Writing For Children

This Highlights Listen & Learn! Audio Study, intended for those in grade three, introduces listeners to a variety of animals that are native to the savannah in Africa. As listeners learn about these animals, they are also introduced to the multiple seasons that occur, while also spotlighting the Maasai people who have lived in East Africa for centuries. This audio study focuses on identifying a sequence of events, how to compare and contrast, and key vocabulary words throughout the nonfiction narrative.

The Dragon Who Wanted to Be a Turtle is a story about a dragon who doesn’t like many things he has to do, such as breathing fire, racing across the island, and flying high in the sky. After he sees some turtles frolicking in the water, he envies their relaxed life and wishes he could be a turtle. Then, an attack by some hawks leads him to help the turtles and think about who he is and what he really wants to be. The Dragon Who Wanted to Be a Turtle tells his story.

The Jungle in the Basement is a story in which Alicia hears her parents talking about a crack in the basement where plants could grow, and soon she sees plants growing up. Soon she sees even more and more plants, until they are covering the floor like a carpet. Soon she sees a caterpillar, a lizard, and butterflies as the plants grow higher and higher. She even sees a lion chasing a tiger, and she warns her mother about the jungle in the basement. So what will happen after she warns her mother about what she has seen? The Jungle in the Basement tells her story.

Call Me Sarah is about a girl named Elena who dreams her name is Sarah, and she persuades her parents to call her this. On the school bus and at school, the other kids laugh at her request, but her teacher tells the kids that anyone can call themselves what they want. Then, after she goes to bed thinking how nice it is that everyone is calling her Sarah, she dreams that her name is Jemma and she lives in a palace in the clouds. So she wonders if everyone should call her Jemma or maybe not. Then what happens when she has other dreams? Call Me Sarah tells her story.

Blankets in the Bathtub is a story about a little girl who likes watching the shadows racing across her walls at night as she falls asleep. She even talks to some shadows, and one night, she meets Mr. Pim, a roly-poly imp, and quietly tells him about her experiences at school that day.

I Wish I Could Be: A Dog’s Tale is a story about a Beagle who sees all kinds of dogs at a dog park and imagines what it would be like to be different dogs. He wishes he might be a German Shepherd, a Pomeranian, a Cocker Spaniel, a Border Collie, a Golden Retriever, a Dachshund, and many other popular dogs. But finally, as his human Rodney takes him exploring in the woods and hugs him, he decides he likes being a Beagle after all.

Pangaea is a time that happened nearly 300 million years ago when the Earth was at an estimated age of 3.5 billion years. Pangaea is when all the continents were combined into one landmass, and this was surrounded by the only ocean at the time, which was called Panthalassa. All forms of life on land lived together in Pangaea at that time.

As it is with all stories, there is an origin. Events that happen now will have consequences for the future. At this point, all of Pangaea is still one continent. Dinosaurs were the most dominant of all species, both on the land and below the waters of Pangaea before Magic. Some of the creatures living in the Ocean can live both on land and in water. No Clans have been formed and declared yet.

This thoughtfully crafted anthology is perfect for children new to verse and for young poetry fans seeking out new favorites. Explore poetry from a diverse selection of contemporary and historical poets, covering a broad range of topics - from personal subjects like emotions and family, to the wonders of the natural environment. Carefully selected works encourage children to see the poetry in everything and to embrace the beauty of their everyday lives.

From the author of The Secret Knowledge of Water and Atlas of a Lost World comes a deeply felt essay collection focusing upon a vivid series of desert icons - a sheet of virga over Monument Valley, white seashells in dry desert sand, boulders impossibly balanced. Craig Childs delves into the primacy of the land and the profound nature of the more-than-human.

My sand life, my pebble life. My life measured out in tides, coming in and going out. My life measured out in games of trying to spot the sea first. My life measured out in the delicious and indulgent sadness that comes from leaving a holiday cottage for the last time and for the first time in several days it isn’t raining, but at least the kids have had a great time and, let’s face it, so have you.

I’m writing this for you. Massimo and Maria Grazia are a couple both in real and literary life, and they love writing fiction for everyone, regardless of their age. This idea was born with the idea of turning the tales they had made up for their children into books.

Partly a how-to guide on the nitty-gritty of writing, partly a collection of inspiration to set (and meet) ambitious goals, Brave the Page is the go-to resource for middle-grade writers. Narrated in a fun, refreshingly kid-friendly voice, it champions NaNoWriMo's central mission that everyone's stories deserve to be told. The volume includes chapters on character, plot, setting, and the like; motivating essays from popular authors; advice on how to commit to your goals; a detailed plan for writing a novel or story in a month; and more!

This Highlights Listen & Learn! Audio Study, intended for those in grade four, follows Mike Blunt, a smaller-than-average boy who becomes a batboy for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He is constantly teased by the players for being so small. However, one of the players, Roberto Clemente, stands up for him and serves as a role model for how to handle discrimination and prejudice. This audio study presents concepts such as elements of plot and mood, as well as key vocabulary words.

This Highlights Listen & Learn! Audio Study, intended for those in grade five, is based on the real-life events of the Spanish fleet commanded by Ferdinand Magellan in the early 1500s. It follows the adventures of Juan de Zubileta, a young boy who serves as a page aboard one of the ships. In addition to the story, this audio study provides a full lesson on the importance of setting in a story, the three most utilized points of view, and features key vocabulary words.

This Highlights Listen & Learn! Audio Study, intended for those in grade five, tells the story of a teenage boy who is inspired by a story his grandparents tell him. As a result, he feels inspired to perform something original at his own school talent show. In addition to the story, this audio study provides a full lesson on the importance of characters, how the sequence of events presented in a story can change our perception, and features key vocabulary words.

This Highlights Listen & Learn! Audio Study, intended for those in grade four, introduces listeners to the rich culture and long history of El Salvador, a country in Central America. In addition to learning about El Salvador, listeners will be introduced to comprehension skills that will help them better understand the story. These skills include cause-and-effect, identifying sequence of events, and vocabulary-building.

This Highlights Listen & Learn! Audio Study, intended for those in grade three, introduces listeners to Elizabeth Jane Cochran, better known as Nellie Bly. She was an uneducated woman who landed a job as a journalist in a time when women were thought to belong at home and not in the workforce. The comprehension skills featured in this audio study include understanding informational texts, problems and solutions, and vocabulary-building.

This Highlights Listen & Learn! Audio Study, intended for those in grade four, introduces listeners to the importance of caring for your community. Getting Down and Dirty focuses on some of the run-down problem places found in cities, and how communities have joined together to turn these places into beautiful shared spaces. In addition to discussing bettering our communities, this audio study takes a look at some key comprehension skills including identifying an author's purpose, determining cause-and-effect relationships, and building vocabulary.

This Highlights Listen & Learn! Audio Study, intended for those in grade five, features a story called The Video Game Hero and focuses on vocabulary, plot, and characterization. The story follows Jack, a very talented video-game player who also uses a wheelchair. Jack often feels lonely at school because he doesn't have many friends. When Jack wins a video-gaming competition, his classmates seem to take more of an interest in him. At the end of the story, Jack learns a very interesting lesson about the people around him.