mentor texts for forms of writing k-8

benny sets off in the morning with five shiny new pennies to spend and eventually buys something for his mother, brother, sister, dog, and cat.

the best part of me : children talk about their bodies in pictures and words

told in lively and powerful verse by debut author kevin noble maillard, fry bread is an evocative depiction of a modern native american family, vibrantly illustrated by pura belpre award winner and caldecott honoree juana martinez-neal. fry bread is food. it is warm and delicious, piled high on a plate. fry bread is time. it brings families together for meals and new memories. fry bread is nation. it is shared by many, from coast to coast and beyond. fry bread is us. it is a celebration of old and new, traditional and modern, similarity and difference.

as leaves fall from their trees, animals huddle against the cold, and frost creeps across windows, everyone knows--winter is on its way! join a brother and sister as they explore nature and take a stroll through their twinkling town, greeting all the signs of the coming season. in a series of conversations with everything from the setting sun to curious deer, they say goodbye to autumn and welcome the glorious first snow of winter in kenar pak's goodbye autumn, hello winter.

in a simple, cheerful conversation with nature, a young boy observes how the season changes from winter to spring in kenard pak's goodbye winter, hello spring. as days stretch longer, animals creep out from their warm dens, and green begins to grow again, everyone knows--spring is on its way! join a boy and his dog as they explore nature and take a stroll through the countryside, greeting all the signs of the coming season. in a series of conversations with everything from the melting brook to chirping birds, they say goodbye to winter and welcome the lushness of spring.

in this version of the traditional tale, the duck, the dog, and the cat refuse to help the little red hen make a pizza but do get to participate when the time comes to eat it.

perfect for earth day--and every day!--this spectacular picture book is a valentine to our wonderful planet from the newbery award-winning author of sarah, plain and tall. our friend earth does so many wonderful things! she tends to animals large and small. she pours down summer rain and autumn leaves. she sprinkles whisper-white snow and protects the tiny seeds waiting for spring. readers of all ages will pore over the pages of this children's book that is bursting with color and texture. its enticing pages feature clever cut-outs, flaps, and curved contours that encourage exploration as its poetic text celebrates everything earth does for us, all the while reminding us to be a good friend in return.

on a winter's night under a full moon, a father and daughter trek into the woods to see the great horned owl.

text and illustrations describe some of the special places that one can go to be quiet and alone and to imagine, such as a woods, a seashore, a library, or inside oneself.

contemporary fables with tongue-in-cheek morals address such topics as homework, curfews, and television commercials.

in this exuberant and lyrical addition to the award-winning over and under series, emerging readers will delight in discovering the wonders that lie hidden between stalks, under the shade of leaves, and down in the dirt. from the author-illustrator team behind over and under the snow and over and under the pond. explore the secret realm beneath the dirt that brings the world of nature to life: follow a young girl and her grandmother on a journey through the year planning, planting, and harvesting their garden--and learn about what's happening in the dirt to help make it all happen.   up in the garden, the world is full of green--leaves and sprouts, growing vegetables, ripening fruit. but down in the dirt exists a busy world--earthworms dig, snakes hunt, skunks burrow--populated by all the creatures that make a garden their home.   these secrets and many others are waiting to be discovered up in the garden and down in the dirt in this sweet children's book from kate messner and christopher silas neal, the latest in their beloved series that offers kids a peek into hidden ecosystems.

a little girl describes what she does and what she sees in and around her seaside home.