Book Review: 36 Workshops to Get Kids Writing: From Aliens to Zebras

Many children’s librarians know that the five practices of Every Child Ready to Read, one of which is writing, help foster reading and improve literacy skills. The practice of writing also aligns with Common Core Standards at most grade levels. But often, libraries don’t include writing—or at least structured writing—in their program offerings. The author of this book, a youth services librarian, introduces compelling ideas and research evidence for why writing is so important. This introduction leads into the “hows” of presenting writing to children at the library.