Mentor Texts

I love learning about new books to use as mentor texts!!  I am taking a class where the majority of the time is spent looking through books and discussing them with fellow educators.  Each teacher is required to share one book with the class and prepare three lessons that include which Common Core standards could be used with each.  So 25 people in the class times 3 mentor texts equals 75 book ideas to share with our students. YEAH!!! :)

So I decided that throughout the time I'm taking this class, I am going to share some of my favorite ones with all of you.

The first one I was actually reminded of during a demonstration visit this morning in a kindergarten room.

OMG this book is absolutely adorable.  Can't you tell by the cover?  I wish I could show you the precious picture at the end with the dog smiling.  So cute.  The theme of the book is about friendship and how it sometimes comes and goes.  City Dog meets country frog and they become great friends.  They play together throughout the seasons but in the winter City Dog cannot find Country Frog.  It is quite sad at this time, but has a happy ending.  Don't want to ruin it for you.

The Royal Bee is based on a true story and has an amazing theme of the importance of education and how it shouldn't be take for granted.  Song-Ho is a poor boy who is not allowed to go to school because it is only for the privileged.  That doesn't stop him though because he listens outside the door of the school and learns a great deal.  The teacher knew all along that he was out there but never said anything until it was winter.  Freezing outside, Song-ho was invited in to learn with the other students.  The Royal Bee is a competition for the smartest of the smart.  Does Song-ho get the opportunity to go to it?  Could he actually win?  You will have to read and find out.  Trust me, you will not be disappointed.

This book is most famous as a writing mentor text because Eva has an assignment in which the teacher told her to write about what she knows.  She sits on the stairs on 90th street and has no clue what to write about because "Nothing ever happens on 90th Street."  Throughout the book, characters come up to Eva and give her advice about writing.  For instance, one character tells her that the world is a stage and to not forget to add details while another character tells her to stretch the truth and ask what if.  Eva decides to take her neighbors' advice and suddenly 90th street is quite an interesting place.  Check this book out to see the interesting turn it takes.  Now I said it's most famous for writing, but I have actually also used it for setting.  Some would say, "Duh it takes place on 90th street."  Yes, the author explicitly tells us that, but we do not know where 90th street is.  So we have to infer using the characters' words and illustration to find out, or at least try.  It would also be great for character traits and story elements.

How did I ever forget about this book?  Wilma Unlimited is an amazing book and a tear-jerker as well.  Wilma Rudolph is famous for winning gold medals in the Olympics but what some might not know is that life was extremely difficult for her from day 1.  She not only survived scarlet fever but overcame a paralyzed leg from polio.  Talk about determination...  If you want to teach your children that absolutely nothing should hold them back, this book is perfect for you.

Hope you enjoyed this weeks mentor texts.  I would love to hear about more from all of you.  What are some of your favorite mentor texts?

Antoinette :)