Stories by Storie

Everyone has a story to tell. What is yours?

  • Stories by Storie
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
    • Book Activities
    • Book Lists
    • Classroom Management
    • Freebies
    • Math
    • Reading Tips
    • Writing
  • Free
  • Shop
    • Teachers Pay Teachers
    • Amazon
    • Bookshop
  • Subscribe
  • Contact

Picture Books about Writing for Kids

April 27, 2020

Reading and writing make a pretty great pair, right? I mean, our students get some of their best ideas from books they have read. When it comes to helping kids become better writers, I like to draw upon picture books as mentor texts. Here are some of my favorite picture books about writing for kids. These are sure to inspire some great writing!

Reading and writing make a pretty great pair, right? I mean, our students get some of their best ideas from books they have read. When it comes to helping kids become better writers, I like to draw upon picture books as mentor texts. Here are some of my favorite picture books about writing for kids. These are sure to inspire some great writing!

You can click on any of the covers below to learn more about each book or find all of these Picture Books about Writing on my Amazon page.

we are a participant in the amazon services llc associates program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Picture Books about Writing for Kids

The Best Story

by Eileen Spinelli

The best story is one that comes from the heart. The library is having a contest for the best story, and the quirky narrator of this story just has to win that roller coaster ride with her favorite author! But what makes a story the best? Her brother Tim says the best stories have lots of action. Her father thinks the best stories are the funniest. And Aunt Jane tells her the best stories have to make people cry. A story that does all these things doesn’t seem quite right, though, and the one thing the whole family can agree on is that the best story has to be your own.

The Plot Chickens

by Mary Jane Auch

Henrietta loves to read. When she clucks buk, buk, buk at the library, the librarian knows exactly what to recommend. Then Henrietta decides to write a book. With the help of her three aunties, she hatches a plot. But when Henrietta publishes her story, the critics say she’s laid an egg! Is this the end of Henrietta’s career as an author?

Look! I Wrote a Book! (And You Can Too)

by Sally Lloyd Jones

Want to write a book? Well, the spunky, know-it-all narrator of this side-splitting story can tell you just how to do it. She walks readers through the whole process, from deciding what to write about (like dump trucks or The Olden Days) to writing a story that doesn’t put everyone to sleep and getting people to buy your book (tips: be nice, give them cookies, and if all else fails, tie them to a chair).

Idea Jar

by Adam Lehrhaupt

The idea jar is where students keep their ideas—anything from a Viking to a space robot to a giant dragon. These ideas can be combined to make new exciting stories. But watch out when the ideas escape the jar—they might get a little rowdy!

Grab some free activities to pair with this story here.

How to Write a Story

by Kate Messner

Step 1: Choose an idea for your story. A good one.
Step 2: Decide on a setting. Don’t be afraid to mix things up.
Step 3: Create a heroine—or a hero.
Now: Begin.

Accomplished storytellers Kate Messner and Mark Siegel playfully chronicle the process of becoming a writer in this fun follow-up to How to Read a Story, guiding young storytellers through the joys and challenges of the writing process. From choosing an idea, to creating a problem for their character to resolve, to coming to The End, this empowering picture book breaks down the writing process in a dynamic and accessible way, encouraging kids to explore their own creativity—and share their stories with others!

Ralph Tells a Story

by Abby Hanlon

Nothing ever happens to Ralph. So every day when it’s time to write stories, Ralph thinks really hard. He stares at his paper. He stares at the ceiling. But he has no stories! With the help of his classmates, Ralph realizes that a great story can be about something very little . . . and that maybe he really does have some stories to tell.

The Panda Problem

by Deborah Underwood

Every story needs a problem. But Panda doesn’t have a problem. Unless…Panda is the problem. The author loses control of the narrative in this funny book as Panda helps explain what makes a story great.

by Rebecca Kai Dotlich

“One day. . . I went to school. I came home. The end,” says our storyteller—a girl with a busy imagination and a thirst for adventure. The art tells a fuller tale of calamity on the way to school and an unpredictably happy ending. Each illustration in this inventive picture book captures multiple, unexpected, and funny storylines as the narrator shares her shorter-than-ever stories, ending with “One day. . . I wanted to write a book.”

The Squiggly Story

by Andrew Larsen

Who says there’s only one way to write a story? A young boy wants to write a story, but he only knows his letters, not words. His sister says, “Why don’t you start there, with a letter?” So the boy tries. He chooses an easy letter to begin with. The letter I. And to his delight, with just the power of his vivid imagination, and no written words, an amazing story begins to unfold, right before his eyes.

Rocket Writes a Story

by Tad Hills

Rocket loves books and he wants to make his own, but he can’t think of a story. Encouraged by the little yellow bird to look closely at the world around him for inspiration, Rocket sets out on a journey. Along the way he discovers small details that he has never noticed before, a timid baby owl who becomes his friend, and an idea for a story.

Little Red Writing

by Joan Holub

Once upon a time in pencil school, a teacher named Ms. 2 told her class, “Today we’re going to write a story.” So begins a hilarious and exuberant retelling of “Little Red Riding Hood”, in which a brave little red pencil finds her way through the many perils of story-telling, faces a ravenous pencil sharpener (the Wolf 3000), and saves the day.

Chloe and the Lion

by Mac Barnett

Meet Chloe: Every week, she collects loose change so she can buy tickets to ride the merry-go-round. But one fateful day, she gets lost in the woods on her way home, and a large dragon leaps out from-“Wait! It’s supposed to be a lion,” says Mac Barnett, the author of this book. But Adam Rex, the illustrator, thinks a dragon would be so much cooler (don’t you agree?). Mac’s power of the pen is at odds with Adam’s brush, and Chloe’s story hangs in the balance. Can she help them out of this quandary to be the heroine of her own story?

Library Mouse

by Daniel Kirk

Sam is a library mouse. His home was in a little hole in the wall in the children’s reference books section, and he thought that life was very good indeed. For Sam loved to read. He read picture books and chapter books, biographies and poetry, and ghost stories and mysteries. Sam read so much that finally one day he decided to write books himself! Sam shared his books with other library visitors by placing them on a bookshelf at night. Until there came the time that people wanted to meet this talented author. Whatever was Sam to do?

How This Book Was Made

by Mac Barnett

You may think you know how this book was made, but you don’t. Sure, the author wrote many drafts, and the illustrator took a long time creating the art, but then what? How’d it get into your hands? Well, open the cover and read through these pages to find out. Just beware of the pirates and angry tiger.

One Stop Story Shop

One day, a brave knight sets out for the cave of a terrible dragon. “Come out and meet your match, you great big beast!” the knight announces. But to his dismay, he learns that the dragon has gone on vacation. “How can I finish my story?” the knight wails. “With no dragon, my story is STUCK!” Then he discovers the One-Stop Story Shop, which just might be what he needs to finish his tale…but not exactly the way he had planned!

The Story Thief

Olive is a shy girl who prefers reading about adventures to having them herself. But when a mysterious figure steals all of the books in town, Olive decides to set out straight into an adventure of her own. The thief, meanwhile, doesn’t quite know what to do with the stories he’s stolen. Olive must track down the thief and teach him the joys of reading – and sharing – stories.

Rufus the Writer

Why have a lemonade stand when you can have a story stand? That’s what Rufus, a boy with a big imagination, decides. And once he’s in business, he starts creating little gems for his friends and family. Millie and Walter trade a shell for his story called “Why Orange Is the Best Color.” Rufus writes little sister Annie a story for her birthday about a girl who shrinks to the size of a teacup. Sara trades flowers for a story about a family of buttons. And then they all sit down and read the wonderful stories together.


What are your favorite picture books about writing? I’d love to check them out!

You can find more of my favorite books to share with kids here.

You might also enjoy these Ways to Increase Writing Engagement.

Happy Reading (and Writing)!

Reading and writing make a pretty great pair, right? I mean, our students get some of their best ideas from books they have read. When it comes to helping kids become better writers, I like to draw upon picture books as mentor texts. Here are some of my favorite picture books about writing for kids. These are sure to inspire some great writing!

signature

Related posts:

Books for Kids Who Worry or Have Anxiety Do you want your kids to spend less time in front of a screen and more time getting creative? Books can help them get started. Here are some of my favorite children's books that inspire creativity.Children’s Books That Inspire Creativity Whether you want to share books about the pumpkin life cycle, memorable pumpkin characters, or just want to embrace this season, here are some of my favorite pumpkin books for kids.Pumpkin Books for Kids Like it or not, high-stakes testing continues to happen year after year. You might not be able to keep it from happening, but you can help alleviate student fear and anxiety by sharing picture books. Here are several books to share during testing season.Books to Share During Testing Season Ready or not, picture day is coming! This is an opportunity to capture memories of each child's styled hair, toothy grins, and favorite outfits at each age and stage of school. Help students get excited (and calm a few nerves) by sharing one of these books about picture day.Picture Day Books for Kids
«
»

Filed Under: book lists, reading 2 Comments

Comments

  1. Maggie says

    May 12, 2020 at 2:11 pm

    I’m looking for book about writing for my Intermediate age students (3rd-5th). Do you have any recommendations?
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Storie Belden says

      May 12, 2020 at 7:10 pm

      Hi Maggie,
      A few of the picture books mentioned in this post could also be shared with 3rd-5th grade. Unfortunately, most of the books I tend to collect and share are for the primary grades (K-3). I’ll keep my eye out for more that I would recommend for the intermediate grades in the future.
      Storie

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search

Categories

Latest on Instagram

Groundhog Day is almost here. Will he his shadow? Groundhog Day is almost here. Will he his shadow? Only time will tell! One book I love to read this time of year is Groundhog Weather School. Not only does this book provide a bit of the history behind the holiday, but it also includes information about weather and the seasons. If you’re sharing this book, be sure to grab these free activities to help guide your students through the text. They are available in my TPT store.

Which one are you hoping for?
❄️ more winter
🌸 early spring
Do you prefer to blend in OR do you dare to stand Do you prefer to blend in OR do you dare to stand out?

At school, Monique wore a uniform every single day. But looking just like everyone else was not for her. One day, she found a huge, red hat in a trunk in the attic and decided she’d wear it to school. Everyone noticed her and had something to say, which made Monique smile…until a teacher told her she had to take off the hat. 

The next day, everyone at school was wearing a hat - everyone except Monique, who was already planning something new to wear the following day. With each new idea and accessory that makes Monique unique comes a series of kids who copy and mimic her style. Can she find a way to be different?

This book is often hard to find, but has a great message about individuality and celebrating that it’s okay to be different! Have you read this one yet?

@kanemillerbooks
The holiday books have been put away. That means o The holiday books have been put away. That means our shelf is ready for a fresh stack of books to share for bedtime stories. Here’s what came home with me on my latest trip to the local library. 

👀 See any titles that catch your eye?
I may introduce a lot of books to you here on the I may introduce a lot of books to you here on the gram, but sometimes YOU are the ones who introduce books to me. This is one of those stories.

Sarah lives alone in her little house now that her children are all grown up. Every time she looks out her window, she sees the neighborhood children waiting for the bus. One winter morning she notices a boy who doesn’t have mittens. This worries her, so she gathers some supplies and sets out to knit him a new pair. Once finished, she hangs them on the tree next to the bus stop. 

When the boy finds the mittens the next day, he quickly tries them on and beams at their perfect fit. Sarah’s heart is filled with joy and it isn’t long before she makes even more mittens to hang on the tree. The kids look forward to finding these new treasures each morning at the bus stop. Sarah is sure that no one knows it is her adding to the mitten tree until one day she returns home and finds a surprise waiting for her - a basket filled with beautiful balls of yarn.

This heartwarming story has a great message about kindness, community, and the joy that comes from helping others. It would make a great addition to your winter book collection!

Have you read The Mitten Tree?

#themittentree
I might share a lot of picture books, but I do lov I might share a lot of picture books, but I do love chapter books, too. One of my favorites for January is Mr. Popper’s Penguins. While this story has been around for decades, it still manages to entertain readers of all ages. ⁣
⁣
If you aren’t familiar, Mr. Popper is a housepainter who daydreams about polar expeditions. One day he receives a real penguin and his world turns upside down. Soon after the penguin grows lonely and the Poppers add a second penguin to their home. It isn’t long before they have 10 penguin chicks, making that 12 penguins in all! With so many mouths to feed, Mr. Popper realizes he will have to do something to bring in more money. That’s when Popper’s Performing Penguins gets started. The show goes on tour and plenty of hilarious antics begin!⁣
⁣
I used this book with some of my reading groups in both 2nd and 3rd grade with the help of a few resources to guide students through the text (comprehension questions for each chapter, vocabulary activities, graphic organizers, and more). There’s also a penguin craft, which was a big hit! This resource is available in my TPT store. Drop a 🐧 in the comments or send me a DM if you’d like the link. ⁣
⁣
When it comes to Mr. Popper’s Penguins, which do you prefer?⁣
📖  Book⁣
🎥  Movie⁣
Have you ever felt like you don’t quite fit in? Have you ever felt like you don’t quite fit in? Or maybe you’ve let the opinions of others creep into your mind  and start to doubt yourself? If so, I think you should read Lone Wolf.⁣
⁣
In this story, Maple is a member of the Parker family. She loves playing tug-of-war with Jax, reading with Avery, getting treats, and going for looooooooong walks. But wherever she goes, people comment that she looks more like a wolf than a dog. The Parkers explain the difference between a husky and a wolf, but Maple starts to have her doubts. ⁣
⁣
One day, Maple sees the fence open and takes her chance to explore the wild as a lone wolf. Will Maple love this new lifestyle, or will she realize that home with the Parkers is where she truly belongs? ⁣
⁣
This charming story explores family, self-doubt, and finding the place where you belong. It would be a great story to share in the classroom or at home.⁣
⁣
Have you read Lone Wolf yet?
Whether you’re headed back to the classroom this Whether you’re headed back to the classroom this week or next week, please don’t forget to make time to review your classroom rules and procedures. You can make this process a bit more enjoyable by sharing books. Sometimes these stories have a way of getting through when your words can’t. I put together a list of my favorites on my website. Tap the link in my bio or drop a comment below if you’d like me to send you the link. 

When do students head back to school in your area?

Copyright © 2023 · Website Design By Jumping Jax Designs