Writing Smarts: A Girl's Guide to Writing Great Poetry, Stories, School Reports and More! (American Girl Library Series) »

This title of the popular School Smarts collection takes the mystery out of the writing process. Girls will learn how to use words effectively in creative writing and in their schoolwork, with topics including how to find their voice, create characters, and tackle research papers. A handy reference section provides quick access to commonly misspelled words, irregular verbs, punctuation rules, and more. Ten tear-out Creative Sparks cards help combat writer's block and inspire stories.

Mary Quattlebaum - Children's Literature

Young wordsmiths can turn to Writing Smarts for great tips on penning poems, stories and school reports. Each section deals with an aspect of writing: Gear Up, Express Yourself, Poet's Workshop, Story Catcher, Write for School, Get-It-Right Guide (punctuation) and Creative Sparks (discovering ideas). Kerry Madden's lively writing and Tracy McGuinness's whiz-bang illustrations elevate this how-to to a how-to-enjoy without sacrificing important information. For example, youngsters learn to carefully consider character, setting, plot and theme when writing book reports and to back up opinions with facts when crafting persuasive letters. Since this is an American Girl offering, the book is weighted toward girls but boys, too, may find it helpful. 2002, Pleasant Company,