Writing is an art and a science . . . and we’ve got books that can help your students become better at the both sides of the craft. Read on for 10 books that help with all parts of the writing process from research to putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard)!
Do Your Research
From the Series Library Smarts
- Interest Level: Preschool – Grade 2
- Reading Level: Grade 1
How can you find out things you don’t know? What is a just-right question? What are sources? Learn the answers to these questions and more in this book about how to find, gather, and present information.
Know the Parts of a Book
From the Series Library Smarts
- Interest Level: Preschool – Grade 2
- Reading Level: Grade 1
From the table of contents to the index, the parts of a book each have a job to do. Do you know what those jobs are? And do you know how certain features make it easier to use a book? Find out in this book that helps you get to know the parts of a book!
What Is Poetry?
From the Series Name That Text Type!
- Interest Level: Grade 2 – Grade 4
- Reading Level: Grade 2
What is poetry? How is it different from other kinds of writing? Find out what makes a poem a poem. See how poets organize their poems and what special writing tools they use, such as rhythm, rhyming, and alliteration. Then explore different styles of poems, including haiku, free verse, concrete poems, limericks, acrostic poems, and more!
Bow-Tie Pasta
Acrostic Poems
From the Series Poetry Adventures
- Interest Level: Grade 2 – Grade 5
- Reading Level: Grade 3
Acrostic? What kind of stick is that? Actually, it’s a poem! Acrostic poems are created from a word or phrase written vertically down the page. Each letter becomes part of a line in the poem, revealing a thought or a clue about the poem’s topic. Award-winning author Brian P. Cleary shows how even the wackiest words can make an acrostic poem.
Bow-Tie Pasta is packed with acrostics to make you snicker and snort. And when you’ve finished reading, you can try your hand at writing your own poems!
What Are Satire and Parody?
From the Series Searchlight Books™ — Fake News
- Interest Level: Grade 3 – Grade 5
- Reading Level: Grade 3
Satire and parody existed long before modern times. Readers will get an invaluable overview of how to identify satire and parody and how to think critically about current events.
Smart Online Searching
Doing Digital Research
From the Series Searchlight Books™ — What Is Digital Citizenship?
- Interest Level: Grade 3 – Grade 5
- Reading Level: Grade 3
The information you find online can sometimes feel overwhelming. Which online sources can you trust? How do you know which sites include the facts you’re looking for? Learn the basics of how to do an effective online search, what to do if you have trouble finding information, and how to tell whether a source is reliable.
Create Your Own Blog
From the Series Digital Makers (Alternator Books®)
- Interest Level: Grade 3 – Grade 6
- Reading Level: Grade 4
Do you love to write? Are you into self-expression? Blogging is a great way to share your obsession with travel, your passion for reading, or your unique thoughts about the world. The possibilities are endless when it comes to blogging! Learn how to get started as a blogger in just a few easy steps, and discover how to attract readers to your site and keep improving your posts. Check out the useful Blog Checklist at the end of the book for even more awesome tips and tricks. Are you ready to build a blog? Let’s dive in!
Writing Fantastic Fiction
From the Series Write This Way
- Interest Level: Grade 6 – Grade 8
- Reading Level: Grade 6
Want to write a fantastic work of fiction? Sometimes getting started is the hardest part. This book takes you through the steps of writing a story from beginning to end. Learn how to gather inspiration and develop a story’s characters. Then visualize and organize your story’s plot with a writing map. And after you’ve written a really rough draft, check out tips for revising your work. You’ll also be inspired by unique writing exercises and storytelling insights from popular authors. Whether you want to write a puzzling mystery, a lighthearted romance, a dark sci-fi epic, or a tale that borrows from your own life, a blank page can be the starting point for a powerful story.
Writing Notable Narrative Nonfiction
From the Series Write This Way
- Interest Level: Grade 6 – Grade 8
- Reading Level: Grade 6
Have you ever wanted to write a true story? Maybe you have an interesting experience to share from your life or from someone in your family. Or perhaps you’d like to write about a famous person or a fascinating moment in history. This book will help you craft notable narrative nonfiction—appealing true stories. After you discover a topic, you’ll move on to collecting facts and charting your course. Once you’ve written a rough draft, you’ll learn how to revise your work and polish it into a great piece of writing. This book also offers examples, quotes, and short writing exercises to inspire you. Whether your goal is to tell your own story or someone else’s, this book will help you bring the details to life.
Fandom
Fic Writers, Vidders, Gamers, Artists, and Cosplayers
- Interest Level: Grade 6 – Grade 12
- Reading Level: Grade 8
Have you ever finished a book or TV series and wished for more? Created stories, art, or videos based on a game? Dressed up as your favorite character? If so, you’ve entered fandom. Fan writers expand and mix up stories, like sending the Star Trek crew to Hogwarts. Cosplayers sew Star Wars and Sailor Moon costumes, and fan filmmakers make music video tributes. Fans also enrich invented worlds with greater diversity, creating female and multiracial avatars for games peopled only with white male characters. Tour fandom’s history and meet fan writers, video-makers, artists, costumers, and gamers who celebrate the things they love and shape fan communities online and in real life.