Memoirs of a Hamster by Devin Scillian

Recommended Grades: 3-5

Seymour is a hamster who believes he has all he ever needs until Pearl the Cat comes along. 

Lesson Idea:  

Mentor Text, Voice: Read aloud Memoirs of a Hamster.  Ask students what they notice about the author’s craft?  Do they feel as if the hamster is really talking to them?  The author really seems to understand the hamster’s voice.  The reader gets the feeling that the hamster might actually speak that way.  It’s a fun read and a great mentor text to help you model voice.  Pair it with Memoirs of a Goldfish for extra fun!

©2013 by Dawn Little for Picture This! Teaching with Picture Books. All Amazon links are affiliate links and may result in my receiving a small commission. This is at no additional cost to you.

Saturdays and Teacakes by Lester Laminack

Recommended Grades: 3-5

A memoir of the author’s weekly Saturday visit with his grandmother.  The author’s voice is prominent throughout. 

Lesson Idea:

Writers Workshop:

Memoir/Voice Mentor Text: Read aloud Saturdays and Teacakes and discuss how the author’s voice comes through in the text.  Use this book as model during a study of memoirs or as a model text for writers workshop when students are writing their own memoirs or when they need a model for voice in a memoir.

©2012 by Dawn Little for Picture This! Teaching with Picture Books. All Amazon links are affiliate links and may result in my receiving a small commission. This is at no additional cost to you.

Roller Coaster by Marla Frazee

Recommended Grades: K-5

Marla Frazee takes readers for a whirling, twirling, ride on a roller coaster.

Lesson Idea:

Six Traits: Word Choice/Voice:

Mentor Texts: Read aloud Roller Coaster while allowing students to see the text at the same time.  Depending on the level of your students, discuss how the author builds excitement to create voice in the piece.  Or discuss how the author’s word choice created voice in the piece.  Scaffold for your class’ needs.  Ask students to pick a memorable event from their own life to describe as the author did.  Have students practice the craft of building excitement or specific word choice in their own writing. 

 

©2012 by Dawn Little for Picture This! Teaching with Picture Books. All Amazon links are affiliate links and may result in my receiving a small commission. This is at no additional cost to you.

Chester by Melanie Watt

Recommended Grades: 2-5

Melanie Watt (author of the Scaredy Squirrel series) tried to write a mouse story, but Chester the cat just wouldn’t let her.  What results is laugh out loud banter between the author and the character.   

Lesson Idea:

Six Traits

Voice: Read aloud Chester and discuss how the author’s voice comes alive in the crazy banter between her and the character.  How does Melanie Watt make the story interesting, exciting and fun?  What techniques does she use?  Create a list of the techniques that make her voice interesting.  Use other model texts to demonstrate voice as well. 

©2012 by Dawn Little for Picture This! Teaching with Picture Books. All Amazon links are affiliate links and may result in my receiving a small commission. This is at no additional cost to you.

Memoirs of a Goldfish by Devin Scillian

Recommended Grades: 2-5

Have you ever wondered about the day in the life of a goldfish?  Here is a tell-all tale from a goldfish himself telling the reader all about his simple life.  But is simple really better?    

Lesson Idea: 

Voice: Read aloud Memoirs of a Goldfish and discuss how the author found the voice of a goldfish to really craft the story. The NorthWest Regional Education Laboratory (NWREL) defines voice as, “the heart and soul, the magic, the wit, along with the feeling and conviction of the individual writer coming out through the words.  How would the voice of the book sound different if the author had chosen an iguana or hermit crab to write his memoirs?  Read aloud and discuss more books with great voice (Doreen Cronin’s Diary of a Fly, Diary of a Worm, and Diary of a Spider are great examples).  Have students write memoirs from the point of view of their own pet.  If they don’t have a pet, have them choose an animal they know really well.

©2011 by Dawn Little for Picture This! Teaching with Picture Books. All Amazon links are affiliate links and may result in my receiving a small commission. This is at no additional cost to you.