A Writer's Notebook gives students a place to write every day...to practice living like a writer. The purpose of a notebook is that it provides students the practice of simply writing. It's a place for them to generate text, find ideas, and practice what they know about spelling and grammar. It's the act of writing -- the practice of generating text and building fluency-- that leads writers to significance.                                                                                                                                                                                                     Aimee Buckner        

A writer's notebook gives you a place to live like a writer, not just in school during writing time, but wherever you are, at any time of day.     
                                                                                                                                                      Ralph Fletcher

• In today’s reading/writing workshop, please take time to examine the book you selected.  In the space below, make notes about what the book reveals about journals. 
  ·        What characters or people keep a journal?
  ·        How are the journals used? 
  ·        What purpose do the journals serve? 
  ·        What form do the journals take?
• What is the layout of the book? What about the typeset?
• Does the author use dialogue? In what tense is the text written? How does the language seem to impact the overall book?
• What is the impact of the visual materials on the text?
• What do the journal entries allow the writers and readers to do or understand? 

Be ready to share your findings with the group.

 

Journals, Diaries, Notebooks and Logs in Children’s Literature

Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.

Benton, Jim. Dear Dumb Diary (Series).

Blos, Joan W.  A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl’s Journal 1830-32.

Byars, Betsy.  The Burning Questions of Bingo Brown.

Cleary, Beverly.  Dear Mr. Henshaw.

Cleary, Beverly.  Strider.

Creech, Sharon.  Love That Dog.

Creech, Sharon.  The Wanderer.

Cronin, Doreen.  Diary of a Worm.

Cushman, Karen.  Catherine, Called Birdy.

DeCesare, Angelo. Flip's Fantastic Journal.

Eubank, Patricia. Seaman’s Journal: On the Trail with Lewis and Clark

Fitzhugh, Louise.  Harriet the Spy.

Frank, Anne.  The Diary of a Young Girl.

French, Jackie. Diary of a Wombat.

Ward Harrison, Sabrina. Spilling Open.

Hesse, Karen. Stowaway.

Joseph, Lynn.  The Color of My Words.

Kinney, Jeff. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: A Novel in Cartoons (Series)

Klise, Kate. Trial by Journal.

Lasky, Kathryn.  Beyond the Divide.

Lowry, Lois.  Anastasia, Ask Your Analyst.

MacLachlan, Patricia.  Caleb’s Story.

McDonald, Megan.  All the Stars in the Sky: The Santa Fe Trail Diary of Florrie Mark Ryder.

Moss, Marissa.  Amelia’s Notebook. (Series)

Moss, Marissa.  Amelia’s Family Ties.

Moss, Marissa.  Amelia’s 5th-Grade Notebook.

Moss, Marissa.  Hannah’s Journal: The Story of an Immigrant Girl.

Moss, Marissa.  Max's Logbook.

Moss, Marissa.  Rachel’s Journal: The Story of a Pioneer Girl.

Moss, Marissa.  Rose’s Journal: The Story of a Girl in the Great Depression.

Myers, Walter Dean. At Her Majesty’s Request: An African Princess in Victoria England.

Park, Barbara. Top-Secret Personal Beeswax

Platt, Richard. Castle Diary: The Journal of Tobias Burgess.

Platt, Richard. Pirate Diary: The Journal of Jake Carpenter

Sawyer, Ruth.  Roller Skates.

Sis, Peter.  Tibet: Through the Red Box.

Van Allsburg, Chris.  The Wretched Stone.
 
Webb, Sophie. My Season with Penguins.

Ylvisaker, Anne.  Dear Papa

 

*My America Series

*My Name is America Series

*Dear America Series.