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    • Book Picks For Narrative Writing!
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My Book Picks

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Mentor Texts for Narrative Writing

The Best Story Ever by Eileen Spinelli
This book is great for a launch to the writing unit.
The main character goes through the process of writing a great story for a contest.

​Here are some reasons why it’s a great mentor text:
  • Told in first person.
  • Goes through the writing process.
  • Uses dialogue.
  • Makes the writer think, Who is my audience?
  • Touches on adding action, humor, feelings, to your story- and when these elements are relevant!

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Some Things Are Scary by Florence Parry Heide
This is a good resource for tapping into topic choice for personal narratives.








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Come On, Rain! by Karen Hesse
I really love the writing in this story.
There are lots of great elements in this narrative:



  • lead with dialogue.
  • voice
  • descriptive language
  • action
  • similes
  • use of dialogue
  • ellipsis . . .
  • show don’t tell
  • character development
  • building up suspense
  • endings

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Fireflies! by Julie Brinckloe
Another great narrative.
It's sort of a like reading a series of small moments with lots of heart. . .

  • lead with weather/time
  • slow down the action
  • show don’t tell
  • descriptive language
  • sensory details
  • inner thoughts
  • dialogue
  • character development
  • long and short sentences voice
  • story has a heart
  • ending

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The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant
A wonderful book to inspire kids to recall a special moment from their lives. Kids can use a time line to plan out a story like this and string together a series of small moments into one narrative account.

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  • lead with time
  • details
  • descriptive language
  • sensory details
  • long sentences that use lists (adding details)
  • short sentences describe feeling
  • using punctuation
  • show don’t tell
  • repeated lines
  • ending takes you back to the start

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My Best Friend by Mary Ann Rodman
Great for topic choice - a time I felt. . .
Can be used to help teach:
  • a series of small moments linked together by the theme
  • leads with time and introduces setting and character
  • dialogue
  • show don’t tell
  • short and long sentences
  • details and descriptions

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My Father’s Hands by Joanne Ryder
A good resource for descriptive language.



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Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
An old favorite!
​
  • lead with time/setting
  • descriptive language
  • similes
  • slow down the action
  • setting
  • use of dialogue
  • show not tell
  • action
  • relationship between characters
  • short and long sentences
  • heart
  • voice



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Guess Who My Favorite Person Is by Byrd Baylor
A super strange story, but I love it.

​
  • lead with setting and action
  • tons of description
  • tons of dialogue
  • punctuation
  • VOICE
  • audience
  • feelings
  • verb tense
  • heart

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Eleven by Sandra Cisneros
A favorite of mine. 
  • topic choice
  • point of view
  • story has heart
  • small moment
  • talk to the audience
  • voice
  • show not tell
  • repetition
  • short and long sentences
  • dialogue
  • details
  • build up
  • character development

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