Writing with Rosie: You Can Write a Story Too

by Patricia Reilly Giff

Overview

In a humorous and entertaining guide, two-time Newbery Honor-winning author Patricia Reilly Giff breaks down the process of writing fiction into steps, all while trying to cope with constant distractions from her exuberant seventy-pound golden retriever puppy, Rosie. Citing examples from her award-winning novels she explains how to proceed with each step in chapter sections titled "Can You See What I Did?" Young writers can find the inspiration and tips they need to try their hand in sections called "Your Turn." Anecdotes from her writing life and hilarious adventures with her high-energy pet provide entertainment and encouragement.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780823438822
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	07/17/2018
Pages:	80
Sales rank:	611,291
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Patricia Reilly Giff (1935 - 2021) was the author of more than one hundred children's books, including the Newbery Honor Award titles Lily's Crossing and Pictures of Hollis Woods.  She spent twenty years teaching in the New York City public schools, and her Polk Street School series remains a popular chapter book mainstay. Some of her other middle grade novels include Genevieve's War, winner of the Christopher Award; Nory Ryan's Song, an ALA Notable Book; and A Slip of a Girl, which received two starred reviews.

Editorial Reviews

"A step-by-step guide for young aspiring writers of fiction, featuring Giff's golden retriever, Rosie. In this loving and personal guide, Giff walks students through her own writing process, beginning with character ideas and moving on to cover plot, setting, dialogue, and more. Chapters like "Can You See How I Did It?" and "Your Turn" accompany lessons and challenge readers to give it their own go. For instance, readers are encouraged to think of a problem for their character and contemplate how it might be resolved ("If the problem were yours, would it worry you? Would you have to do something about it?"). While doling out the writing tips, Giff also reflects on Rosie, using the dog's antics to give the read a lighter touch." —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

09/05/2016
Giff warmly documents the steps of her writing process, joined by her rambunctious dog, Rosie. Using excerpts from her own books, including Lily’s Crossing and Pictures of Hollis Woods, to help bolster the ideas being introduced, Giff explains how stories begin by coming up with “a person or two” to focus on, finding a setting for that person, and giving him or her a problem to solve. In later chapters, Giff walks readers through creating action and dialogue, as well as juggling the components of story. When writer’s block sets in, she offers clear and constructive advice: “Tell yourself it’s usually one or two things that make the story stop: a person who doesn’t seem real, or a problem that doesn’t make your person worry enough.” It’s an encouraging and frank look at the basics of storytelling, described with compassion and insight. Ages 8–12. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

09/01/2016
Gr 3–5—A step-by-step guide for young aspiring writers of fiction, featuring Giff's golden retriever, Rosie. In this loving and personal guide, Giff walks students through her own writing process, beginning with character ideas and moving on to cover plot, setting, dialogue, and more. Chapters like "Can You See How I Did It?" and "Your Turn" accompany lessons and challenge readers to give it their own go. For instance, readers are encouraged to think of a problem for their character and contemplate how it might be resolved ("If the problem were yours, would it worry you? Would you have to do something about it?"). While doling out the writing tips, Giff also reflects on Rosie, using the dog's antics to give the read a lighter touch. ("A reader wants action…the action I'm involved in right now is searching for Rosie. That dog is trouble!") VERDICT Likely to be popular with Giff fans, a supplemental purchase for classroom libraries.—Megan Kilgallen, Packer Collegiate Institute, Brooklyn

School Library Journal

★ 2016-06-22
A writer and her dog team up to offer tips on how to write stories. Giff's 70-pound dog, Rosie, is good at flapping her ears, wagging her tail, and shredding the daily newspaper—and, it turns out, she can be a good model for lessons on writing techniques, too. In 80 pages divided into 34 brief chapters, the volume offers a full course on the elements of fiction for young writers. With Rosie's help and brief, illustrative excerpts from her own novels—Lily's Crossing (1997), Eleven (2008), Pictures of Hollis Woods (2002), and others—Giff demonstrates how to create characters, establish a setting, give a character a problem to solve, and write dialogue. Many recent well-intentioned guides to teaching writing are big and intimidating, and brevity proves a boon here, making this short, engaging manual that speaks directly to readers the best recent writing guide for young readers and writers. The cover featuring Rosie and her presence as a canine writing prompt skews this guide to a younger audience, but it would be handy in middle school classrooms as well. The final chapter, "Read," is an ode to the delights and values of reading. The last line: "I begin to read." A simple and lively guide for young writers everywhere. (bibliography) (Nonfiction. 8-13)

Kirkus Reviews