pandacat42's review
4.0
Would probably be better for 1st or 2nd grade. It's a pretty good book, I'm just not sure when I'll have the opportunity to use it with the kids at the library, given my school-age programs are more STEM-oriented.
Probably more useful for teachers or book clubs.
Probably more useful for teachers or book clubs.
internationalkris's review
5.0
Pretty perfect short guide to writing a story for young people. I love that the book doesn't overdo it with advice or examples but also leaves in so many important steps like taking a break after the first draft to let ideas percolate and questions arise. This will be a certainly be used as an instructive book but it is friendly and not heavy handed.
pib003's review
4.0
I wish I worked with slightly older kids so I could read this to them! But I think it's too complex and didactic for a preschool storytime.
anneke_b's review
3.0
The information was solid, but it was a bit confusing for me who'd the target reader would be for this book. I think it was a bit dry for my younger kids, and not enough information was lacking for my older kids.
ashleyaewert's review
4.0
Great book to read to students as you are introducing how to right a story and the different steps to writing a successful one. Character is engaging as well as the illustrations show just how easy following the steps can be to create a story that jumps off the page!
panda_incognito's review
3.0
This nonfiction picture book will be a great fit for kindergarten through young elementary-age classes, but has little appeal beyond that demographic. The advice is extremely basic, and even though this is a good introduction for a classroom assignment, I know that I would have found it frustrating when I was an independent beginning writer looking for advice for how to tell a story.
This book covers different elements of creative writing, such as conflict, a setting, and a main character, but these are all concepts that attentive readers are already aware of. When I was a child, I wanted insight about how to tell a story, and how to shape a story's unfolding events, but this book does not provide any advice for how to plot a narrative. It also ends very abruptly, and lacks any conclusion or author's note that would share more information or encouragement.
Because this book focuses on the most basic introductory concepts, this book is best as an educational tool for very young children. For ideas about story structure and how to keep your idea going after a few paragraphs, I would recommend [b:Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly|136218|Writing Magic Creating Stories that Fly|Gail Carson Levine|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1349044003l/136218._SY75_.jpg|131275] and [b:Brave the Page|43230756|Brave the Page|National Novel Writing Month|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1568805857l/43230756._SX50_.jpg|66922857], even though they are geared towards middle grade readers. A teacher might want to pull some ideas from these books to share at a development-appropriate level with their class.
My critique might seem silly, since this picture book is not geared towards children who are old enough to write anything very complex. However, given how few books about writing are available for young readers, I know that older children will read this as well, and even a young child who is serious about writing may find this insufficient, as I know I would have. This is a good classroom introduction for children who may or may not have any interest in creative writing, but it is too basic and shallow to be very helpful to a child who has already developed a specific interest in this subject and is looking for how to structure a story and keep it going beyond a few paragraphs or pages.
This book covers different elements of creative writing, such as conflict, a setting, and a main character, but these are all concepts that attentive readers are already aware of. When I was a child, I wanted insight about how to tell a story, and how to shape a story's unfolding events, but this book does not provide any advice for how to plot a narrative. It also ends very abruptly, and lacks any conclusion or author's note that would share more information or encouragement.
Because this book focuses on the most basic introductory concepts, this book is best as an educational tool for very young children. For ideas about story structure and how to keep your idea going after a few paragraphs, I would recommend [b:Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly|136218|Writing Magic Creating Stories that Fly|Gail Carson Levine|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1349044003l/136218._SY75_.jpg|131275] and [b:Brave the Page|43230756|Brave the Page|National Novel Writing Month|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1568805857l/43230756._SX50_.jpg|66922857], even though they are geared towards middle grade readers. A teacher might want to pull some ideas from these books to share at a development-appropriate level with their class.
My critique might seem silly, since this picture book is not geared towards children who are old enough to write anything very complex. However, given how few books about writing are available for young readers, I know that older children will read this as well, and even a young child who is serious about writing may find this insufficient, as I know I would have. This is a good classroom introduction for children who may or may not have any interest in creative writing, but it is too basic and shallow to be very helpful to a child who has already developed a specific interest in this subject and is looking for how to structure a story and keep it going beyond a few paragraphs or pages.
kiralovesreading's review
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
wordnerd153's review
4.0
Writing a story can be a daunting task, especially for students. Luckily, Kate Messner has put her wisdom and experience into this engaging how-to book that all upper elementary teachers can use in their classroom. From searching for shiny ideas that inspire you to sharing your story with friends to get feedback, each step in the book is valuable and integral to the story writing process. The book wraps up by encouraging the reader to start looking for another interesting idea now that their first story is complete. Ink and watercolor illustrations elevate the text and clearly show the writing process. The main character is a girl of color, which is also appreciated.
mldavisreads's review
informative
inspiring
4.0
Narrative nonfiction picture book. Messner is an expert at writing stories as she has published books for multiple age levels, in many formats, and both fiction and non-fiction. This book is a guide to the writing process that takes the reader through a 10-step process on how to write a story. This would be a great book to use in the classroom setting, maybe to compare/contrast with the traditional five-step writing process. The ink and watercolor illustrations do a great job appearing childlike, including the imitation of a child's overly-careful print handwriting as the story goes through drafts. I don't see much interest in this book outside of the intended application, but the narrative format might speak to some children who need the writing steps explained in another way.