Hi Kid Lit Friends!
I am writing this on a beautiful morning in New York City. The sun is shining, we just finished a few days of rain, and bulbs are bursting from the ground. It’s spring!
As someone who visits many schools every year and speaks to students about writing, I am amazed by all the wonderful young writers out there. Many of them ask for tips, and I always love sharing about what works for me. I also love recommending books about writing by children’s book authors. Here are some books that I found particularly wonderful; check them out and let me know what you think! *All descriptions come from the publisher.*
Sponsored by Black Library, publishing arm of Games Workshop
Zelia Lor’s life changes when Necrons attack her home planet and rip it apart! Separated from her mother, Zelia must escape the doomed world, her only hope a scrambled transmission promising safety at a mysterious place known only as the Emperor’s Seat.. Attack of the Necron heralds the start of the new Warhammer Adventures range of books, greeting middle school readers to the far future universe of Warhammer 40,000. Featuring school-aged heroes overcoming impossible odds, the stories carve a new path into the Warhammer tabletop games- written to encourage reading and basic maths, younger fans of Warhammer enjoy the benefits of over 1,200 school clubs around the world.
Writing Guides for Middle Grade Readers
Share Your Smile: Raina’s Guide to Telling Your Own Story by Raina Telgemeier (Scholastic, 4/30/19)
Have you ever thought about telling your own story, whether it be true or imagined? Are you interested in writing, drawing, or both? If the answers are yes, this fun, colorful, and interactive journal is for you! With guidance from Raina herself, brainstorm ideas, make lists, paste in personal photos, and use your imagination like never before to create your own stories. For additional inspiration, behind-the-scenes info from Raina’s own comics-making adventures is featured inside.
Raina Telgemeier is the author of the middle grade graphic novels Smile, Sisters, Ghosts, and Drama, among others.
Note from Karina: I loved this book and the behind-the-scenes look into Raina’s process. Highly recommend!
The Creativity Project, edited by Colby Sharp
Colby Sharp invited more than forty authors and illustrators to provide story starters for each other; photos, drawings, poems, prose, or anything they could dream up. When they received their prompts, they responded by transforming these seeds into any form of creative work they wanted to share. The result is a stunning collection of words, art, poetry, and stories by some of our most celebrated children book creators. A section of extra story starters by every contributor provides fresh inspiration for readers to create works of their own. Here is an innovative book that offers something for every kind of reader and creator!
Colby Sharp is the co-author along with Donalyn Miller of Game Changer: Book Access for All Kids.
Note from Karina: My daughters (ages 9 and 11) LOVE this book. They have used many of the prompts to create their own stories.
Writing Magic: Creating Stories That Fly by Gail Carson Levine
In Writing Magic, Newbery Honor author Gail Carson Levine shares her tricks of the trade. She shows how you can get terrific ideas for stories, invent great beginnings and endings, write sparkling dialogue, develop memorable characters—and much, much more. She advises you about what to do when you feel stuck—and how to use helpful criticism. Best of all, she offers writing exercises that will set your imagination on fire.
Gail Carson Levine is the Newbery Honor winning author of the middle grade books Ella Enchanted, The Two Princesses of Bamarre, The Lost Kingdom of Bamarre, Ogre Enchanted, Fairest, and Dave at Night, among others.
Writing Radar by Jack Gantos
With the signature wit and humor that have garnered him legions of fans, Jack Gantos instructs young writers on using their “writing radar” to unearth story ideas from their everyday lives. Incorporating his own misadventures as a developing writer, Gantos inspires readers to build confidence and establish good writing habits as they create, revise, and perfect their stories. Pop-out text boxes highlight key tips, alongside Gantos’s own illustrations, sample stories, and snippets from his childhood journals. More than just a how-to guide, Writing Radar is a celebration of the power of storytelling and an ode to the characters who―many unwittingly―inspired Gantos’s own writing career.
Jack Gantos is the Newbery Honor winning author of the middle grade books Dead End in Norvelt, the Joey Pigza series, Rotten Ralph, and the Jack Henry series, among others.
What Is Poetry by Michael Rosen and Jill Calder
For thousands of years, people have been writing poetry. But what is poetry? Award-winning wordsmith Michael Rosen has spent decades thinking about that question, and in this helpful guide he shares his insights with humor, knowledge, and appreciation — appreciation for poetry and appreciation for twenty-first-century children embarking on their own poetic journeys. Young readers are invited to join him on a welcoming exploration of the British poetic canon, replete with personal insights into what the renowned poet thinks about as he writes and advice on writing their own poetry. When he’s finished, readers will be able to say with confidence: this is poetry. Included in this accessible handbook are writing tips, analyses of classic poems, and an appendix of poets and useful websites.
Michael Rosen is the author of the picture books We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, This is Our House, Tiny Little Fly, and A Great Big Cuddle, among others.
Spilling Ink: A Young Writer’s Handbook by Ellen Potter, Anne Mazer
After receiving letters from fans asking for writing advice,accomplished authors Anne Mazer and Ellen Potter joined together to create this guidebook for young writers. The authors mix inspirational anecdotes with practical guidance on how to find a voice, develop characters and plot, make revisions, and overcome writer’s block. Fun writing prompts will help young writers jump-start their own projects, and encouragement throughout will keep them at work.
Ellen Potter is the author of the middle grade books Big Foot, Little Foot and the Piper Green series, among others. Anne Mazer is the author of the middle grade series Abby Hayes and Sister Magic, among others.
Writing Guides Designed for Teachers and Educators
The Write Thing by Kwame Alexander
The Write Thing teaches you how to move students step-by-step from ideas, to drafts, to finished works. Not only will you successfully motivate your students to write, you’ll take that motivation one step further by providing guidance on how to create student-driven publications of their work. The confidence students will attain when they see their writing authentically published will be off the charts!
Kwame Alexander is the Newbery Award winning author of the middle grade books The Crossover, Booked, Rebound, as well as the picture books Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets, The Undefeated, and Acoustic Rooster and His Barnyard Band, among others.
Writers Read Better by M. Colleen Cruz
We know that writing skills reinforce reading skills, but what’s the best way to capitalize on this relationship? By flipping the traditional “reading lesson first, writing lesson second” sequence, Colleen Cruz helps you make the most of the writing-to-reading connection with 50 carefully matched lesson pairs centered around non-fiction texts. Lessons can be implemented either as a complete curriculum or as a supplement to an existing program. Complete with suggestions on adapting the lessons to suit the needs of your classroom and individual students, Writers Reader Better offers a solid foundation for giving your students the advantage of transferable literacy skills.
M. Colleen Cruz is the author of the writing book for teachers, The Unstoppable Writing Teacher, as well as a book for teens, Border Crossing.
Writing Guides for Teens and Older
Dear Ally, How Do You Write a Book? by Ally Carter
Have you always wanted to write a book, but don’t know where to start? Or maybe you’re really great at writing the first few chapters . . . but you never quite make it to the end? Or do you finally have a finished manuscript, but you’re not sure what to do next? Fear not — if you have writing-related questions, this book has answers! Whether you’re writing for fun or to build a career, bestselling author Ally Carter is ready to help you make your work shine. With honesty, encouragement, and humor, Ally’s ready here to answer the questions that writers struggle with the most. Filled with practical tips and helpful advice, Dear Ally is a treasure for aspiring writers at any stage of their careers. It offers a behind-the-scenes look at how books get made, from idea to publication, and gives you insight into the writing processes of some of the biggest and most talented YA authors writing today.
Ally Carter is the author of the middle grade series, Gallagher Girls, as well as many YA books.
Around the web…
Noteworthy Novel Sequels, via Publisher’s Weekly
10 Books About Girls Who Code, via Book Riot
10 Quotes from Ramona the Pest to Celebrate Beverly Cleary’s 103rd Birthday, via Book Riot
I would love to know what you are reading this week! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at karina@bookriot.com.
Until next time!
Karina
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