Sharpen Your Essay Writing Skills

November 1, 2011

Gr-6-9-These books are redesigned and modernized versions of the "You Can Write" series (Enslow). An encouraging narration, simple sentence structure, and organizational headings help students make writing for various purposes approachable. However, the target audience is problematic. The cover photos feature teens, and Business Letter discusses writing about after-school or summer jobs, but the cartoon pencil that appears throughout, repeating information, asking questions, and attempting to make jokes, is likely to turn off the older students who might find the books helpful. There is some useful information in the other titles for younger students.-Kari Allen, National Writing Project, Plymouth State University, NH

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2012
These volumes present clear advice for developing writing skills in the title areas. The hints are practical and good-humored, and there are a range of examples, which will make this useful to middle school and high school writers. The page design is accessible if dull; the cartoony writing-implement characters are dorky. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

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