Teacher Guides

Click the links below for suggestions
on teaching Christopher's books in the classroom.

Christopher Paul Curtis’
Advice for Young Writers

First: Write every day. Writing is like anything else that you do the more you do it the better you’ll get at it. Keep a journal and dedicate 15 minutes a day to telling what happened to you on that day or write down the ideas you may have for stories. Try to be as regular as possible. It’s clichéd, but the more you put into it, the more you’ll get out of it.

Second: Have fun with your writing. Remember you have absolute control of what you write, and you can make anything happen. Take that power and use it, use it wisely if you want, but act a fool if you choose. Write about the world the way you wish it could be or the way you’re afraid it will be or the way it can never be, but write and enjoy.

Third: Ignore all rules. That doesn’t mean you can ignore punctuation and grammar and other rules. It means, once you master the basics, run with your writing, create your own style. Remember the writing is yours and that there is no “right” or “wrong.” New ideas, styles, and presentations are some of the things that make writing and music fun and enjoyable. Don’t be afraid to try something new.