Micro Mentor Texts: Using Short Passages from Great Books to Teach Writer’s Craft

With exuberance and a genuine fondness for writing and young writers, Kittle models a method of teaching writing to middle and high school students in public schools that could easily be adapted for homeschoolers or older audiences. Drawing example passages from fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, the author sets up exercises and practical advice on engaging students where they are. Each chapter is divided into an explanation of the literary device to be examined (dialogue, scenes, voice, etc.) and a sample text where readers are encouraged to find their own observations before turning to Kittle’s analytical collection of thoughts. The author also models a writing journal practice that will delight students and result in a rich resource for years to come. A list of featured authors and books starts the text, and back matter includes references and an index.