Writing: A Fact and Fun Book

Joan Buchanan is a writer, storyteller and instructor and author of
Taking Care of My Cold.

This informative book aimed at 8- to 13-year-olds covers everything from
the history and development of writing to publishing and bookbinding.
Story snippets, puzzles, and hands-on activities illustrate concepts in
an appealing way. For example, children will be fascinated with simple
step-by-step instructions on how to cut a quill pen from a large
feather, and how to make chalk.

Amanda Lewis’s warm, personable style also prevents the facts from
becoming dry. In the discussion of how a person’s handwriting changes
with age, she uses samples of her signature at ages 10 and 36. The
chapter on the writing process is also holistic and interesting because
it shows the actual editorial changes to a page of Writing before it was
published. The next chapter presents useful ideas on how students can
get started on writing their own stories, plays, poetry, and newspapers.

Heather Collins’s lively, detailed illustrations enhance the text.
Her double-page spread on illiteracy depicts a busy town scene full of
the written word, effectively showing how much society relies on writing
to communicate.

The book is well laid out. A few pages, especially near the beginning,
seem crowded with text, but the rest of the book has ample white space,
making it accessible and attractive. I do wish the meanings of the
Chinese characters in the Chinese brush writing section had been given
(this section is otherwise well handled).

In summary, Writing is an important and valuable resource for any
setting. Sturdily bound and printed on durable 50 percent recycled
paper, the book is strong enough to withstand much consultation.