March 2007

Dear Fellow Book Lovers:

WRITING FOR THE FUN OF IT

Writing has long been a focus in schools, but the recent emphasis on writing is related to a nationwide concern that many students are graduating from high school without the ability to write a correct sentence. Teaching children to write correctly is certainly important, but the best way to get students to write better is to help them find joy in the process.

This can be done by providing creative opportunities for children and young adults to express themselves on paper. Maybe it’s a letter to a favorite book character. Perhaps it’s a one act play based on a specific scene in a book. Or, poetry based on emotions felt while reading a particular book. Children always enjoy writing new endings, or retelling a scene from a different point of view. They like to write song lyrics, and diary entries.

While these are activities that some may feel more appropriate in a school setting, public libraries play a role in promoting the child writer as well. For example, introduce children to The Annotated Cat (Ages 10 up) by Philip Nel. Any fan of The Cat in the Hat series by Dr. Seuss will love reading this book and finding out how Dr. Seuss came to write the books, and how long it took him to write them. Since this year is a big birthday for The Cat, ask young readers to write and illustrate a similar book, or to take Dr. Seuss’ words and apply them to music. Jack Prelutsky’s Read a Rhyme Write a Rhyme (Ages 5-8) will surely challenge readers to write their own humorous rhymes.

Children may also get a kick out of reading The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary School (Ages 7-11) by Candace Fleming, and trying their hand at writing fables based on events in their own school.

Have children read The Diary of Melanie Martin, Melanie Martin Goes Dutch, or With Love from Spain , Melanie Martin (Ages 8-12) by Carol Weston and write their own diary entries after a family weekend trip, or a school field trip.

Engage them in a conversation about the importance of letter writing. What are the parts of a letter? Ask them to read Dear Levi and Dear Austin (Ages 10-13) by Elvira Woodruff. Then have them read the newspaper, and find someone to whom they would most like to write a letter. Maybe it’s a local celebrity, or a kid in the news.

Suggest that they read Harriet the Spy (Ages 10 up) by Louise Fitzhugh or Harriet Spies Again (Ages 10 up) by Helen Ericson and, like Harriet, become a spy. Have them record their spy work in a journal.

Teach readers the art of book reviewing. Show them how to look up reviews on some of their favorite books. Start a book review club in the public library, and allow young readers to post reviews on recently read books. Point out the difference between a book review and a book talk. Have them play around with both concepts. Perhaps older readers would enjoy writing reviews of books that parents of younger readers might find useful.

Bring writing into the 21st century by having students contribute to their school’s website. Jacqueline Wilson’s The Worry Web Site (Ages 8-12) may inspire them.

Finally, young readers always enjoy reading about their favorite authors, and finding out how they became writers. Books like Looking Back (All ages) by Lois Lowry and The Making of a Writer (Ages 10 up) by Joan Lowery Nixon are books by favorite writers on the Random House list.

Whether in a school or public library setting, it is important that we all take a role in helping children and young adult make a connection between reading and writing.

You may email me at pscales@bellsouth.net.