Mentor Texts for Independent Writing Projects

The Context: With spring’s arrival, I begin to think about summer writing projects for kids so they will retain the skills they’ve gained during the school year. One of the best ways to send kids off into the summer with writing plans is by providing time for independent writing projects during the final weeks of the school year. 

Why It Matters: Independent writing projects infuse joy into the writing workshop, benefitting both passionate and striving writers. They provide an opportunity to engage students who love writing while also equipping all students with writing plans for the summer break.

Catch Up Quick: Listen to this Tip for Tomorrow episode about independent writing projects. 

A Personal Story: My seven-year-old son, who doesn’t gravitate towards writing, is notorious for ordering chicken fingers from the kids’ menu when we eat out. He likes to rate how good they are in comparison to other restaurants. In the past, we’ve joked around with him about writing reviews of chicken fingers from local restaurants and those in cities where we’ve traveled. To think out of the box about engaging him as a writer this summer, I’m working with him to turn his love of chicken fingers into review writing as a summer writing project.

Of Note: From fairy tales to graphic novels to science fiction, there are endless possibilities for the kinds of writing students can take on with an independent writing project. To expand the possibilities, I’m offering several new books as mentor texts your students can use to inspire an independent writing project in school and their summer writing plans.

A Planet Is a Poem by Amanda West Lewis and illustrated by Oliver Averill (Kids Can Press, 2024)

Book Details: This book explores our solar system through a blend of science and poetry. Dive into a collection of 14 original poems about planets and celestial bodies, each crafted in a unique poetic form that captures their distinct characteristics. This book will appeal as a mentor text to students who enjoy researching information and crafting poetry. 

Look Inside:

Bake, Make, & Learn to Cook Fun & Healthy Recipes for Young Cooks by David Atherton and illustrated by Rachel Stubbs (Candlewick Press, 2020)

Book Details: Atherton, the winner of The Great British Baking Show in 2019, guides readers through a kid-friendly collection of recipes. This book offers savory and sweet recipes, a list of essential equipment, a glossary of cooking terms, and helpful tips. This book is well-suited for students who love to cook and/or enjoy procedural writing.

Look Inside:

Green: The Story of Plant Life on Our Planet by Nicola Davies and illustrated by Emily Sutton (Candlewick Press, 2024)

Book Details: This text helps readers discover the vital role of plants on Earth. It explores the diverse flora found in Earth’s ecosystems and helps kids appreciate the biology of plants and their immense significance to our planet. This book is ideal for budding scientists, environmentalists, and students who might enjoy writing a text that shares information with words and detailed and labeled illustrations.

Look Inside:

Poetry Comics by Grant Snider (Chronicle Books, 2024) 

Book Details: This brilliantly illustrated collection takes readers through the seasons. Snider’s poems celebrate the beauty of everyday things and inspire readers to write their own poetry comics. This book is suited for comic book fans and students who enjoy creating art and poetry.

Look Inside:

The Earth Book by Hannah Alice (Candlewick Press, 2024) 

Book Details: This book introduces the Earth’s inner workings, featuring acetate diagrams. Discover incredible facts in this inventive book with see-through pages. It’s a great fit for science-loving kids who can create a text that provides detailed illustrations to explain scientific concepts.

Look Inside:

The Great Big Me Experiment: 75 Activities to Discover All About You by Alli Brydon and illustrated by Harry Briggs (Macmillan, 2023)

Book Details: This book offers many activities that help kids discover all about themselves. From exploring the body and emotions to stimulating the mind, these activities entertain, educate, and entertain. This book is an ideal mentor for writers who enjoy creating interactive texts.

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The Hand Book by Magda N. Garguláková and illustrated by Vítězslav Mecner (Albatros, 2022)

Book Details: The hand, an essential part of our bodies, is often overlooked. It helps us perform various tasks, express emotions, and communicate beyond words. This book explores the wonders of the hand, from its mechanics to left- and right-handedness, different skills, and remarkable capabilities. This book can be a great mentor for students who enjoy deep research into a topic they want to teach others about.

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The Handbook of Forgotten Skills: Timeless Fun for a New Generation by Elaine Batiste, Natalie Crowley and illustrated by Chris Duriez (Abrams, 2023)

Book Details: This illustrated, step-by-step guide to classic skills kids should know. The authors take readers on a journey back in time, unlocking hours of fun with skills such as knot-tying, pie making, campfire building, compass usage, hand sewing, tomato growing, and more. Each chapter presents clear instructions and shares intriguing historical facts about the skills. This book is a well-suited mentor text for kids who enjoy procedural and how-to writing.

Look Inside:

One Final Thing: Independent writing projects have a transformative impact because they foster joy and empower students with individualized writing plans for the summer.

What’s Next: There’s a book giveaway—to win all of these books—for those who share and leave a comment on this post. 

Go Deeper: 

• Closing the Summer Writing Gap
• From the Classroom to the World: How a Young Writer is Making Her Voice Heard
• How to Reinvigorate Writing Workshop With Joy Through Independent Writing Projects
• Independent Writing: 10 Ways to Get Students Published in the Real World
• Independent Writing Projects
• Six REAL Purposes For Kids to Write This Summer and Beyond
• Summer Writing Projects in the Upper Grades
• The Power of a Guided Journal

Giveaway Information: 

You can win all eight of the books mentioned above. Thanks to Abrams, Albatros, Candlewick Press, Chronicle Books, Kids Can Press, and Macmillan for donating these books to one lucky commenter. To enter, please comment on this post (not on social media) by Thursday, March 29 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. The winner will be randomly selected and announced at the bottom of the post by Tuesday, April 2. When you comment, you must have a U.S. mailing address and provide a valid e-mail address. The publishers will ship the books to the winner. If you win, you will receive an email titled “TWO WRITING TEACHERS – INDEPENDENT WRITING MENTORS.” We will choose a new winner if you do not respond with your mailing address within five days.

Congratulations to Wandering and Wondering whose commenter number was selected for this giveaway!