Mentor Text Set

Mentor Text Set

One day in high school, a friend of mine’s mom surprised me by bringing me Chick-FIl-A for lunch.  The gesture was so kind, and I so appreciated, I wanted to make sure she knew such.  So, I sat down to write her a thank you note.  This is the first time I remember writing someone a thank you note as an adult.  Sure, I completed the “Thank for _____ I love how it ____” form letters often sent out after children’s birthday parties, but this was an adult thank you note on stationary I borrowed from my mom, I had to show I knew my stuff.  So, as I often do when trying something new, I took to the internet for instruction.  A quick review of Emily Post’s website showed me exactly how to craft an elegant and thoughtful thank you note.  It was in the mailbox the next day.

The way I used Emily Post to show me how to create a new type of writing, you can use mentor texts to show your students how to write.  “A mentor text…is a piece of writing from which students will emulate strategies and skills to hold on forever as writers” (Broas, 2012) There are three common core anchor standards which look at how something is written (Standard 4, Standard 5, and Standard 6) (Gallagher, 2014).  Mentor texts are a great way to encompass these three points in way that shows students how to write instead of telling them.

When looking for mentor texts, I began by studying the collection of books at the curriculum materials library as well as my own collection of picture books.  I was well equipped with examples from articles we had read in class and had an idea of what I was looking for.  I walked through the library and picked a few books that looked interesting to me and some I had read before.  For each book, I read the story once making notes on different aspects of writing I noticed in the book.  After reading once, I went back through with my notes to decide which topic is best represented.  I then read the book a second time, keeping that idea in mind and thinking about how I could use the book in a lesson.  During this semester, I started a Google doc to keep a running list of mentor texts on.  I plan to continue to keep this list throughout my career.

“A mentor can shape who we are, who we will be, and who we strive to become…a mentor text can shape and develop writers to grow their craft and voice through words in many of the same ways” (Broas, 2012).  When researching mentor texts, I read Kelly Gallagher’s article “Making the Most of Mentor Texts.”  In this article, she writes about writing a grant for the first time and having to look at examples.  I found it powerful how she used an experience from her life to describe the importance of mentor texts.  Thus, I included the anecdote about writing my friend’s mom a thank you note.  Mentor texts are all around us.  As adults, we use them frequently, if not daily.  By bringing  them into the classroom, we can create strong, beneficial writing lessons for our students.

Works Cited

Alber, R. (2014, July 31). Using Mentor Texts to Motivate and Support Student Writers. Retrieved April 19, 2016, from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/using-mentor-text- motivate-and-support-student-writers-rebecca-alber

Broas, S. (2012, September 10). Why Mentor Texts? Retrieved from http:// littlebitofliteracy.blogspot.com/2012/09/why-mentor-texts.html

Gallagher, K. (2014, April). Making the Most of Mentor Texts. Retrieved April 19, 2016, from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/apr14/vol71/ num07/Making-the-Most-of-Mentor-Texts.aspx

Mentor Text Set

The Cake, written by Dorotheé de Manfreid tells the story of several animals who want to make a cake.  They only problem, they can't agree on what type of cake to make!  From there the story, told only through dialogue bubbles appearing over the characters' heads, becomes strange and absurd as the characters argue and never come to an agreement.  Because the story is told solely though dialogue it could be a fun introduction to the topic.  You could read the story to your students using different voices, or have them take roles and read it together, and then ask them to write their own dialogue driven stories in the same style.

Beekle begins on a magical island where imaginary friends wait to be paired with a human child.  Dan Santat's tale of friendship shows us the journey from feeling alone in the world to the warm fuzzy emotions you experience when you finally find your person.  One of my favorite parts of this book are the beautiful illustrations rich with color and emotion.  Often Santat does not come right out and say what a character is thinking or how they feel, but shows it in the way they are drawn.  This would be a great book for making inferences.  You could ask students how they feel a certain character is reacting or what they think the general mood of an illustration is.

I first discovered Little Elliot, Big City last year when I got the opportunity to interview Mike Curato and I have been in love ever since.  Little Elliot is an elephant who has to navigate himself through his life in the big city, 1940's New York to be exact.  The illustrations of Elliot's city are full of detail and could be the start of a great discussion on setting.  Students could read Little Elliot, Big City and then write their own pieces on a particular place, real or made up.

Dear Zoo, by Rod Campbell, is a story based heavily on illustrations.  On each page there is one sentence that is finished with an illustration of an animal, in place of the animal's name written in text.  Dear Zoo could be a great tool for developing vocabulary with younger students.  For early writing pieces, you could have students write pieces in the same style using illustrations to move the story along.

With his birthday so close, it seems appropriate to include a read from the Doctor himself.  My Many Colored Days has been one of my favorite books for a long time.  It does a great job of describing abstract emotions in ways that are tangible and easy to understand.  This book would be a great read aloud. Students could act out the different emotions and colors.  Using the colors could also be a great way to occasionally check in and see how your students are feeling throughout the year.  Every month or so in Writer's Workshop you could ask them to write about their feelings using the colors as descriptions.

One of my childhood favorites, Corduroy by Don Freeman tells the story of a stuffed bear who goes on an adventure when he realizes he is missing a button and tries to find it in the department store he resides in.  In the classroom, Corduroy could be an awesome example of narrative writing.  There is a distinct problem and solution, not to mention a few interesting happenings along the way.

In Click Clack Moo: Cows that Type a group of cows find themselves with a keyboard.  Naturally, the use it to write letters to their farmer asking him for items that would make barnyard living more accommodating.  With several examples of letters throughout, this book would be a wonderful mentor text for letting writing.  After reading, students could write to the farmer as an animal of their choosing explaining what they would like from him and why they need it.

Stuck tells the story of a young boy who’s kite gets (you guessed it) stuck in a tree.  This story, detailing the many ways the boy tries to get his kite out, could be a great segue into a conversation on writer’s block.  I think it’s important for students to know if they’re having trouble writing something, it’s not just them.  It's something everyone experiences.  After reading, you could discuss different strategies to get yourself “unstuck” as a writer.

Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners by Laurie Keller teaches children the Golden Rule using the help of some cute and cuddly critters.  This would be a great read aloud for the beginning of the year.  After reading, you and your class could work together to write a class contract or set of rules.

All of the Pigeon books follow the same formula—the Pigeon wants to do something that you have specifically been asked not to let him do.  And the Pigeon, this ain’t his first rodeo, he’s got some pretty good arguments up his sleeve.  Mo Willems fun and energetic stories are the perfect mentor text for persuasive writing.  Read a couple aloud and then let students try writing as the Pigeon.

Favorite Book Club Picks

When I moved back to Athens after college, I found I did not know nearly as many people in town as I did when I moved away.  After a few months of staying in doors and keeping to myself, I set out to meet new folks.  One of the places I spent a lot of my time was our local bookstore, Avid.  Avid Bookshop is a truly magical place, a small store front filled to the brim with books.  I have attended two of their many book clubs, Book Club of the Fantastic and Graphic Novel Book Club.  The following are some of my favorite books I have read in these groups.



Collages, written by Anais Nin, is made up of short vignettes--some linear and connected, others out of order as well as out of the blue.  One of my favorite descriptions in a book ever is the character Renate living in Mexico trying to embody the vibrant color of the Orange dress she is wearing. Orange has been one of my favorite colors ever since I was young because of its warmness (To quote Jonathan Adler, "Orange is the Prozac of colors") but I avoided wearing it because I didn't think I looked good in it. I bought an orange dress shortly after reading this.



Nimona is written by one of my now favorite graphic novelist, Noelle Stevenson.  One of my favorite parts of this fantastical tale is the gender fluidity of the characters which at first had me somewhat confused, but by the end of the book left me feeling refreshed.



Ms. Marvel, by G. Willow Wilson, is one of the most groundbreaking comics of the past year.  The first trade in the series No Normal follows Kamala Khan through her origin story of becoming Ms. Marvel.  I found Kamala to be a dimensional and relatable character, her love of Captain Marvel reflects many aspects of my own love for Wonder Woman.  The comic industry is often criticized as being sexist, but this series shows the growth that has taken place and hopefully predicts similar stories in the future.

Interview with Mike Curato

During my time with the Broad Collective, I was lucky enough to interview author Mike Curato in preparation for his visit at Avid Bookshop.  I included his book, Little Elliot Big City, in my list of mentor texts.  Here is my interview with the author, originally posted at the Broad Collective.

Little Elliot has an affinity for cupcakes. He lives in a stylish brownstone. Oh, and he’s a white elephant covered in pastel polka dots. I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Little Elliot’s creator, Mike Curato, as he makes his way to Athens to celebrate his new book Little Elliot, Big Family.

Taylor: What advice would you give an aspiring children’s author?

Mike: Aside from reading everything you can get your hands on, I would definitely recommend getting involved with your regional SCBWI [Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators] chapter (scbwi.org).

Taylor: Have you always loved to read and write? Did you discover a love of one before the other?

Mike: Yes, I have always loved to read and write! I’m not sure if one came before the other, but as a child I loved reading picture books, then comic books. Meanwhile, I wrote short stories, poems, and letters to my pen pal.

Taylor: I’ve loved books since before I could read and have returned to many of my childhood favorites throughout adulthood. What drew you to children’s literature?

Mike: I think “children’s literature” is really for everybody, and that’s why I love it best. It’s made to be inclusive of children, but it boils down very big ideas and feelings into just a few pages that anyone can understand.

Taylor: Elephants are believed to be wise and often used as a symbol for strength and intelligence. What do you hope others learn from Little Elliot?

Mike: I’m not sure Elliot is here to teach as much as remind people that we need to take care of each other. Sometimes our family needs to open up to include others who don’t have anyone. We can celebrate the families we have as well as the families we make.

Taylor: As an aspiring educator I spend a lot of time with students. I was recently able to read Little Elliot to some of my students and told them I was going to get to speak with you. They eagerly suggested questions of their own . . .

Taylor: What’s your favorite color?

Mike: Mint!

Taylor: Where is the Big City?

Mike: It is based on old New York.

Taylor: Do you write songs?

Mike: What an interesting question! I don’t write them professionally, but sometimes I will make up silly songs with my friends.

Taylor: Why did you choose an elephant?

Mike: I love elephants! I had a little elephant toy when I was little. They are very caring animals.

Taylor: Why didn’t you choose a dog or cat?

Mike: Well, I do love dogs and cats, but Elliot was always an elephant to me. Maybe I’ll make another book with a dog and a cat someday.

Taylor: Can you shoot web like Spiderman?

Mike: I WISH I COULD! Then I could grab cupcakes in the kitchen without leaving my room!

Taylor: Do you eat cupcakes?

Mike: I do indeed! But I also eat my veggies to keep a balanced diet.

Taylor: How do you write a book?

Mike: Authors have different ways of writing books. I like to write about things that are important to me, like friends and cupcakes!

Taylor: Do you have any pets?

Mike: I don’t have any pets right now because I travel a lot, but I do have a ceramic dog named Kimbo. Sometimes I talk to him, but he is very quiet.

Meet Mike Curato and Little Elliot at a Special Pajama Story Time October 13 6:30 at Avid Bookshop. Come prepared in your jammies – sleeping bags, blankets, and lovies are also welcome!

How Strange It Is To be Anything at All: Neutral Milk Hotel Returns to Athens

I have lived most of my life in Athens.  I grew up in it's unique community and consider myself lucky to have done so.  Writing for the Broad Collective, I got to share this love with others in the community.  The following is one of my favorite pieces I wrote for them.  I believe I use my words here to show many of the different aspects of Athens that I love.

Growing up in Athens you hear some great stories.  Your parent’s, your friend’s parents, your aunts and uncles, everyone has a story about the time they saw REM play their buddy’s house party.  Or people who had been lucky enough to step inside Kate Pierson’s humble abode, The Love Shack.  I’ve always wondered, when will I get this my story.  What stories will become so important to me they become part of my own personal legends?  My origin story, if you will, shaping me into the super townie I will become.  Since moving back to Athens, almost exactly a year ago, I have had many of these experiences.  I’ve made new friends.  Rekindled old friendships.  Gone to concerts, gallery openings, festivals, and fairs.  All of this now seemed to be building up to a few Sundays back when I entered the Orange Twin Conservation Community for the first time.

I first arrived at Orange Twin not sure where the evening would go.  But equipped with my cooler, quilt, and lifelong friend and partner in crime, I was ready for the night ahead.  We walked down the gravel path admiring the beautiful farmhouse and following the sound of Elf Power and smell of barbeque along the way.  After a couple of minutes we came across a beautiful stage and amphitheatre carved into the side of a hill.  We found a spot among the sea of blankets and settled in for the evening.  I enjoyed the rest of Elf Power’s set, tapping my foot to the beat and singing along when they sang David Bowie’s “Queen Bitch.”

After their set, I walked around a bit and really got a feel for the sense of community Orange Twin is known for.  I was telling a woman of how I almost inadvertently cut the entire line for the bathroom.  She responded by asking if I made any enemies.  I told her “No, everyone was really understanding and even offered to let me go ahead.”  She nodded her head, “Yeah, it’d be pretty hard to make enemies here.”  It really would be.  Everyone was kind, friendly, and looking to lend a hand.  I didn’t encounter a single person who was rude or negative, which sadly can be a tough feat at a concert.  Between sets people set off on short hikes of the grounds and visited the nearby watering hole for a chance to cool off.  Others read books or sketched images of their view.  Children played and mother’s bounced babies on their knees.  I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again–Athens is the greatest place to grow up.

Jill Carnes makes up the awesome one woman band Thimble Circus.  She sings about everything from her cats to heavy metal (the elements, not the musical genre) while accompanying herself on ukule and a piano best fit for Schroder.  Her performance reminded me of a vision I have of one day having children.  I have a hope that we’ll write music together and play a large collection of instruments (whether we are trained to or not).  I kept thinking throughout her set, I have got to get one of those adorable pianos.  Carnes closed her set with “Happy Trails to You,” really embodying the entire evening.  Some swayed, others sang along, we might as well have been circled around the campfire.

Next up was Robert Schneider, the incredibly entertaining force behind Apples in Stereo.  This was my second time seeing him perform and he never disappoints.  Preparing to leave for tour with Neutral Milk Hotel, he was using this show as a forum for suggestions on his tour set list.  In one of the most picturesque performances I’ve had the pleasure of seeing, Schneider performed “Too Much Radiation,” his ode to Orange Twin Conservation Community.

Jeff Mangum walked onto the stage and immediately had the crowd in his hand.  Shortly after he was joined by the rest of the band, and for the first time in over a year Neutral Milk Hotel performed in Athens, Georgia.  The set was incredible.  People’s reactions to their performance were similar to that of a church congregation during a particularly moving hymn.  The audience stood up, raised their arms, and swayed side to side.  People were moved by this music.  As they played “Aeroplane Over the Sea,” I looked toward the vineyard planted beside the stage to see two children running through the candlelit vines.  I couldn’t help but think to myself, “Was this planned?” as I watched the two girls fall to the ground giggling.  The night was filled with line up and instrument changes.  By the end of the set we’d seen accordions, banjos, trumpets, trombones, and euphonium.  Even a saw! There is this beautiful sound that has come to haunt me in their music because I can never figure out what it is.  Well, I could’ve guessed all day long and I would have never guessed it was Julian Koster playing the dull side of a saw with a bow.

Allow me to go off topic for a moment–more recently I got to see YA darling, David Levithan read at Avid Bookshop.  I had been to many events at Avid before, but during Q&A periods never asked a question.  I’m not sure why this was.  Sure I’ve had questions before, but never ones I felt I needed an answer to.  While reading Will Grayson, Will Grayson in preparation for the reading, I grew curious about something.  You see, Neutral Milk Hotel is the favorite band of the young adults in this book.  As a fan, I wondered why them?  Why not choose a more popular band, one that more readers may be able to relate to?  So, when the event came I asked.  David Levithan wrote this book with John Green (Maybe you’ve heard of him?) and at the time Green could not stop listening to “Holland 1945.”  When the book was published, Neutral Milk Hotel were not touring or recording new music.  Green believed they would be the perfect fit, influential but mythical.  He really hit the nail on the head.  I discovered Neutral Milk Hotel in high school (around the same time Will Grayson, Will Grayson was published) and they really were this amazing group my friends and I adored, but had actually seen about as many times as we’d seen a unicorn out in the wild.  Well, I have seen them now and it was all the magic my high school self dreamed it would be and so so much more.

The night ended with a beautiful set from the Music Tapes.  I’ve always heard their shows were not to be missed, but this was my first time seeing them.  The set consisted of Julian Koster unwinding some enchanting tale of his childhood and then playing a song which coincided with the story.  The first was a hauntingly beautiful Russian Circus Song.  He prefaced the performance by saying his family was close friend with a Russian family who along with performing in a circus, communicated with each other using a musical code.  This song was one of the last known pieces of the code.  It sounded incredibly familiar yet I still don’t know where from.  The next was a story about his grandmother and her now antique radio.  He said there was a love song she enjoyed more than anything.  He could remember her playing it on the radio.  He went on to say that they had the radio with them today.  It hasn’t worked in years but earlier it had been bumped into and that very song started playing.  He believed he could try and make it occur again if only everyone listened very closely.  He walked over to the radio, knocked it, and the song mystically began to play, Julian joining on lead vocals.  He described the song as being about a love that doesn’t truly exist.  Except maybe when you’re a child because it’s how you unconditionally love your room or your stuffed animals.  I think that’s the love people felt at this show.  Like everyone had been brought here for a particular reason and in this moment nothing could go wrong.  This was a very special show, one that I will carry with me and share with friends and family for years to come.

Let's Move to Pasadena

Writing comes in all forms, shapes, and sizes.  The lyrics and melodies of the Modern Skirts are ones I have carried with me since high school.  I originally wrote this piece during the Summer they announced they would be breaking up.

It was the great Penny Lane who said "If you ever get lonely, just go to the record store and visit your friends."  Friendship is the perfect way to describe my relationship with the Modern Skirts.  I started listening and going to their shows in high school and they quickly became a piece of my home in Athens.  I often found myself starstruck upon seeing the band's members in local restaurants or making small talk with them in the frozen food section of Trader Joe's.  After I moved to Milledgeville for school they even came and played a couple of shows there, giving me the opportunity to introduce them to my new friends at school.  One of my favorites of these shows was an intimate acoustic set in the then open Jittery Joe's (another piece of home I was happy to find away at school).  I was saddened to hear of their time coming to an end, but happy to keep the memories I did have with the band, whether it be their last show at this year's Athfest or driving on a sunny day singing all of the words to "My Lost Soprano" with my roommate.

2011 Show in the Milledgeville Jittery Joe's

Final show at this year's Athfest

Response to TFM's "Stop Crying Rape"

I originally wrote this piece during my internship with the Georgia College Women's Center my senior year of undergrad.  I was so proud of the piece and promptly posted it to my personal Facebook page.  Throughout the day it was shared by many of my friends and classmates.  I even received a couple of supportive messages from students I had not met before!  You never know who you're writing could reach and what impact it may have.  I think back on that day and can still feel a glimmer of pride.  My writing had made a difference.

Recently Catie Warren, a correspondent for the website Total Frat Move, wrote an article titled “Stop Crying Rape.”  In this article, Warren describes college-aged girls who go out, drink excessively, and subsequently sleep with their male peers, only to claim they have been raped when they wake up the next day regretting their actions.  Warren believes that this practice creates a mockery of actual sexual assault victims.  While I agree with her that a remorseful sexual encounter is not rape, I do believe there are a few points which should be discussed regarding this article.

In Catie Warren’s article, there is an overgeneralization of exactly what rape is.  She writes as though the only victims of rape are college-aged women who have had too much to drink and fall into bed with someone.  Sexual assault is very prominent on college campuses, but it happens in many different situations as well.  Women can be victims; men can be victims.  The attacker and the victim may be of the same sex.  It can occur drunk or sober.  The attacker may be a stranger, or it may be someone you have known your entire life.  Even when it occurs on college campuses, only 5% of students who have been sexually assaulted will report the case.  So why should we try to discourage others from doing so?

There is a lack of knowledge about consent, making it more difficult to know exactly what is and is not considered rape.  Consent is an agreement between two people who voluntarily and willingly want to have sex with each other.  Consent is discussed before sexual activity has commenced and is consistently revisited regarding different sexual acts.  Consent is not implied or assumed, even if you are in a long-term relationship or have had sex with that person before.

Catie Warren’s article gives several examples of victim shaming (making a victim feel responsible or ashamed of his or her own victimization), a huge problem which attributes to today’s rape culture.  Rape culture is an environment where sexual violence is excused in reality as well as in media and pop culture.  Some examples of rape culture include blaming the victim, sexually explicit jokes, gender violence in movies and television, sexually fueled song lyrics, and refusing to take rape accusations seriously.  Some ways we can avoid rape culture are to avoid using language that is degrading to women, to speak out when someone makes an offensive joke, define your own manhood  or womanhood without letting stereotypes shape it, and communicating with sexual partners about consent.

Yes, Catie Warren was right to stress the fact that sex which you agreed to, though you may regret, is in not considered rape.  But this article is missing several key points which I felt should be emphasized.  Rape is not just something that happens to girls at parties.  It can happen to anyone in almost any situation.  Consensual sex occurs when two people have previously discussed that they want to have sex with each other.  Therein lies an issue that needs to be discussed. How do we empower young women and men to have that clarifying conversation?  Talking about and defining consent is the beginning and needs to be the norm.  As a society we have to stop tolerating “rape” as a casual term.  For example, “our football team raped in intramurals” or “I raped that calculus exam.”  It is a powerful word with an emotional connotation and should not be used so innocuously it seems like an attempt to make an action of the word.  We must band together to abolish a culture where it is okay to excuse or joke about rape.

Half Finished Love Affair

“A half read book, is a half finished love affair.”-David Mitchell

David Mitchell, I wanna love you.  Really, I do.

And usually, I would agree wholeheartedly with your statement, “a half read book, is a half finished love affair.”  Or, I would have until roughly four years ago, when I read the book that taught me otherwise.  The tome that taught me if I am not enjoying a book, I don’t have to torture myself with it until the last page.  That book, David Mitchell, was your very own Cloud Atlas.  

One afternoon during the Fall of 2012, I came home to find my roommate and our close friend excited about something they’d found on world wide web.

“You’ve got to see this,” they said.

“You’re going to love it,” they said.

And I have to admit, the trailer for “Cloud Atlas”  looked awesome.  An incredible cast jumping across time periods in beautiful costumes?  Count me in.  We decided we’d each read the book and go see the movie when it came out in a couple of months.  What we saw in the trailer was exciting and engrossing, surely that was enough time to complete it?

That night, I sat in my favorite coffee shop excited about the adventure I was about to embark on.  I found the book on Amazon, and was grateful with my (Dad’s) prime account the book would arrive on my doorstep the very next day.  I’d be able to start reading right away!  I scrolled down to the “Customers Who Also This Item Also Bought” section to find some of my past affairs, all authors who fall into what I lovingly refer to as the “pretentious white guy canon.”  Palahniuk, Danielewski, Foster Wallace--I’d read and loved ‘em all.  

But you, Mr. Mitchell, you were different.

As sure as death and taxes, the book arrived the next day.  And I did start as soon as possible!!  I have a few vivid memories of reading this book--in bed as I fell asleep each night, on the courtyard of my university’s campus, while soaking in the tub of my small college apartment.  I even took it with me on a family vacation.  I was in it to win it.   And I made my way through most of the book!

But something happened, somewhere along the way I had two realizations.  The first was, I didn’t like your book.  Not even a little.  I don’t mean it as an insult, it just wasn’t my cup of tea.  The second realization was that if I didn’t like something, there was no reason for me to continue to subject myself to it.  It was okay that I did not like the book.  I could take a deep breath, put it down, vow never to pick it up again, and this did not make me any less of a reader.

So, Mr. Mitchell, this is where I disagree with you.  I’m not a quitter for putting a book down two thirds of the way through.  I merely know what I want in a literary relationship and am not willing to settle for otherwise.

Besides, most half-finished love affairs are that way for reason.