The colorful boyhood of a popular author comes to life in this personal account

Imagine learning from a nosy classmate that your mother is having yet another baby. To Ralph's classmates, news of one more Fletcher baby is just "scuttlebutt." But for Ralph, the oldest of nine, being part of a large family means more kids to join in the fun--from making tripods in the woods and "snicking" up the rug to raising chicks and even discovering a meteor (well, maybe). It doesn't feel like there's life beyond Marshfield, Massachusetts. Then one day Dad's new job moves the family to Chicago, and there's so much Ralph has to leave behind. In this humorous and captivating memoir, Ralph Fletcher traces the roots of his storytelling.

Do you have students whose nonfiction writing is formulaic, devoid of energy and voice? In Making Nonfiction from Scratch bestselling PD and children's book author Ralph Fletcher offers a candid critique of how nonfiction writing is often taught in schools and gives teachers the inspiration and strategies they need to help their students write authentic nonfiction. Skilled nonfiction writers draw on strategies, techniques, and craft found in other genres: poetry, comedy, even mystery. Without those elements, nonfiction would be dry and dull. Making Nonfiction from Scratch helps bring all of those aspects together and shows how each genre can enrich nonfiction writing. Ralph emphasizes the power of choice, mentor texts, and nonfiction read-alouds in making nonfiction an everyday part of classrooms. "Classroom Connection" sections throughout the book suggest immediate, practical strategies for putting the ideas in the book to use. Two case studies and a chapter on the dos and don'ts of nonfiction writing instruction round out this short, practical book. Any informational writing should be insightful, accurate, and well organized - but it doesn't have to be boring. Ralph invites you to make your classroom a place where students can create delicious nonfiction full of passion, voice, and insight.

Writing test scores indicate that boys have fallen far behind girls across the grades. In general, boys don't enjoy writing as much as girls. What's wrong? How can we do a better of job of creating "boy-friendly" classrooms so their voices can be heard?

"In Boy Writers: Reclaiming Their Voices" Ralph Fletcher draws upon his years of experience as staff developer, children's book author, and father of four boys. He also taps the insights from dozens of writing teachers around the US and abroad. "Boy Writers" asks teachers to imagine the writing classroom from a boy's perspective, and consider specific steps we might take to create stimulating classrooms for boys.

Topic choice emerges as a crucial issue. The subjects many boys like to write about (war, weapons, outlandish fiction, zany or bathroom humor) often do not get a warm reception from teachers. Ralph argues that we must "widen the circle" and give boys more choice if we want to engage them as writers. How? We must begin by recognizing boys and the world in which they live. "Boy Writers" explores important questions such as: What subjects are boy writers passionate about, and what motivates them as writers?Why do boys like to incorporate violence into their stories, and how much should be allowed? Why do we so often misread and misunderstand the humor boys include in their stories?

In addition, the book looks at: how handwriting can hamstring boy writers, and how drawing may help; welcoming boy-friendly writing genres in our classrooms; ways to improve our conferring with boys; and more.

Each chapter begins with a thorough discussion of a topic and ends with a highly practical section titled: "What can I do in my classroom?" "Boy Writers" does not advocate promoting the interests of boys at the expense of girls. Rather, it argues that developing sensitivity to the unique facets of boy writers will help teachers better address the needs of all their students.

Friday, April 28, 9: 00 a.m.
Opportunity is knocking at the door of Mr. "Fab" Fabiano's sixth-grade class. Mr. Fab is absent and a substitute never arrives. The class wants to prove that KIDS RULE, so they decide to run the class on their own. Super smart Karen leads the way in the class routines and most of the kids join in. But for Rachel White, this isn't just any other day. Rachel's been silent for six months and communicates by writing notes. Rachel knows today is exactly six months since their classmate Tommy Feathers died. In her own way, Rachel reminds the class about this--and for the first time, Mr. Fab's students reveal their true and sometimes hurtful thoughts. Where is Mr. Fab's class headed now? The school day isn't over yet. Will they keep flying solo or crash?

Kaavan grew up in captivity in a Pakistani zoo. For years, he lived in poor conditions with only one friend, an elephant named Saheli. After Saheli died, Kaavan was overcome by grief and his health worsened. When animal rights activists around the world were alerted to Kaavan's deteriorating condition, Dr. Amir Khalil visited the elephant to see what could be done. Thanks to the virality of Kaavan's story-and with the publicity and fundraising efforts of pop culture icon Cher-Dr. Khalil was able to orchestrate moving Kaavan to the Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary, where he now lives with other elephants. Because of the care and help of so many, Kaavan is no longer the world's loneliest elephant. And that is the best news of all.

"A visual and linguistic pleasure." --Publishers Weekly While tired farmers and their families are in bed, the harvest moon silently climbs into the sky and starts working its magic. For some, it is the nightly signal to rise and shine. It is time to hunt, to work, or to play in the shadows. For a little girl and her cat, it is an invitation to enjoy the wonders of the night and a last flood of light before the short days of winter set in. With an evocative text and radiant illustrations, this companion to Twilight Comes Twice offers a glimpse of nature's nightlife long after bedtime.

A Handbook for first time caregivers for people with Alzheimer's disease, Dementia, and other Memory Loss Disorders.

Stories Of Certain Settlements, Roads, Taverns, And Experiences Encountered When Traveling In The Early Days.

It's no secret that many guys dread writing assignments. But writing doesn't have to be "boring nerd-work." Writing is about power; it's about fun; it's about spoofs, humor, sports, blood, farts, superheroes, giant monsters tearing down the city, and serious subjects, too. Ralph Fletcher, a guy writer himself and the author of forty-one books, discusses every tip needed to find the sweet spot in writing: the place where everything except the words stands still. With advice from favorite authors like Jon Scieszka, Jarrett Krosoczka, and Robert Lipsyte, this hands-on book will make a writer out of any guy.