In the inspirational sequel to Andrew Larsen's A Squiggly Story, a boy meets a blank page in this fun exploration of the writing process, celebrating self-expression, self-discovery and letting your imagination roam.
The young boy listens as Mr. Lopez tells his class about next week's assignment: write a story about yourself. "You can write about ANYTHING," he says, "as long as you write about YOU." Marcus is going to write about his hat collection. Alia is going to write about the vampires she talks about all the time.
But all the boy can come up with is a title: "The Story of Me by Me." He can't figure out what it should be about. His sister suggests starting with lists - Things I Like, Things I Know. Only, the things all seem disconnected. Is there some way to connect them, and make them into a story?
The kindergartener who learned to use squiggles to write a story in award-winning Andrew Larsen's A Squiggly Story is now in second grade and learning to write an autobiography. Told in the same authentic child's voice, this playful book encourages readers to just start, even if they don't know how their story will go. It offers an accessible early language arts lesson on the writing process, exploring important basics (brainstorming, first draft, revising) and key terms (autobiography, editing, title, cover).
Mike Lowery's bold illustrations incorporate story panels and dialogue bubbles, keeping the energy high and giving a fresh and modern feel to the pages. A strong tie-in with early literacy curricula, this book also works well for supplementary or at-home learning. It's a perfect choice to inspire the storyteller in every child!
About the Author
Andrew Larsen is the acclaimed author of such books as Goodnight, Hockey Fans, A Squiggly Story, The Not-So-Faraway Adventure, In the Tree House and The Imaginary Garden. He lives in Toronto, Ontario.
About the Illustrator
Mike Lowery has written and illustrated numerous children's books, including Random Illustrated Facts (author/illustrator) the Doodle Adventures series (author/illustrator), the Ken Jennings' Junior Genius Guide series, What Can a Crane Pick Up? by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, and Simple Machines by D.J. Ward. A professor illustration at the Savannah College of Art and Design, he lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
Industry Reviews
With engaging illustrations driving the action, this is a visually entertaining book along with the positive message that children always need to hear.--School Library Journal
This quality picture book presents a positive and encouraging story that combines supportive relationships with one individual's process of creation.--Children's Literature
Older readers ... especially those with an artistic bent - will find a lot to chew on.--Quill & Quire
A positive tale of how a story can emerge organically from an inkling of an idea to an imaginative literary excursion ...--Kirkus Reviews - starred review (Praise for A Squiggly Story)
A Squiggly Story is a charming little book that may help first-time storytellers keep trying to write stories, even if they lack the ability to draw proper letterforms, let alone put a complete sentence together.--New York Times (Praise for A Squiggly Story)
This playful multilayered story about sparking the mind is loaded with opportunities for readers to consider different kinds of storytelling.--Booklist (Praise for A Squiggly Story)
