Possible Mentor Texts For Teaching The Craft Of Revision

Possible Mentor Texts for Teaching the Craft of Revision

Introducing Revision:

Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street by Roni Schotter This book can be found in many third grade classroom libraries.

Revising Leads:

Dialogue:

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

“A Bad Road for Cats” and “Shells” from Every Living Thing by Cynthia Rylant

Description Setting:

Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto Example of a one sentence setting description lead that can be easy for students to replicate in their own writing.

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen

Poppy by Avi Lead is really the first four sentences. Establishes both setting and mood.

Description Character:

Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman Good example of a one sentence lead (“Grace was a girl who loved stories.”)

Rocks in His Head by Carol Otis Hurst Character description lead but also ties in to a study of rocks/minerals and/or Massachusetts. Book is about man who became curator of Springfield (MA) Science Museum.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling Lead combines character description with an element of surprise (“And he also happened to be a wizard.”)

“The Marble Champ” from Baseball in April and Other Stories by Gary Soto May be most appropriate for grades 5 and up

Action:

Bat Loves the Night by Nicola Davies Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo Lead combines small action (going to store and coming home with a dog) with element of surprise. Also provides an opportunity to address lead that begin “My name is…”

Indian Chiefs by Russell Freedman See leads to various chapters, including chapter about Quanah Parker.

Surprising Detail/Interesting Fact:

Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein

Snapshots:

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

One Day in the Desert by Jean Craighead George See page 22 for “snapshot” of tarantula that can be contrast with encyclopedia entry.

Thoughtshots:

Flashback:

A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams Text is structured as present day – flashback – present day. Flashback continues over several pages.

Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan See page 5 for a short flashback to the day Mama died. (“…remembering the morning Mama had died, cruel and sunny…”)

Flash – forward:

“Spaghetti” from Every Living Thing by Cynthia Rylant Second paragraph contains both a brief flashback and flash-forward.

“A Curve in the River” from More Stories Julian Tells by Ann Cameron See page 72 (“I could see myself…”), good for younger students.

Building a Scene:

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White See page 138, but many other examples can be found in this and other pieces of literature. Exploding a Moment:

Crab Moon by Ruth Horowitz See the following passage: “Daniel reached out one nervous finger…gently set her down.”

Home Run by Robert Burleigh See the following passage: “He watches the pitcher….through the ball.”

Meteor by Patricia Polacco See the following passage about meteor falling through roof of house: “Suddenly, without warning….outdoors for a look-see.”

Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman by Alan Schroeder and Jerry Pinkney See passage from end of text when Minty has the chance to escape but does not (“Her bare legs shivering…With tears in her eyes, she ran back down the hill to the cabin.”). Passage contains snapshots, thoughtshots, and dialogue. Book is a fictionalized biography of Harriet Tubman, also good about character traits.

“Boar Out There” from Every Living Thing by Cynthia Rylant See pages 17-18 for an “exploded moment” when Jenny comes face to face with the wild boar.

Revising Endings:

Circular Endings:

The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant Ending suggests that the story will repeat again next summer.

The Paperboy by Dav Pilkey Story begins and ends in the same place.

The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq by Jeanette Winter Story begins and ends with the main character. Due to concepts, book may be best for upper elementary/middle school grades.

Home Run by Robert Burleigh Example of text in which the ending mirrors the lead.

My Mama Had A Dancing Heart by Libba Moore Gray First and last lines of this book are the same.

Emotional Ending: Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White Ending is both a feeling and memory.

Crab Moon by Ruth Horowitz Ending includes a wish for the future.

Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting Ending includes a memory that mentions symbol found throughout the book.

Surprise Ending:

Ruby’s Wish by Shirin Yin Bridges At the end, the reader finds out that the book is a true story about the author’s grandmother.

Summation of Main Idea/Lesson:

Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books by Kay Winters

Stellaluna and Verdi by Janell Canon Last sentence conveys the message/lesson of book.

Many short articles from magazines for children also end with sentence(s) that sum up the main idea.

Professional Resources:

Mentor Texts: Teaching Writing Through Children’s Literature K-8 by Lynne R. Dorfman and Rose Cappelli Text includes lessons linked to children’s literature about various aspects of writing craft and a fairly extensive annotated bibliography.

Nonfiction Mentor Texts: Teaching Informational Writing Through Children’s Literature K-8 by Lynne R. Dorfman and Rose Cappelli Text includes lessons linked to children’s literature about various aspects of writing nonfiction and a fairly extensive annotated bibliography.