Product Description
Evaluating Children's Writing: A Handbook of Grading Choices for Classroom Teachers, Second Edition introduces and explains a wide range of specific evaluation strategies used by classroom teachers to arrive at grades and gives explicit instructions for implementing them. Samples of student writing accompany the instructions to illustrate the techniques, and an appendix of additional student writing is provided to allow readers to practice particular evaluation strategies.

More than just a catalog of grading options, however, this is a handbook with a point of view. Its purpose is to help teachers become intentional about their grading practices. Along with recipes for grading techniques, it offers a philosophy of evaluating student writing that encourages teachers to put grading into a communication context and to make choices among the many options available by determining the instructional purpose of the assignment and considering the advantages and disadvantages of particular grading strategies. Specific grading techniques are integrated with suggestions about the craft of evaluation--guidelines for instructional objectives, for student audience analysis, and for teacher self-analysis that help define communication contexts.

New in the Second Edition:
*a new chapter on state standards and assessments;
*a reorganization of the chapter on approaches to grading;
*additions to the chapter on management systems;
*additions to the chapter on teaching yourself to grade;
*additions to the annotated bibliography; and
*updated references throughout the text.
... Read more

Product Description
The comprehensive guide to writing, publishing, and selling for the ever-expanding and always exciting children's market-now in a new and updated second edition.

- Includes new chapters for illustrators, on submissions, portfolios, art directors, and more
- Offers practical advice on getting started, plus the basics on writing-and selling-books that kids will love and parents will buy
- Covers picture book, juvenile, and young adult markets
- Includes sample queries and proposals for most types of children's fiction
... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Info +
Packed with info.Lots of things to consider that I hadn't thought about before the book enlightened me!!

Extremely helpful
Haven't finished reading The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Children's Books but, I have found it full of good and helpful hints and suggestions.

I would recommend it to any person trying to break into the field of writing books for children.

Detailed Info
Very detailed and necessary information for those interested in writing and publishing a childrens book.A wealth of information available at your fingertips 24/7.I would definitely recommend this book for those who are contemplating becoming involved in the childrens book industry.

Please don't speed-read his one.
This book answers questions we never thought to ask. No doubt editors everywhere will be pleased to read submissions that have followed these sugestions. Could be sub-titled "Reduce Rejction Slip Clutter". Please don't speed-read his one.

Good Idiot Book
Enjoyable reading, with great ideas, positive message that if you really want to publish, you can do it! ... Read more

Product Description
"Ewald"s project is wonderful because it lets kids speak for themselves; instead of being passive subjects for the lens, they eagerly harness it to
the engines of their imaginations."
—Andy Grundberg, The New York Times

Written for parents and teachers, I Wanna Take Me a Picture is filled with anecdotes about Ewald"s work that makes it an accessible and practical guide to getting children involved in photography. Striking photographs of children"s work show the benefits of her program.

"Young people know joy, sorrow, and loss. By looking at their photographs and talking about making them, they begin to realize their lives have importance. This book is needed!"
—Deborah Willis, author of Reflections in Black

"A treasure of photos taken by the author and her pupils, plus stirring testimonies from children around the globe who faced tragedy through the lens of a camera."
—City Limits

Wendy Ewald, who lives with her husband and son in Red Hook, New York, is currently a fellow at the Center for Documentary Studies in Durham, North Carolina. Alexandra Lightfoot received her Ed.D. from Harvard University in 1998. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Trying my best to love you.
This book shows me that I not only have so much to teach, but so much to learn.

A new perspective on how to encourage students to write
This book has given me so many ideas for helping kids to express themselves by writing. I have already been able to apply this book to my classroom teaching.

Fabulous!
I absolutely love this book!I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.The story is captivating, and I find myself lost in the text.

But I did not purchase this book for leisure reading.I was searching for a book that is an instructional guide to photographic projects for children.This book is not written in the step-by-step format I was looking for.I wanted fully layed out lesson plans, etc.But I was not dissappointed.All of the information I needed on conducting photo projects with kids is in this book.It is just more of a story format.A VERY enjoyable story!

Reading Pictures
This book is an outstanding guide for the art teacher eager to teach not only creative photography, but how to connect, understand, and tell a story through a picture. This book teaches expression through exercises with video and poetry, how to read a photograph, to have children from different cultures learn from each other from self portrait exercises in the shoes of different ethnicities.
Although I found this to be extremely interesting, this book isn't what I had expected. I am not a teacher, but I have a child interested in photography and since I am not a photographer myself I was looking for a guide for us both to learn and enjoy together. This book, although enjoyable, shows examples for different assignments for more of a class room setting, not a parent and child learning together . Also this is a book with only a couple pages of actual images and more text. I do feel this book is a blessing for teachers who may be looking for a creative and meaningful experience for their students to express themselves through art.

Great resource for teachers!
This book guides you through teaching literacy through photography to children, for which Ms. Ewald is well known. It is a fantastic resource for someone who wants to really teach the heart and soul of photography, as well as visual literacy - a great introduction to photography but even a seasoned photographer can learn something new from this book. Ms. Ewald takes you through her curriculum step by step as she would teach her students and gives you the tools and tips to pass it on. This is not a technical "how to" photo book, there are plenty of those out there, this book is truly a gem. I have used Ms. Ewald's book as the basis for my own workshops with children and I now have adults asking me to take the course!I can't say enough great things about it... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The writing on the wall
DeanHughes is an excellent writer.I read most of the books in the series.

Children of the promise series
Our family read this series.We thoroughly enoyed this series.
I felt like the author took us in with the family and we became apart of their family.It was like being with them when Bro. Thomas had to let his children grow up and make their mistakes.
We hurt for them when they hurt.When they were seperated by war and his mission. Gene's captivity in the war and all he went through.To find out he was still alive was such a relief.
I was so excited to find out Mr. Hughes started his new series.
I just ordered Vol. #1 today.I can't wait for it to arrive.

I Loved This Book
I loved this book! The charactors seem so real, and I learned a bunch of stuff about the 60's I didn't know before. If you like historical fiction, romance, and action, this is the book for you. I would recomend it to any teen looking for a good book. ... Read more

Product Description
In Guatemala City, thousands of children live, eat and work in the smoldering garbage dump in the center of the city, collecting materials for recycling and scavenging for items to resell. In 1991, photographer Nancy McGirr decided to start a project in which the youngsters would photograph their own world with the profits used to allow the children to attend school. For these children, photography has become a door to the future.Amazon.com Review
Let's look at parenting from a child's view--Over 1,000children live and scavenge in the Guatemala City garbage dump. In thisstunning and heartbreaking book, the dump children photograph andwrite about their parents, siblings, animals, and about their plansfor the future. Mirian Esquivel writes, "Women always have a lotof children because they fall in love when they're only fifteen yearsold." Rosario Lopez promises, "When I'm a mother, I'm goingto educate my daughters." Gladiz Jimenez says, "My parentscan't read. / They can only write their names. / Maybe I will be theirteacher. / Ma me mi mo mu." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Helping Children help themselves
Riviting pictures taken by kids themselves, to show what it is like to live on the margin in this Central American country. The book captures the complexity of life in the dump, and shows the real depth of character and resilience these kids have. ... Read more

Product Description

Collection of ideas, strategies, and resources to truly meet thelearning needs and preferences of children with disabilities. Alsoincludes strategies for reading and writing success in special educationclassrooms, variations for students with disabilities, and answers tocommonly asked questions. Supports the Four-Blocks® Literacy Model.

Product Description
A 21-chapter, step-by-step guide for young authors and their teachers in order to create their own memoirs and family stories. This book makes the process of writing family histories easy and fun to do, and clearly lays out the writing process. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

From a Children's Literature Professor
This is a super book!It is very practical for teachers:easy to follow and to adapt for various grade levels.It is also useful for teachers working with the writing process and writing workshops. ... Read more

Product Description
There are three types of Japanese script--katakana, hiragana, and kanji. It is possible to read Japanese knowing only a limited number of kanji, but it is not possible with only a limited number of katakana or hiragana--one must know all of them. Let's Learn Hiragana, and its companion volume Let's Learn Katakana, is a textbook that introduces the learner to the basics of one of these fundamental Japanese scripts. Being a workbook, it contains all the exercises that allow the student to master hiragana by the time the book has been finished. Let's Learn Hiragana is a classic in the field, and the huge number of students that have used it successfully is a sign of its preeminence as a self-study guide. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (31)

Let's Learn Hiragana (Kodansha Children's Classics)
It is a really great book for learning the Japanese syllabary - the Hiragana.
The book provides ample space for a student to practice the syllables.
If you are serious about learning this beautiful language - please use this book.
It will show you correct stroke order for writing Hiragana.
Take Japanese seriously - don't listen to idiotic Otaku fans.
This book will create interest in the language - you will then proceed on to
learning Kanji. Which is a different story.
Wish you all best in learning.

Helped me learn hiragana in only 10 days
I'm trying to teach myself Japanese, and to learn the writing, I turned to this series.I have just finished Let's Learn Hiragana, and I'd like to say it was incredibly helpful.This book starts you off with explanations of the Japanese writing system and gets you to write 10 basic characters first (a i u e o, ka ki ku ke ko) by showing you stroke order/direction.There are plenty of words to practice on in each section (this book may help you to improve your vocabulary, especially if you're a rookie like me!)Once you're comfortable with the basic characters, the book throws you into the Dakuon, Handakuon and Yoon.The book concludes with a crash-course in word-writing and sentence-writing (complete with basic punctuation!)

I would say this book is a must have for anyone trying to tackle the Japanese language.

This book is the perfect place to start when learning Japanese!
Let's Learn Hiragana is fantastic.
It's a fun book. You practice handwriting. You get information on the syllables and the language, and a little history and culture. But mostly you get a lot of practice to learn the proper stroke order and stroke type.
You practice reading words written in hiragana, writing words in hiragana, translating hiragana to romaji, filling in the blanks, and other exercises and games that are useful and enjoyable.

This book is a practical and efficient way to learn the 100 or so total hiragana syllables and be able to read, write, translate, remember, and comprehend words and syllables.

You can use it alone, with a CD/DVD/Software (such as Rosetta Stone) for pronunciation, or with home-made or bought flash cards for easy memorization and recall. Personally I think it complements other Japanese language learning "programs" well.

It can most definitely be used alone, without accompanying supplies or a teacher, for quick, accurate independent study of Hiragana.

If you haven't learned Hiragana yet and you plan on learning Japanese (whatever level you are or want to be) you've got to get this book! You can learn at your own pace and finish it in a couple of days or a week, but it's so well made that you're sure to get it in no time.

Good luck and Ganbatte!

Great for the start of learning Japanese
I like the way this book introduces each hiragana syllable, including a detailed stroke order description, and provides you space to practice.Each set of hiragana is followed by several exercises that help reinforce both the reading and writing - fill in the blank, translate from romaji to hiragana, translate from hiragana to romaji.I'm definitely going to pick up the Let's Learn Katakana book next.I started learning Japanese with "My Japanese Coach" for Nintendo DS, which is a nice introduction to the language for someone who doesn't know any Japanese.You can practice writing characters there, but basically you're writing just the character over and over again, so it gets a little repetitive.I read reviews on this book and decided to try it, and I was learning much faster with this book.

Yep, This Does the Trick
Very, very satisfied. The honest truth? No, you probably don't need this book to learn Hiragana. It's very easy. Find a complete list of Hiragana that tells you the stroke orders and brute-force memorise them. Is it fun? Well, for me, yes, as I find writing Hiragana fun, like creating artwork. But, fun or not, brute-force works fine for both sets of Kana alphabets. It doesn't take nearly as long as you might expect, even for dense learners such as myself.

But, if you want to learn Hiragana quickly, you should probably get this book anyway. They're written BY HAND within the book itself. It's someone's actual handwritten Hiragana being printed into the book. I found this very helpful, but I'm not sure I can really explain why. I've found that others also find this supplements the learning experience. It also includes some very minimal practice quizes; these quizes also incidentally introduce some vocabulary. I have to admit that I didn't use these in the Hiragana volume I'm reviewing here, but I probably should have.

I found having a real book that I can carry around with real paper and pen to be the best way to learn. Getting away from electronics, including the computer, helps many like myself to focus better on the actual material and get it down. If you're like me and find yourself a "lazy learner" - and I know there are many of us out there! - this book's for you. Short, not too expensive, and does what it says, earning 5 stars from me. ... Read more

Product Description
Delightfully illustrated with popular children's book illustrations, this self-taught writing course guides writers in creating a good, publishable manuscript in eight weeks. Includes reading lists, self-editing checklists, and case studies that recount the authors' actual experiences.Amazon.com Review
Although this book was written primarily for writers andillustrators who want to publish children's books commercially, itwould also be a great book for parents who have thought about writing books for their own children -- or even publishing the charming booksthat children themselves often create. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Good book, but a little outdated
This is a good book about writing childrens' books, but with outdated examples and with bad and very outdated illustration examples. I had to laugh when the author mentioned the popular childrens' books of the day for preteens being the "Goosebumps" series and the "Sweet Valley High" series. Ha ha! Funny!

Writing and Illustrating Children's Books for Publication
...I rated this book a "3" because the information contained for illustrators was minimal & the art work was old and dated. This book was directed to the prospective writer of children's books and illustration was a by-line.... It was excellent for the "writer to be" in giving helpful guidelines: how to get started, submission of manuscripts, and the subject matter which would attract publishers.

I wouldn't recommend this book for illustrators
What little information there was about illustrating books was too basic and there was no index. Also, it included many illustrations from old children's books without identifying the illustrator or the book they were from. More than likely the copyright had expired on these images yet this practice irked me for two reasons-first, this shows a lack of respect, for not only those neglected illustrators but for all illustrators, and second, an aspiring illustrator may have been moved to investigate and study an illustrator that they liked had the name been listed. Bad form for a book whose intent is to teach.

If you really want to learn about illustrating picturebooks, check out Writing With Pictures by Uri Schulevitz.

Two Perspectives, and then Mine
My monetary resources are limited so finding informative resource material is a must for me. This Book admirably fills the bill. With its exercisesand readability, it engages the reader from the first. Info on not onlyrendering, it gives a lot of detail on submitting. Colorful andstraightforward text, a great reading list, and suggested assignments allfocus the reader to the goal of being and illustrator. Written from bothsides of the fence, artist and editor, it gives the reader a realistic viewof what to expect from the field and why. I think this is a must have foranyone in the business or interested in the business.

5 stars plus - from a published children's book author!
This book is both an excellent reference book for the want to be child book author as well as a beautiful book to own. The print and paper qualityare excellent, the cover art and interior illustrations are captivating.There are excercises, reading lists and case histories to aid an aspiringwriter or illustrator.

This book contains a wealth of information and isalso well organized and an overall interesting read. Prior to publication Ipurchased this title, several years and now three children's books later, Istill turn to this title as a reference book. Having purchased many bookson this subject, this IS the BEST single source I have found. Theinformation is great for the writer as well as the illustrator.

A bithigher in price than some but very well worth it. If you could only buy onebook on this subject, I would urge you to make this the ONE! ... Read more

Product Description
David Wood has been called by The London Times "the national children's dramatist."Presenting theatre for children as a seperate art form, Mr. Wood analyzes the skills involved in entertaining and involving audiences of children everywhere. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

egotistical
Walter Piston is a composer, but in his music theory textbook, he can bring in samples from the work of other composers.Why, then, can't David Wood bring in samples from the work of other playwrights?

Incidentally, don't buy this book if you are interested in theatre for children as actors.This book is about theatre for children as spectators.

Great for Children's Theare Playwrights
I love this book.I have written several children's shows for our local children's theatre, and reading over David Wood's text only helped me improve my scripts and fed my imagination.Yes, there are sections that I scimmed through, but most of it was very helpful.I highly recommend it.

If you're a fan of David Wood buy it, if not...
Who is David Wood? "National Children's Dramatist" or not, I'd never heard of him. But I decided to give "Theatre for Children" a shot based on its subtitle (A Guide to Writing, Directing, and Acting) and positive reader reviews. I was looking for a book that would give me basic tips on getting started and avoiding the pitfalls of writing stage plays for children. There is that sort of information buried in "Theatre for Children", but unfortunately the reader has to wade through such a relentlessly pounding sea of personal anecdotes and name dropping (again, mostly of Mr. Wood's own works and of other people I'd never heard of) that one's ability to salvage such practicalinformation is called into question. This is not a beginner's guide to children's theater, but rather a professional memoir thinly disguised as a "how to" book. The writing style is dense and stuffy -- not "highly readable" as claimed in the cover blurb.

If this book wasn't so darned expensive, I'd be tempted to let it slide. ...(!) I felt I had to give fair warning.

Theatre for Children
Excellent book! Gives real specifics about playwriting for children, i.e., must have lots of action, lots of "suddenlies", clearly defined characters, etc. Also, how to incorporate audience participation. I was so inspired by Wood's book that I ordered his musicals from Samuel French anddirected "Hijack Over Hygenia" for our elementary schoolproduction. He is far and away better than most of the stuff you find forchildren's productions. Since he has experience in writing, directing andacting these plays and musicals (he's written 40!), he brings tons ofexamples into his book. He's good, he's funny, and children respond to hismaterial. Good section on writing a play snopysis before you write anydialogue. Here's a little dialogue: Rupert: Hello, Squirrel. How are you?Squirrel: Fed up. Rupert: Fed up? Squirrel: Me nose is froze, me teeth arechatter-chattering, me paws are freezing and I keep sneezing. Atishoo!Rupert: (handing her a hanky) Use my hanky. Squirrel: A hanky! Thankee!(She plows loudly into the hanky held by Rupert).

ABSOLUTELY WORTHWHILE
I found the book to be essential to anyone who wants to go into playwriting whether or not Children's Theatre would be your major. It is clearly written, easy (and enjoyable) to read and just a great tool andreference. ... Read more

Product Description
This book describes how to set up a literature-based reading and writing program. In addition to exploring the rationale for a literature-based approach, the authors provide models, lesson plans, ideas, activities, and lists of books that teachers can use in their classrooms. the authors examine every aspect of teaching reading and writing with literature and poetry. By guiding the teacher or prospective teacher through the planning, teaching, and assessing stages, this book becomes a most useful tool for successful teaching. ... Read more

Product Description
"Children learn to write with metaphors, similes, personifications, and the other poetic elements they use naturally in everyday conversation. The result? Every child can compose poetry! Includes exercises, writing suggestions, and sample poems written by " ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great
The author ismy language arts teacher and I was surprised to find this book. It really captures how she is.

Love this book!
I homeschool my daughter, 9, and she doesn't like to write. I got this book hoping to encourage her and boy has it worked. She really likes it. She is actually having fun at making poems and I am having funright along with her. I highly recommend this book for children and adults!

An Intermediate Teacher Must Have
I've used this book for five years, teaching poetic elements to fourth and fifth graders.There is no other book that makes poetry as fun and accessible to 9-12 year olds as does this book.Every class I've had has loved the lessons.

A Teacher's Dream!
Painting The Sky enables the teacher to lead students through creative lessons to express their ideas in poetry.The lessons contain elements ofgrammar, poetry patterns, and language arts elements that meet standards. The book can be easily used with each lesson taught independently or as aweekly activity.There are children's poems included to use as examples. This is truly one of the best teacher guides I have seen for introducingstudents to the wonderful world of poetry! ... Read more

Product Description
The third edition of this leading text continues to provide a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the principal literacy theories, while maintaining a focus on the practical application of literacy skills to everyday teaching. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Linking theory to practice
This text gives valuable insight into the theories that underpin good classroom practices but also offers some wonderful classroom ideas and implications for teaching that really work. Ideas to assist teachers with critical literacy and literacy in the digital age is also a valuable feature. You should love it! ... Read more

Product Description
Twelve lively, in-depth chapters reveal how following our untrained impulses -- our creative unconscious or "Crazy Child" -- gives an authentic grasp on writing stories, poems, plays, and essays. Let the Crazy Child Write! introduces exercises that explicitly tap this knowledge and also presents guidelines on how to give, and receive, constructive feedback. This is the first how-to-write text to give full credit to the creative unconscious since Becoming a Writer, the 1934 classic by Dorothea Brande. Matson goes further by developing writing techniques step by step: Image Detail, Slow Motion, Hook, Persona Writing, Point of View, Dialogue, Plot, Narrative Presence, Good Clich s, Character, Surrealism, and Resolution. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Fun Book
This author makes this book very interesting and fun to read.He is as crazy as the crazy child he writes about.Very good book - highly recommend it!

Touchstone Writing Book
When I moved to Lake County, I began studying writing with Clive Matson and it changed my life. Not just my writing life, but my life. This year I achieved my dream of publishing my first book, "Sightlines: A Poet's Diary." In my acknowledgements, I say thank you to "Clive Matson, who said I could." This is the heart of "Let the Crazy Child Write: Finding Your Creative Writing Voice". . . letting writers and human beings know that what is beating within the heart of them is needed and needs to come out to be heard. I continue to stand by my original review, posted in 2000. "Let the Crazy Child Write" is a touchstone writing book.

Janet Grace Riehl, author, "Sightlines: A Poet's Diary"

A Playful Guide to Writing
If you're like me, the idea of reading another "how-to-write" book is about as appealing as a stalk of celery for dinner. Clive Matson, however, seems determined the break down the walls of the mundane, beginning with his title and its intrinsic concept: that learning how to work with the "crazy child" that we also call "the muse," "the creative self" and other names is the secret to invigorating writing.

He continues the wall-breaking by doing what so many others do not: providing lively images to fix his concepts in our heads. His early rebuttal to the old saw, "You can't imagine a three-legged dog running" provides an essential understanding about the way the reader's mind applies immediate images to our details. "But as soon as you read that sentence, your nervous system contradicts it," he writes. "You do see that three-legged dog. And it's running. The dog is ridiculous, clumsy, endearing, inspiring, or even oddly graceful."

Another intriguing image comes from the side of the writer, this of how words pour like liquid through a person's body during the process of creating:

"One writer gets taken over by a peculiar sensation of color, and then she finds the words in her belly. Another feels the words slide up his spine, and he thinks it's as ordinary as bread and apples. These are unusual, but your way might be unusual too. Words probably have as many ways of creating themselves in the body as there are people in the world."

This provision of imagery is what sets Matson's book apart from so many others. Rather than simply providing instructions, he applies the poetic side of his talent to provide hundreds of tunnelways into the "crazy child" we are all pursuing. It's a fine read, and one which can't fail but enrich your writing life.

Great Book
Don't know how to start?Afraid to try? I can't be any good?Those were my thoughts before I started using Clive Matson's approach.He makes it clear that you can write, that it's fun to write, and shows you ways to get at the material you want to work on.This book and his workshops are terrific.

Let The Crazy Child Write
This book simply helped me access the part of my mind that does not editout all the good stuff that comes naturally to mind. It is a positiveapproach to writing and encouraged me to stick at it and write, write,write. I recommed it to anyone who wants to tell a story using words. ... Read more

Product Description
This edition is designed to accommodate either a focus on individual documents one at a time or a focus on transferable skills. Revised and expanded chapters on the skills of using clients and documents as resources; drafting with flexible language; avoiding inadvertent ambiguity; defining terms and naming concepts; and making stylistic choices. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The answer to all drafting questions and problems
It took no more than two days for this book to reveal the secrets of drafting for all contentious and non-contensious business" ... Read more