Teaching Writing with Picture Books

Did you know that you can teach your child essential writing skills through the use of picture books? Using the themes of "Great Beginnings", "Elaboration and Detail", "Word Choice" and Sentence Fluency" there is a list of awesome picture books that exemplify these themes. Check out the list of books you will need:

"Great Beginnings"- Teach your homeschoolers about writing a great beginning to a story. The following books are wonderful to read and appreciate:

Going Home by Eve Bunting

Grandpa's Teeth by Rod Clements

Eleanor by Barbara Cooney

Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman

Aunt Flossie's Hats by Elizabeth Howard

The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash by Trinka Noble

"Elaboration and Detail"- The list of books below are perfect to teach your children about elaborating on a specific topic and using great detail:

The Paper Crane by Molly Bang

Very First, Last Time by Jan Andrews

The Armadillo from Amarillo by Lynn Cherry

Arturo's Baton by Syd Hoff

If you Were a Writer by Joan Nixon

"Word Choice"- Young author's often have trouble coming up with the right words to convey their ideas. Here are books that offer fantastic word choices to inspire your students:

Up North at the Cabin by Marsha Chall

Double Trouble in Walla Walla by Andrew Clements

Goblins in Green by Nicholas Heller

The Unbeatable Bread by Lynn L. Hoopes

Duke Ellington by Andrew Pinckney

"Sentence Fluency"- Learning about sentence fluency can be challenging for many children. it can be difficult to string together ideas in a style that flows and does not sound choppy. Here are some books to help teach your homeschoolers how to write and convey ideas in a fluid manner.

Song and Dance Man by Karen Ackerman

William the Curious by Charles Santore

Piggins by Jane Yolen

Georgia Music by Helen Griffith

Bad Day at the Riverbend by Chris Van Allsburg

Take time each day to read and discuss each book, and have your homeschoolers practice writing something similar to the story read. Read your work aloud to fellow homeschoolers, family and friends. Give your children an opportunity to read the books independently too. Here are the books for use in teaching writing with picture books: