A playful prompt for young writers

As writers and readers, it’s natural that we want to encourage any signs of blossoming talent in young writers we know—students, nieces and nephews, sons and daughters. That might mean passing along a good book, perhaps one we loved as a child—Shel Silverstein’s Where the Sidewalk Ends or Maurice Sendak’s Chicken Soup With Rice, for example. Maybe you buy a Magnetic Poetry kit for kids. Now you can add another gift idea to the list: Karen Benke’s new book, Rip the Page!: Adventures in Creative Writing.

Benke, a poet-teacher in the California Poets in the Schools program, has put together a fun book filled with writing exercises for children ages 8 to 12. It also features inspiring excerpts and heartening letters addressed to young writers from established poets and writers, such as Gary Soto, Naomi Shihab Nye, Moira Egan, Daniel Handler aka Lemony Snicket, and the late Lucille Clifton.

Check out the writing prompt “A color only my soul can understand.” It might be a great change of pace in between the picnics and fireworks shows this weekend.

Happy Fourth of July!

—Sarah C. Lange, associate editor

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