – George Ella Lyon
The Firekeeper’s Son – Linda Sue Park
All the Water in the World – George Ella Lyon
I Dream of Trains – Angela Johnson
My Name is Sangoel – Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed
When Marian Sang – Pam Munoz Ryan
Living Sunlight – Molly Bang & Penny Chisholm
Swamp Angel – Anne Isaacs
The Dunderheads – Paul Fleischman
Yatandou – Gloria Whelan
Diary of a Wimpy Kid – Jeff Kinney
Hope Was Here – Joan Bauer
Sahara Special – Esme Raji Codell
The Dreamer – Pam Munoz Ryan12/20/20110 comments -
December 13, 2011
Inevitably when I visit a school and offer demonstration lessons in genre or craft, I have teachers ask me for a list of mentor text that I use regularly. My pat response in past years has been, "Oh, I have books that I enjoy, but you need to find books that speak to you - that are good models for your students." I always share the titles that I have brought with me that day and sometimes will email off a few others. But I'm beginning to realize that as more and more new content and additions to the curriculum are thrown at teachers they don't have a lot of time to peruse bookstores and libraries. And, since many of our large chain bookstores don't even carry a wide selection of picture books - some of the best mentor text IMHO - it's difficult for teachers to even FIND good books to read and evaluate.
So my Christmas present to all readers is twofold this year. First, today I'm posting a list of books that I enjoy as mentor text for genre. Is this a complete list of all books published that could work for these different genres? Of course not. It's a somewhat thorough list of my favorites. I have more, but these are the books I tend to take with me to school after school. When the list is a bit longer I've organized more appropriate titles for primary grades near the top half and titles for intermediate or middle school grades near the second half. Although I have to say that I use most titles freely from grades K through 8. A good book models excellent writing for all ages, even adults.
Today's post is the first of two. By year's end I'll post again with a list of books that I like to use for the craft of writing - focus, word choice, organization, details, elaboration, show, don't tell, voice, etc.
And if you decide to mark this post in your favorites, I will return to both lists from time to time and update with new titles that I add to my collection.
I hope this helps many of you in some small way. Merry Christmas!
Persuasive
I Wanna Iguana - Karen Kaufman Orloff
I Wanna New Room – Karen Kaufman Orloff
The Gruffalo – Julia Donaldson
My Lucky Day – Keiko Kasza
Dear Mrs. LaRue - Mark TeagueCumulative Story
The Napping House – Audrey and Don Wood
This is the Sunflower – Lola Schaefer
This is the Rain – Lola Schaefer
Pond Circle – Betsy Franco
The House that Jack Built – Jeanette Winter
This is the Feast – Diane Z. ShoreTerse Verse
Puffins Climb, Penguins Rhyme – Bruce McMillan
An Island Grows – Lola SchaeferPersonal Narrative
Selected entries from . . .
Diary of a Worm (Spider, Fly) – Doreen Cronin (for primary)
Selected pages from
When The Relatives Came - Cynthia Rylant
When I Was Young in the Mountains - Cynthia Rylant
Selected Passages from
My Uncle Martin’s Big Heart – Angela Farris Watkins
Selected entries from any of the
My Name is America (A Dear America) Journals (intermediate)The Journal of William Thomas Emerson
The Journal of James Edmond Pease
The Journal of Joshua Loper
The Journal of Wong Ming-Chung
The Journal of Sean Sullivan
The Journal of Augustus PelletierNarrative – Story Structure
Dog and Bear – Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Frog and Toad – Arnold Lobel
Mittens – Lola Schaefer
Oliver Finds His Way – Phyllis Root
The Firekeeper’s Son – Linda Sue Park
Widget – Lyn Rossiter McFarland
Frankie Stein – Lola Schaefer
Wanted the Perfect Pet – Fiona Roberton
The Dunderheads – Paul Fleischman
The Plot Chickens – Mary Jane and Herm AuchNarrative Nonfiction
First the Egg – Laura Vaccaro Seeger
What is Science – Rebecca Kai Dotlich
Compost Stew – Mary McKenna Siddals
Actual Size – Steve Jenkins
Just One Bite – Lola Schaefer
This is the Rain – Lola Schaefer
Trout Are Made of Trees – April Pulley Sayre
One Is a Snail, Ten Is a Crab – April Pulley Sayre
Waiting for Wings – Lois Ehlert
Now & Ben – Gene Baretta
Neo Leo – Gene Baretta
Rosa’s Bus – Jo Kittinger
The Shocking Truth about Energy – Loreen Leedy
This Is Your Life Cycle – Heather Lynn Miller
A River of Words – Jen Bryant
Almost Gone – Steve Jenkins
An Island Grows – Lola Schaefer
We Planted a Tree – Diane Muldrow
Pond Circle – Betsy Franco
All the Water in the World – George Ella Lyon
A Butterfly is Patient – Dianna Hutts Aston
How To Clean a Hippopotamus – Steve Jenkins
Living Sunlight – Molly Bang & Penny Chisholm
The Boy Who Invented TV – Kathleen Krull
Down Down Down - Steve Jenkins
Flight – Robert Burleigh
The Secret World of Walter Anderson – Hester Bass
Ubiquitous – Joyce Sidman
Earth: Feeling the Heat – Brenda Z. GuibersonPoetry
Lots of Spots – Lois Ehlert
All the World – Liz Garton
Give Yourself to the Rain – Margaret Wise Brown
I’m Small – Lilian Moore
Button Up – Alice Schertle
In the Swim – Doug Florian
Lemonade Sun – Rebecca Kai Dotlich
All the Small Poems – Valerie Worth
Joyful Noise – Paul Fleischman
Hailstones and Halibut Bones – Mary O’Neill
Fold Me A Poem – Kristine O’Connell George
You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You – Mary Ann Hoberman
Lives: Poems About Famous Americans – Lee Bennett Hopkins
Earthshake – Lisa Westberg Peters
Amazing Faces – Lee Bennett Hopkins
Old Elm Speaks – Kristine O’Connell George
Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow – Joyce Sidman
Swimming Upstream: Middle School Poems – Kristine O’Connell George
A Maze Me – Naomi Shihab Nye
Seeing the Blue Between – Paul B. Janeczko
Love That Dog – Sharon Creech
Hate That Cat – Sharon CreechUnusual Text Structures
Oral Story Telling – What If – Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Short Plays – Full Moon and Star by Lee Bennett Hopkins
Two-part Story – Interrupting Chicken – David Ezra Stein
Poems to be read up and down – Mirror Mirror - Marilyn Singer
Two part debate – Shark vs. Train – Chris Barton
Riddles about children’s books – Spot the Plot – J. Patrick Lewis12/20/20110 comments -
October 29, 2011
Many authors are entering e-book publishing and I'm one of them. That doesn't mean I know exactly what's happening with all of these digital apps, but I'm more than happy to expand my readership. MITTENS the kitten (HarperCollins I Can Read Books) now has five titles in print and in e-books. This past week I was contacted by blogger Karleen Tauszik. She told me that HAPPY HALLOWEEN, MITTENS has been selling quite well as an e-book and asked me for an interview. I was happy to answer her questions and here is a link to her blog. I hope everyone has a scary Halloween and holidays filled with family and friends. http://www.kidsebookbestsellers.com/2011/10/happy-halloween-from-bestsel...
10/29/20110 comments -
October 17, 2011
Just spent two wonderful days in Birmingham, AL at the SCBWI-Southern Breeze Writing and Illustrating for Kids Conference (WIK, 2011). It's exciting to meet and speak with people of all ages who want to contribute to our current wealth of children's literature. On Friday, I offered a full day intensive on revising the picture book to 43 men and women. We laughed, read, wrote, revised, compared, improved and celebrated growth in our scripts. On Saturday, a large crowd of editors, agents, writers, illustrators, an art director and learners gathered at a high school for inspiration, information, critiques and more. Every aspect of both days was seamless thanks to the detail-oriented planning of the Southern Breeze officers. Every writer, no matter how many published credits, or not, is a learner. We grow by reading the best books, discussing strategies, experimenting, revising, receiving rejections, pushing forward and finding the most important stories that we need to tell with our own original approach and voice. It's a wild and satisfying journey - one that I was pleased to share with kind colleagues for a few hours this weekend. Thank you.
10/17/20110 comments
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