Just So Stories

Wild Dog Books

Distributed by Simon & Schuster

April 2024

ISBN13: 9781742036670

RRP: AU$ 24.99 / NZ$ 28.99

If your teaching experiences have been like mine -whether primary or secondary kiddos or both as mine have been – there are always those who really struggle with creative writing. Truth be told, I also do – despite having a creative mind and ideas, I’m much more accomplished with non-fiction. So this book could be just the ticket for your students (or yourself!) to develop some strategies for planning, drafting and publishing their narratives.

Though slim, this is packed with practical advice and tips, and, essentially breaks down the necessary elements for a creative text. Sue and Jodi are both authors as well as teachers, and run successful writing workshops with students so you know that this resource is one that contains tried-and-tested tips. Each section deals with one of the essential elements that make up the whole and the text is both accessible and engaging.

Writing prompts and exercises mean that it is by and large interactive, which further adds to the practicality. There is a useful glossary at the back which will remind students of all those terms we carefully encourage and add to anchor charts (and which so many of them promptly forget! – or is that just my kiddos?).

I would regard this as an essential primer for students and should you have the necessary funds would look at investing in at least one class set to be used as needed, or put one on your booklists. Certainly it would be ideal as a resource should you run a writing group, as I know many of us do. If neither is possible, perhaps your library could buy some multiples to at least have them readily available.

I would highly recommend this to you and I think I might just set myself some tasks of working through the exercises and see where that leads me. Now, I’d better go find my favourite writing pen (though really, I ‘think’ better in lead pencil – anyone else?) I’m giving it a 5 ✏️✏️✏️✏️✏️ rating.