Use Nonfiction Picture Books for Lively, High-Impact Lessons That Inspire Student Reading, Writing, and Response Want to make an unbelievable story utterly irresistible to young readers? Make sure the story’s true. Nonfiction, like poetry, can have a bad reputation for being boring, but in the hands of able picture book authors, it’s anything but. In  Text Structures From Nonfiction Picture Books , elementary and middle grade teachers can channel the curiosity piqued from amazing true tales to help students further their reading comprehension and writing skills. With the bite-sized format of nonfiction picture books as a starting point, this practical book shares over 40 low-prep, quick-access lessons to get students reading, writing, and responding to nonfiction texts with ease. The book provides a wealth of instruction, including: Step-by-step lessons with multiple ways to use each picture book to prompt students’ writing and analysis of the text - An extensive list of nonfiction picture book titles organized by "books about people," "books about places," "books about things," and "books about animals" - Topics, text structures, and writer’s craft moves provided for each book - Lessons that introduce kernel essays, truisms, and reading response - Embedded terms, examples, and assignments to teach the vocabulary of writer’s craft including refrain, polysyndeton, antithesis, and more! Based on master writing teacher Gretchen Bernabei’s instructional model, the lessons offer a lively, high-impact mix of reading aloud, discussion, modeling, student writing, and peer share. Plus, readers have access to a complete companion website full of text structure reproducibles, reading response prompts, additional lessons and extensions, student samples, and links to demo videos. In Text Structures from Nonfiction Picture Books , Kayla Briseño and Gretchen Bernabei unlock one of the secrets to teaching students to write well: make text structures visible, and invite students to try them. This practical book is jampacked with lively, high-engagement lessons that use beautiful and powerful picture books as a launchpad for excellent, well-crafted writing. -- Carl Anderson Text Structures from Nonfiction Picture Books is an enlightening professional text that awakens wonder and curiosity for teachers and students. This easy-to-navigate (and implement!) resource invites classrooms to playfully explore high-quality texts while simultaneously scaffolding high-impact experiences where students deeply analyze texts. Kayla Briseño and Gretchen Bernabei share countless ideas for delving into the content of reading and writing, while weaving in just-as-essential "heart work" and human connection. I look forward to recommending this resource to all the wonderful teachers in my life! -- Pam Koutrakos Finally!! Teachers finally have more tools at their fingertips to tackle nonfiction. Text Structures from Nonfiction Picture Books is a must-have resource for teachers. The book’s approach seamlessly integrates reading and writing instruction into a cohesive framework and should be a staple in teachers’ lessons. -- Lesley Sallee Bernabei and Briseño eschew the sage-on-the-page approach and invite educators of all grade levels to choose our own adventure in this compendium of non-fiction picture books and strategies. They provide structure and then encourage us to change their lessons to meet classroom needs. By empowering educators to take ownership of lessons, Bernabei and Briseño remind us to empower students to take ownership of their writing. -- Kathrine Sullivan A good professional book should feel fresh and inspiring ―this one is both! I learned about an array of nonfiction picture books, snappy approaches to jump starting essays, and clear, organized lessons to help students grow. Right from the first page the book gave me a good check-in with the principles of excellent literacy instruction at any level. -- Brett Vogelsinger Not only does this book introduce its readers to powerful nonfiction picture books, it offers practical and engaging strategies to help our students better understand the abundant craft opportunities available in the world of nonfiction. This book invites us all to engage more deeply and intentionally with nonfiction picture books so that we can better understand our world and add our own stories to the rich tapestry of experience that nonfiction helps us weave. -- Erin Vogler Teach nonfiction like never before! Kayla Briseño and Gretchen Bernabei have packed Text Structures from Nonfiction Picture Books with innovative techniques that transform picture books into springboards for quick writes, kernel essays, and theme exploration―all while uncovering the craft and structure of informational texts. With this resource in hand, your students will be inspired to write alongside talented creators while deepening their understanding and sparking curiosity about the world around them. -