https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts This Padlet contains texts that exhibit the traits of writing: ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, conventions, and presentation. en-us 2022-05-26 17:23:00 UTC 2026-01-11 21:16:20 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/270d.png mandyhigley https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207762994 In this book, the author depicts alphabet letters that he finds in everyday objects around the city such as Ys being formed by lampposts along a highway. This can lead to a discussion about presentation in student's stories and students can follow the author's lead, recognizing their own alphabet cities as they look around the classroom and the school. ]]> 2022-06-01 16:37:06 UTC https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207762994 mandyhigley https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207764375 Charlie the dog is looking for a new owner. He makes a list of requirements and discovers there is only one little boy that meets them all. This book features childlike illustrations and notes and letters in different handwriting-like fonts, which makes it a natural for young students to emulate in their own writing. ]]> 2022-06-01 16:38:26 UTC https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207764375 mandyhigley https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207765697 This book follows a little boy as he follows his dog around town as he learns about the adventures the dog takes while the humans are asleep. The story contains illustrated words, engaging students in the story while also modeling a technique that students may want to use in their own writing. ]]> 2022-06-01 16:39:34 UTC https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207765697 mandyhigley https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207772953 In this story Mr. Wright gives the punctuation marks a day off from school because the students are not using them correctly. At first students are excited, but they quickly realize they can't write clearly without punctuation and chaos begins to erupt. This book emphasizes the importance of punctuation in reading and writing while helping students understand how different types of punctuation work. This was one of my favorite read alouds when I was in school and it was so funny to see how missing punctuation can create so much chaos!]]> 2022-06-01 16:45:25 UTC https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207772953 mandyhigley https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207776220 In this book Officer Fribble enforces the rules of grammar. She completes rounds, proofreading to stop sloppy sentences around her town. This story focuses on proofreading and can help students understand essential rules of grammar. ]]> 2022-06-01 16:48:14 UTC https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207776220 mandyhigley https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207776740 This funny story takes place in the land of And. The sentences run on and on and on until Comma comes to the town and helps them clear up their communication. This book focuses on comma usage and can help students grasp the grammar rules. ]]> 2022-06-01 16:48:41 UTC https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207776740 mandyhigley https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207792782 In this book, Agent A, a super spy on assignment, must find out which of the other agents, B to Z, is the fake. Each spy's identity and mission are revealed as the reader tries to guess the imposter. The book uses rhyming couplets to go through the exciting plot until he the answer is revealed. ]]> 2022-06-01 17:03:15 UTC https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207792782 mandyhigley https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207797031 In this book a spider spins her web and a young boy stops to watch. The book is filled with lyrical sentences and lends itself well to reader's theater as the text lends itself to sounds and actions. ]]> 2022-06-01 17:06:48 UTC https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207797031 mandyhigley https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207807077 This story takes when fireflies appear as a young boy is catching them. He then realizes that he must set them free. The author uses dialogue, long descriptions, and one-word exclamations to have sentence variety. Additionally, the book includes a variety of voices making it an engaging book to read. ]]> 2022-06-01 17:15:17 UTC https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207807077 mandyhigley https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207824616 Readers can relive a day at the beach with this book The author uses words with skill and imagination to transport readers. The author draws on all five sense to describe the ocean, recreating memories of being at the beach. Students can use this book as a model for including imagery and sensory descriptions in their writing.]]> 2022-06-01 17:30:42 UTC https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207824616 mandyhigley https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207830174 In this book the author celebrates the sun, using simple, colorful language to describe how energy from the Sun is transformed into electricity. Through her word choice she takes this subject and draws readers in. Her use of imagery makes electricity, a more advanced subject, interesting and accessible to all students.]]> 2022-06-01 17:35:26 UTC https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207830174 mandyhigley https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207839151 This book uses a variety of adjectives to describe unconventional sheep including rhymes and illustrations that can engage young readers. The use of vocabulary can inspire early writers to use their imaginations when coming up with their own adjectives. Simple words and short sentences make this a natural read-aloud book for even the youngest students.]]> 2022-06-01 17:43:10 UTC https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207839151 mandyhigley https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207845436 This book emphasizes that courage comes in many forms. The author includes everyday acts of courage and bigger acts of courage as well. In doing so the author brings in many voices that students can then include in their own writing as well.]]> 2022-06-01 17:48:33 UTC https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207845436 mandyhigley https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207849682 This is one of my favorite picture books. In the story, the main character, Vashti, thinks she can't draw. But when she turns in a blank paper, her teacher supports her creativity, saying she sees a polar bear in a snowstorm. Vashti sticks a mark on the paper and her teacher asks her to sign it. Vashti's confidence builds, and she adds colors and shapes to her pictures, and experiments with design. Readers follow Vashti on a journey of self discovery and the book helps young students make their first steps toward including voice in their writing. ]]> 2022-06-01 17:52:03 UTC https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207849682 mandyhigley https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207853642 This book features foods with attitudes. Readers can see a orange that is grumpy or a red pepper that is angry. The characters have feelings, passions, and fears that creates an expressive story. When reading, the audience can really see how the fruit might be feeling, providing guidance in ways to include voice in their own stories.]]> 2022-06-01 17:55:37 UTC https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207853642 mandyhigley https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207859155 In this book Sophia tries a bunch of techniques to get a giraffe for her birthday. She gives presentations, proposals, and pie charts to try and convince her family. This fun story has a clear structure with a strong story line that students can incorporate into their own writing. ]]> 2022-06-01 18:00:44 UTC https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207859155 mandyhigley https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207859530 This book follows a family of mice as they prepare for winter. The mice all are gathering food except for Frederick who is instead collecting colors and words. As the mice go through winter, Frederick's stories warm the hearts of the mice. This can demonstrate to students the power of literacy and writing in all aspects of life. ]]> 2022-06-01 18:01:04 UTC https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207859530 mandyhigley https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207865838 This book pulls readers in as they encounter a wide variety of entertaining characters. The author uses rhyming texts that teach readers that a book is dynamic with pages that swing open, smell good, take you to new and wonderful places, before finally coming to an end. This is a great book to show organization while also helping students understand how they open doors to worlds. ]]> 2022-06-01 18:06:36 UTC https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207865838 mandyhigley https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207870240 While the rest of the world is still asleep, the paperboy and his dog go out to work. Together they bike along his route and at the end, he crawls back into the warmth of his bed, just as the rest of the world is waking up. This book follows a simple chronological order that students will easily grasp, making it a great example of good organization. ]]> 2022-06-01 18:10:38 UTC https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207870240 mandyhigley https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207878471 In this wordless picture book, a circus is coming to town. While a girl waits for the circus to arrive, performers can be seen in the world all around her. As they are reading students can look for details from daily life that match the announcements such as seeing a construction worker walking across a steel beam as a "Tightrope Walker" or "Goliath the Strongman" as a delivery man. This can also be applied in their writing as they can incorporate everyday life with fantastical elements. ]]> 2022-06-01 18:17:20 UTC https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207878471 mandyhigley https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207883296 This is a book about Sophie, who just like the rest of us, gets really really angry. In the book the author emphasizes that people behave and think in their own way when they're angry, and sees the value of overcoming anger to move to a more positive place. Writers can pull from events that conjure up feelings of anger and other emotions to use as ideas and topics in their work. ]]> 2022-06-01 18:20:53 UTC https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2207883296 mandyhigley https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2210680083 This is the first installment of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. This is a light-hearted fantasy about a young boy who learns his father is Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. Percy and his friends must set out on a quest to find the entrance to the Underworld to save his family and stop a war between the Greek Gods. The characters have unique voices evident through the text that all readers can connect to in some way. ]]> 2022-06-04 02:19:37 UTC https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2210680083 mandyhigley https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2210680280 A historical fiction novel set during the Holocaust that emphasizes the value and power of books. When reading this on my own I was emotionally connected to the story and characters. I felt like I was a part of the story and once I finished reading it I immediately wanted to read it again. The author uses precise word choice and varied sentences throughout the book, making it a captivating story. ]]> 2022-06-04 02:20:10 UTC https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2210680280 mandyhigley https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2210680471 This engaging picture book earned Mo Willems a Caldecott Honor for his illustrations throughout the story. Readers will get a kick out of the varied techniques of persuasion used by the Pigeon as he tries to convince readers to let him drive the bus. The book has a unique organization and voice as the pigeon attempts to persuade readers to let him drive the bus. ]]> 2022-06-04 02:20:40 UTC https://padlet.com/mandyhigley/mentortexts/wish/2210680471