Book Review: The No-Nonsense Guide to Teaching Writing
Reviewed by Sadie Elliott

Authors Judy Davis and Sharon Hill have got it right in this book. Their book on teaching writing includes a myriad of helpful mini-lesson plans, student samples, and managing a writing program in the classroom. Teachers of any grade level could benefit from reading this well-rounded and informative guide.

One of the most helpful features within this book is the year long curriculum map found towards the beginning of the book. Their year at a glance shows how the curriculum and writing process moves along through different phases as students begin to become ready to publish their pieces of work. It is helpful to look at such a well laid out overview that displays the forms of writing within the writing process in a yearly context.

Other helpful features in this book include examples of their own weekly planning processes and mini-lessons for different parts of the writing cycle. Blackline masters in the back of the book include writing cycle and day-to-day planning sheets. Davis and Hill do an excellent job of highlighting ways to develop effective goals in a writing program. Organization and structure within the writerís workshop are part of their master plan, which is evident throughout the book.

Through reading this book, I learned how to better gather tools, organize student work, and design targeted mini-lessons in my own writing program. However, the book also offered two wonderful chapters on using picture books, poetry, and feature articles to help students investigate different writing strategies. The encompassing and yet highly informative nature of this book makes it a must read for any writing teacher.