- Formerly known as "Writers Manual" -

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"If you're trying to teach kids how to write, you've gotta have this book" 
By Marjorie Frank, Judy Howard (Illustrator), and Kathleen Bullock (Illustrator)  

(Book Review by Sandra Wirfel) 

Paperback - 255 pages Revised Edition (March 1995)

@Book Description:

The handbook at the top of every required resource list--a how-to book for understanding and working with the whole writing process, an at-your-fingertips source of ideas for starting specific activities, and a ready-when-you're-in-need manual for solving writing problems.

@Book Review:

I stumbled upon this book on a clearance rack at the local bookstore. The suggested retail price was $12.95; it was on clearance for $1.98.  I had to purchase it.  For that price I would buy any writing book, even if I never opened it.  This one was too great a find to not open it. 

This book is written for teachers and classified as an "Owner's Manual."  I find this book to be every writer's answer to writer's block.  It has been extremely useful to me for getting the creative juices flowing again. Although this book does not cover topics that most writers look for in a writing book, like theme, plot, dialogue, characters, or style; before they spend their "hard earned" money for another writing-related book, it is"...about ALL parts of the writing process..."(page 6) The author's main goal is "to get you excited about writing - just for yourself." Isn't this the type of manual all writers want to own and would use if located on their bookshelves?

I recommend this book to anyone interested in writing that doesn't know where to begin and for all writer's who sometimes find themselves faced with writer's block.  It is an easy reader and you will find yourself trying to read it at one sitting from cover to cover. This can be done, but once you finish reading it do not put it much farther away then your dictionary. It's the kind of book you are going to find yourself reaching for often.

 @Buy this book!

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Book Review by: Sandra Wirfel is a loving wife, mother and member of SCBWI. She is also an aspiring author of children's literature, an Information Manager for the Pennsylvania Air National Guard and an advocate for literature based causes to include but not limited to; literacy, books, reading, libraries, the classics and the education of children. 

Check out the following sites: National Association for the Education of Young Children http://www.naeyc.org and Wake Up Writing, a daily creative writing exercise link http://www.wakeupwriting.com e-mail address: sandra.wirfel@paharr.ang.af.mil slwirfel@yahoo.com

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