• New Mentor Text Lessons, Mentor Texts Lists, and More!

    Guest Posts Around the Web You may have noticed I haven’t been blogging much lately, but I have been doing some writing out and about on the web-o-sphere. Using Mentor Texts to Revise a Novel in Verse at Teach Mentor Texts (Jen Vincent’s blog) Author Study on Newbery Award…

  • Mentor Texts in the Classroom: Pet Projects by Lynne Marie

    Please welcome author Lynne Marie to our Mentor Texts in the Classroom series. Teachers are always looking for new ways to help kids tell their own stories. Pet stories often make their way into student writing. What better way to help students become better writers than to introduce them…

  • Poetry Mentor Texts: Snoozefest by Samantha Berger

    Snoozefest By Samantha Berger Illustrated by Kristyna Litten Dial, 2015 Snoozefest is a delight! Berger had me at the title: Snoozefest! I think the thing that delighted me (and would delight younger readers) is the word combinations. Snoozefest, Nuzzledome, naptacular, even the character’s name, Snuggleford Cuddlebun, play with sleepy…

  • Poetry Mentor Texts: A Rock Can Be by Laura Purdie Salas

    A Rock Can Be… By Laura Purdie Salas Illustrated by Violeta Dabija Millbrook, 2015 On Tuesday, my students and I had a Skype visit with Laura Purdie Salas. Just hearing her talk about her process was so encouraging to all of us. In preparation for her Skype visit, we…

  • Poetry Mentor Texts: Some Bugs by Andrea DiTerlizzi

    Some Bugs By Andrea DiTerlizzi Illustrated by Brendan Wenzel Beach Lane, 2014 Some Bugs is one of those books that completely absorbs the reader in it’s fun but spare language. It’s a brilliant 94 words! Like Raindrops Roll, it’s one I typed up because I wanted to study the…

  • Poetry as Mentor Texts: Raindrops Roll by April Pulley Sayre

    April is poetry month. Every Friday in April, I will feature a poetic picture book that can be used as a mentor text for writing. For past Poetry Month resources, check out these resources. Raindrops Roll By April Pulley Sayre Beach Lane, 2015 I can’t say enough good things…

  • NF 10 for 10: Nonfiction Poetic Picture Books

      I’ve been reading a lot of nonfiction picture books lately because we are doing a nonfiction mentor text book study at my school using FINDING THE HEART OF NONFICTION by Georgia Heard.   One of the things I admire about nonfiction is an author’s ability to convey facts…

  • Mentor Texts for Teachers 2015: Guest Posts

    When I did my list of most popular blog posts in 2014, I noticed that six of the ten posts were mentor texts posts. I want to bring more mentor texts posts to you in 2015. I’m inviting other teachers and librarians to post about how they use mentor…