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Maribeth Boelt’s new book A Bike Like Sergio’s will appeal to readers and writers of all ages. It’s a heartfelt story with a message to which readers will relate; the right decision is… Continue reading →

Meet Pablo and take an adventure in Delphine Perret's book as he travels the world!

Author Cindy Jenson-Elliot answer questions about her newest book, Antsy Ansel: Ansel Adams, A Life in Nature. Comment for a chance to win a copy of this beautiful book that is destined to be one of your mentor texts!

This penguin has problems. A lot of problems.

Picture books are short, visual, and engaging, which makes them perfect for using as mentor texts with elementary AND secondary students.

Today is Picture Book 10 for 10, which is a community of educators who share "must-have" picture books for classrooms. My list includes stories that will inspire children to write about their own experiences in new ways.

My last post was about some of the reflections that I want to remember when I teach any genre of writing, but I also wanted to share more of our poetry workshop and… Continue reading →

Ida, Always is a gentle and honest picture book for helping young children deal with and talk about loss. It's also an excellent mentor text you can use in writing workshop.

When I first opened Nerdy Birdy by Aaron Reynolds, I was not (yet) reading it with the eye of a writer.  I was way too smitten with the bird on the front cover.  I mean,… Continue reading →

You have the right text now when is the right time?

You have the right text now when is the right time?

I've been researching and working with mentor texts for over a decade. Here's how I choose them and mine them for craft moves to teach young writers.

I've been researching and working with mentor texts for over a decade. Here's how I choose them and mine them for craft moves to teach young writers.

The one and only Kate DiCamillo is here today to talk about her new novel, Raymie Nightingale. Read the interview and then leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of her book.

Today is the annual Nonfiction Picture Book 10 for 10, hosted by Cathy Mere from Reflect and Refine, Mandy Robek of Enjoy and Embrace Learning, and Julie Balen of Write at the Edge. This is my fourth year participating in this event, which provides me with a chance to share ten nonfiction picture books I have been using as mentor texts with elementary school writers.

Kids often feel as though that they are the only ones who have ever been stuck for ideas, or been laughed at, or had a story rejected (by a teacher, or friend). No matter where you live, no matter what you write, there is no need to discover every writing problem all on your own. That's where characters in books come in. Why not learn from them?

When my principal handed me a copy of Bethany Barton’s I’m Trying to Love Spiders, I was intrigued.  She had chosen this book as our Everybody Reads title for the month and I was… Continue reading →

The books featured in this post, all of which were published in 2015, represent a variety of information writing. All of these are texts that can pull double- and even triple-duty in your classroom, thereby allowing you to use a text during read-aloud time so you can revisit it during a writing workshop minlesson and/or in a content area.

Try typing out a mentor text to get a closer look.

I’ve long believed teacher-written texts can serve as excellent mentor texts during a unit of study. While I’m a huge advocate of student-written mentor texts, sometimes student writing doesn’t have everything we need… Continue reading →

How do you encourage students when beginning the writing process for information writing? Give them choices!

Last Thursday, I endeavored to explain writing workshop to parents in my district at Parent University. As I drove home after the presentation, I felt unsettled, like there had been a gap in what the parents were hoping to learn and what I delivered. What would you be sure to include in a presentation to parents on writing workshop?

It is Throwback Week on Two Writing Teachers! Revisit this post from Tara on analyzing mentor texts in your classroom.

Finally! I've found a new picture book I can use in opinion writing units of study. Learn more about One Word from Sophia by Averbeck and Ismail in this post. Then, leave a comment on this post for a chance to win a copy of this book.

Are you a Voxer skeptic? Read on to find out how Voxer can enrich your teaching life and an opportunity to use Voxer with others in our TWT community.