Story Starters by Karen Andreola is a life saver – for you and your children! Mom will never again have to rack her brain for writing assignments. And students won’t have to sit hopelessly in front of a blank sheet of paper wondering where in the world to start any longer. Seriously!
You (or your 4th -8th grade child) can choose from one of 67 story starters. These are quite simply the beginnings of stories that will leave your children on the edge of their seats wondering what happens next. Best of all, they get to write the endings themselves. This is such a fun way to bring out the excitement for writing, not to mention giving imaginations a starting point!
Included with each story starter is a black and white illustration that is meant to further prompt your child’s imaginations about the story at hand.
Never fear – for those students who might still be “stuck” once the story is turned over to them, Ms. Andreola offers some leading questions that help pinpoint various directions the story could go.
On the other hand, children who really have no problems at all going forward with the stories are occasionally offered challenges to think more deeply about plot, characters or writing styles. Additionally, for all writers, end chapters are included to help build colorful vocabulary, and discuss writing in first, second and third person. A bonus section offers 24 extra illustrations that your writers can use as springboards to begin their own stories.
The author is an advocate for Charlotte Mason style homeschooling. While this book certainly fits that style, it’s a wonderful resource for any homeschool! We all strive to produce good writers, and more of us than care to admit struggle with writing in our homeschools. This is a great resource to get the words flowing!
-Cindy West is and eclectically Charlotte Mason homeschooling mom of three from Central KY. You can find her blogging at Our Journey Westward and find her NaturExplorers curricula at Shining Dawn Books. Cindy was offered a free copy of Story Starters in exchange for her honest review.
The biggest reason Cindy chose to homeschool was because she loves experiencing life with her children and watching them grow inside and out. She's sure that’s why the Charlotte Mason method first caught her attention. It allows her to be creative in scheduling, rigorous in learning, yet opens the door for plenty of close-knit time, opportunities for her children to explore their interests and offers enough free time for them to be children. She implements many of Charlotte Mason's methods with an eclectic twist of things that work for her family! At Cindy's website, Our Journey Westward, you will find a blog packed with fun learning ideas and a shop full of creative curriculum, including the NaturExplorers studies.
I have admired this for a while. Thank you for the encouragement!
Thanks so much for the review. I’ve wondered about this book for a while.