My Crazy Dog: My Narrative Essay, Pattison Darcy

• How to use sense-bound imagery to enhance a song's emotional impact on listeners
• Techniques for avoiding cliches and creating imaginative metaphors and similes
• Ways to use repetition as an asset
• How to successfully manipulate meter
• Instruction for matching lyrics with music
• Ways to build on ideas and generate effective titles
• Advice for working with a co-writer
• And much more

Featuring updated and expanded chapters, 50 fun songwriting exercises, and examples from more than 20 chart-toppings songs, Writing Better Lyrics gives you all of the professional and creative insight you need to write powerful lyrics and put your songs in the spotlight where they belong.

When cousins Mellie and Dennis decide to get a cat, they consider carefully what breed would be best for each family. For example, Mellie wants a cat that pounces, but Dennis wants a lazy cat, like his lazy dog, Clark Kent. Mellie wants a lap cat, but Dennis just wants a warm body BESIDE him. They consider different cat personalities, family situations, and personal preferences.

Mellie writes an opinion essay for her teacher, Mr. Eagle. But will her essay convince her parents to get the cat of her dreams?

This children's picture book takes a popular subject-kids getting a pet-and adds cats of all sizes and shapes: all writing lessons should be this much fun. In the end, it's the cousins and the cats that keep a reader turning the page. What kind of cat will Mellie choose? Will Dennis want the same kind of cat?

This story hits many notes:

• A family story about cousins, Dennis and Mellie
• Information on dog breeds
• Responsible cat ownership
• Mentor-text for teaching writing
• Model opinion essay for elementary students
• Models the writing process, especially the importance of pre-writing or planning before you write
• Completes the writing process by showing the results of Dennis's essay

I WANT A CAT almost makes opinion essays look too easy. But it works on many other levels, as well. Younger kids will be excited to learn the differences between dogs and will laugh at the antics of the dogs. Elementary kids will rejoice in a story of cousins (and will write the best essays ever ). A universal dream - a great pet - becomes an engaging writing lesson.

See other books in THE READ AND WRITE series:

• I Want a Cat: My Opinion Essay
• My Crazy Dog: My Narrative Essay
• My Dirty Dog: My Informative Essay (forthcoming)

WATCH DARCY PATTISON EXPLAIN HOW TO TEACH OPINION ESSAYS

In a short, informative video, Darcy Pattison explains how to teach opinion essays with this book: mimshouse.com/writing-opinion-essays/

When cousins Dennis and Mellie decide to get a dog, they consider carefully what breed would be best for each family. For example, Dennis wants a big dog, but Mellie wants tiny. He has no other pets, but she has other pets that a dog must get along with. They consider different dog personalities, family situations, and personal preferences. Dennis writes an opinion essay for his teacher, Mrs. Shirky. But will his essay convince his parents to get the dog of his dreams?

This story takes a popular subject--kids getting a pet--and adds dogs of all sizes and shapes: all writing lessons should be this much fun. In the end, it's cousins and the dogs that keep a reader turning the page. What kind of dog will Dennis choose? Will Mellie want the same kind of dog?

This story hits many notes:

• A family story about cousins, Dennis and Mellie
• Information on dog breeds
• Responsible dog ownership
• Mentor-text for teaching writing
• Model opinion essay for elementary students
• Models the writing process, especially the importance of pre-writing or planning before you write
• Completes the writing process by showing the results of Dennis's essay

I WANT A DOG almost makes opinion essays look too easy. But it works on many other levels, as well. Younger kids will be excited to learn the differences between dogs and will laugh at the antics of the dogs. Elementary kids will rejoice in a story of cousins (and will write the best essays ever ). A universal dream - a great pet - becomes an engaging writing lesson.

See other books in THE READ AND WRITE series:

• I Want a Cat: My Opinion Essay
• My Crazy Dog: My Narrative Essay
• My Dirty Dog: My Informative Essay (forthcoming)

WATCH DARCY PATTISON EXPLAIN HOW TO WRITE OPINION ESSAYS

This 20-minute video explains how to teach opinion essay writing using this book: mimshouse.com/writing-opinion-essays/

Kell makes a startling discovery: he has zigzag fingerprints. Worse, Mrs. Lynx and the Society of Alien Chasers know about the fingerprints, and they are on the hunt. Everyone turns detective in this continuing adventure of an alien family from planet Bix, who struggles to make ends meet by putting on birthday parties for kids. But the stakes are higher than ever because Kell's mom has just laid a beautiful green egg. With Mrs. Lynx on the prowl, can Kell and Bree keep the egg safe?

Do Historians Act as Detectives?

For History Day, Kell and friends must figure out which teacher created a special graffiti poster. And graffiti just got a lot more fun when a white concrete fence gets a new coat of paint.

A new spin on books for readers in grades two, three, four, and five

• Easy Chapter Book series
• Chapter Book Series for boys
• Chapter Book Series for Girls
• Chapter Book Series for ages 7-10

Humor for Kids - "A Funny Book"

The alien family, the Smiths, understand little of Earth's culture, which results in funny situations. Crazy songs and graffiti make this an exciting read.

Discover what other readers already know "Amusing, accessible, engaging" - Publisher's Weekly review of Aliens, Inc. Chapter Book series, Book 1: Kell the Alien
Read more of the ALIENS INC. CHAPTER BOOK SERIES

• BOOK 1: Kell, the Alien
• BOOK 2: Kell and the Horse Apple Parade
• BOOK 3: Kell and the Giants
• BOOK 4: Kell and the Detectives

Art Teachers: Every volume stars with a scene in the art classroom, creating something fun.
Family story: When the Smith family is shipwrecked on Earth, they must learn to depend on each other.

When cousins Mellie and Dennis decide to get a cat, they consider carefully what breed would be best for each family. For example, Mellie wants a cat that pounces, but Dennis wants a lazy cat, like his lazy dog, Clark Kent. Mellie wants a lap cat, but Dennis just wants a warm body BESIDE him. They consider different cat personalities, family situations, and personal preferences.

Mellie writes an opinion essay for her teacher, Mr. Eagle. But will her essay convince her parents to get the cat of her dreams?

This children's picture book takes a popular subject-kids getting a pet-and adds cats of all sizes and shapes: all writing lessons should be this much fun. In the end, it's the cousins and the cats that keep a reader turning the page. What kind of cat will Mellie choose? Will Dennis want the same kind of cat?

This story hits many notes:

• A family story about cousins, Dennis and Mellie
• Information on dog breeds
• Responsible cat ownership
• Mentor-text for teaching writing
• Model opinion essay for elementary students
• Models the writing process, especially the importance of pre-writing or planning before you write
• Completes the writing process by showing the results of Dennis's essay

I WANT A CAT almost makes opinion essays look too easy. But it works on many other levels, as well. Younger kids will be excited to learn the differences between dogs and will laugh at the antics of the dogs. Elementary kids will rejoice in a story of cousins (and will write the best essays ever ). A universal dream - a great pet - becomes an engaging writing lesson.

See other books in THE READ AND WRITE series:

• I Want a Cat: My Opinion Essay
• My Crazy Dog: My Narrative Essay
• My Dirty Dog: My Informative Essay (forthcoming)

WATCH DARCY PATTISON DISCUSS HOW TO TEACH OPINION ESSAYS

In this 20-minute video, author Darcy Pattison explains how to use this book to teach opinion essays: mimshouse.com/writing-opinion-essays/

When cousins Dennis and Mellie decide to get a dog, they consider carefully what breed would be best for each family. For example, Dennis wants a big dog, but Mellie wants tiny. He has no other pets, but she has other pets that a dog must get along with. They consider different dog personalities, family situations, and personal preferences. Dennis writes an opinion essay for his teacher, Mrs. Shirky. But will his essay convince his parents to get the dog of his dreams?

This story takes a popular subject-kids getting a pet-and adds dogs of all sizes and shapes: all writing lessons should be this much fun. In the end, it's cousins and the dogs that keep a reader turning the page. What kind of dog will Dennis choose? Will Mellie want the same kind of dog?

This story hits many notes:

• A family story about cousins, Dennis and Mellie
• Information on dog breeds
• Responsible dog ownership
• Mentor-text for teaching writing
• Model opinion essay for elementary students
• Models the writing process, especially the importance of pre-writing or planning before you write
• Completes the writing process by showing the results of Dennis's essay

I WANT A DOG almost makes opinion essays look too easy. But it works on many other levels, as well. Younger kids will be excited to learn the differences between dogs and will laugh at the antics of the dogs. Elementary kids will rejoice in a story of cousins (and will write the best essays ever ). A universal dream - a great pet - becomes an engaging writing lesson.

See other books in THE READ AND WRITE series:

• I Want a Cat: My Opinion Essay
• My Crazy Dog: My Narrative Essay
• My Dirty Dog: My Informative Essay (forthcoming)

WATCH DARCY PATTISON EXPLAIN HOW TO TEACH NARRATIVE WRITING

In this 20-minute video, watch author Darcy Pattison explain how to teach narrative writing with this book: mimshouse.com/writing-opinion-essays/