List of mentor texts we've shared as a class

Part of your final essay for this class is to discuss the mentor texts that have helped you as a writer. Remember: mentor texts do not necessarily have to be ones we read together as a class. The only criteria I'm looking for a mentor text is a piece of writing that inspired you in your own writing.

Here are the texts we've shared as a class this year:

• The Story of Fish and Snail by Deborah Freedman
• A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd
• "Brave" by Sara Bareilles
• "Everything Exists in the Word" by Pablo Neruda 
• "What I Believe" from Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
• Rules of Summer by Shaun Tan 
• El Deafo by Cece Bell 
• Tadpole's Promise by Jeanne Willis, illustrated by Tony Ross
• "We Wear the Mask" by Paul Laurence Dunbar
• "Try" by Colbie Caillat 
• Battle Bunny by Mac Barnett and Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Matthew Myers
• Rex Wrecks It by Ben Clanton 
• Viva Frida by Yuyi Morales
• The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by Jen Bryant, illustrated by Melissa Sweet
• X: A Novel by Ilyasah Shibazz and Kekla Magoon
• What Do You Do with an Idea? by Kobi Yamada, illustrated by Mae Besom
• The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires
• Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen
• I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
• This is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen
• "Hands" by Sarah Kay
• "Brother" by Sarah Kay
• "Like, You Know" by Taylor Mali
• "Knock, Knock" by Daniel Beaty
• "Josh Bell" from The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
• "This is Just to Say" by William Carlos Williams and I'm Sorry, I Meant to Do It: False Apology Poems by Gail Carson Levine  

Speaking of Natalie Lloyd, today she revealed the cover of her new book coming out in March 2016, The Key to Extraordinary.