giveaway · mentor texts

Mentor Text: Spork

Ruth Ayres

Spork is a book about coming to terms with being yourself. I loved it the first time I read it. My kids loved it so much that I’ve read it enough times to not love it any more, but I still do. Since it’s one of those books for me, I looked at it with my writer’s eyes. What can I learn from this book about writing? How can I use it with students to help them become better writers? Here are three (of hundreds) ideas:

  • Setting — I was working in a fifth grade classroom and the teacher said, “My students aren’t understanding how setting plays an important role in character development and plot.” That night my kids and I read Spork and I realized how the setting was part of the conflict. The setting helped drive the plot. The setting inspired the characters. This is a mentor in the importance of setting and the way it can influence other parts of the story.
  • Word Play — Sometimes I think we forget to teach students that writing should be playful. We can work words to bring delight and meaning. This happens in Spork. Check out this page (and notice the way the setting comes across in the picture and influences the play with words).
But Spork stuck out. In his kitchen, forks were forks and spoons were spoons. Cutlery customs were followed closely. Mixing was uncommon. Naturally, there were rule breakers: Knives who loved chopsticks, tongs who married forks. But such families were unusual. (Material from Spork is used by permission of Kids Can Press Ltd. Text © 2010 Kyo Maclear. Illustrations © 2010 Isabelle Arsenault)
  • Purposeful Meaning — At first, you may think this is a silly book, but the ending packs a punch and makes all the silliness have a purpose. Lots of young writers like to write silly stories, often filled with nonsense. It is important for them to learn to have purpose to every part of their writing. (This goes right along with the So What? lesson I was thinking about last week.)

And just as cool as this little book is the fact that Kids Can Press is donating two copies to give away. So leave a comment on this post sharing your favorite food to eat with a SPORK and you’ll be entered in the drawing. If you have more than one favorite food to eat with a SPORK, leave another comment (and another and another). You can leave as many comments as you want to increase your chance to win. I’ll use the Random Number Generator on Wednesday night, so enter before then! Also, so sorry international friends, but this is only open to those with an US mailing address since Kids Can Press will take care of the shipping.

 

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Published by Ruth Ayres

Unhurried. Finding the magic in the middle of living. Capturing a life of ridiculous grace + raw stories.

47 thoughts on “Mentor Text: Spork”

  1. Pingback: SPORK Giveaway Results « TWO WRITING TEACHERS

  5. This book sounds like such a great mentor text. I might be
    a bit obnoxious and enter several times in a row. 😉 I loved using
    the good old spork back in grade school. I would say my favorite
    thing to eat with said spork was mashed potatoes.

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  14. This book sounds like a winner for my grandkids–especially Lucas and Noah; they are so silly. A spork meal…mmmmm…I don’t remember using a spork lately, but it makes me think that it might come in handy when eating Chinese. It would make the soup last longer–yummmmm! Hurray for sporks! A spork becomes a book…mmmmmmmmmm!

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  15. I like to eat taco salad and chili with a spork! And now my spork will look totally different to me – since I learned about this wonderful book…! I love the idea of a spork personified…I might use this book for teaching a variety of literary devices, including personification and alliteration (Cutlery customs were followed closely). Awesome!

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  22. What an exciting book. I can see my primary kids having a blast using this mentor text as a springboard to their creative writing. Putting on my wish list immediately.

    I carry a few sporks in my purse for emergency for my kids. I like to use them for soups/stews so I can get the chunks and broth. Yum!

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  24. All the kids have at lunch/breakfast is a spork, and I snag
    sporks frequently to eat my own breakfast yogurt with. Sometimes
    I’m left with only a spork for soup at lunch, too…love those
    plastic sporks in the cafeteria!

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  25. This book looks very cool and could be used for many reasons – I’m thinking diversity from the page you excerpted above. As for the spork food….I would use one for Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey ice cream if it was soft enough! YUM.

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  27. Yes… I’ve eaten with a spork but can’t tell you what the food was. I’ve decided I don’t remember the food because the experience was over shadowed by the pleasure of the spork!

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  29. Cute book!

    I think my favorite food to eat with a spork would be macaroni and cheese because I can never decide to eat it with a fork or a spoon!

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  31. I love books like this! The premise is so silly (who would think to write about a spork?!); yet so much can be done with it!

    I love that you find all these interesting books–my students thank you for that!

    Umm…favorite food to eat with a spork…I think I have to agree with the poster who said KFC coleslaw!! Yum :0)

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  32. I can’t remember the last time I used a spork, but I could definitely use one when I eat Thai noodle soup; I usually end up using a fork (for the noodles) AND a spoon (for the broth)!

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  35. I picked this up at the library this week and my 3 1/2 year
    old loved it. We have a new baby so we thought it was fun that the
    baby liked Spork. I think it’s great for teaching perspective and
    for getting kids brains working with thinking from different
    perspectives! 🙂

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  36. I am already in LOVE with this book! No need to keep me in the drawing. I can’t wait. I have to have it. I’m going to Amazon right now. Thanks for the great suggestion Ruth.

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  41. I have to go with the little disposable plastic “baby
    forks” which are honestly more like a spork – perfect for yogurt or
    applesauce!

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  43. This year I have been more aware of and consequently teaching more mini-lessons on setting. It really adds to the richness of their writing.
    Favorite spork food–something take out…baked beans.

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  44. This sounds like a great book. I like that it will appeal to kids while sending a worthwhile message and that it can also be used to teach something about the craft of writing. I actually don’t think I’ve ever used a spork, but I think I could use one for eating brownie a la mode since sometimes I use a fork, but other times a spoon. Thanks for sharing!

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  45. Almost the only time I use a spork is when I eat cafeteria lunches at school, and my all time favorite is Wednesdays when they have mashed potatoes and gravy with pieces of turkey in it. YUM! I can never resist, especially when they have nice, warm rolls as one of the sides.

    The book does sound really fun. I am going to put it on my Amazon wish list so that even if I don’t win I will remember to get it eventually.

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  47. This book sounds fantastic! I have been focusing on word choice mini-lessons as my students cycle through a choice writing period. I also enjoy Dog Breath and The Halloweiner, which are both written by Dav Pilkey, for teaching word choice. For reading workshop, you can use them as a model for comparing texts.

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