Franki confers with a student during reading workshop.

Choosing words in writing is a key to effectively communicating ideas. We talk about word choice all year long in my classroom, no matter which grade I teach. I have found that the best way to introduce and extend conversations about words is through the use of picture books. Picture books allow me to introduce students to one or two specific ideas about words in a very short time. These mentor texts serve as the conversation starter that we can come back to again and again during the writing process. Here are some of the recent books I have added to my collection of mentor texts for word choice.

Two books that I use to start conversations about synonyms and deciding between words that mean nearly the same things are Chicken Cheeks by Michael Ian Black and SuperHero ABC by Bob McLeod.

In Chicken Cheeks, Black introduces us to lots of words that we use to mean "bottom". What can be funnier than lots of words used to talk about behinds? The inside flap of this book says, "This is a story with a beginning, a middle, and a whole lot of ends." And that it is! A bear is trying to get honey from the top of a VERY tall tree. He gets the help of lots of friends, piling one on top of each other until they reach the top. On each page, the bear has the view of yet another "bottom". Each page consists of only two words--for example, "moose caboose" or "flamingo fanny."

SuperHero ABC is an alphabet book of unique superheroes. Each superhero illustration is accompanied by a sentence telling what the superhero does. Many use alliteration. When I read this book, I noticed that the author uses so many words when describing "bad guys" -- words like "villains" and "lawbreakers." Creating a list of all of the words that he uses after enjoying the book will help students think about the impact of word choice.

Big, Bigger, Biggest! by Nancy Coffelt is one of my favorite new books for starting conversation about being specific in word choice. Each part of the book looks at a set of words like small, smaller, and smallest. Characters describe themselves using one of the words. Then they go on to be even more specific. For example, the spider says, "I'm small." She then goes on to say, "I'm miniature. I'm minuscule. I'm microscopic." This book can be used with all ages, and will invite lots of thoughts on choosing just the right word.

In her new book Crazy Like a Fox, Loreen Leedy tells a story with well-known similes. The author introduces similes, and then invites readers to join in the fun as they guess the final word of the comparison before turning the page. Leedy uses common similes such as "shake like a leaf" and "mad as a hornet." At the end of the book, she invites readers to be creative and invent their own similes.

Butterflies in My Stomach and Other School Hazards by Serge Bloch is the story of a boy's first day of school--from the minute he wakes up until the time the bus drops him off at home at the end of the day. Each page tells a bit about his day and each is filled with lots of word play. The illustrations share the "literal" meaning of some of the sayings - they are simple black and white sketches with color graphics added to illustrate the point of the more literal meaning. From "being in a pickle" to being "in the same boat," this book is full of idioms and a simile or two ("I was as happy as a puppy with two tails!").

Close to You: How Animals Bond by Kimiko Kajikawa is a book written for younger children. Each page follows a pattern about an animal and its baby. "Polar Bears cuddle in a den of snow" and "alligators lounge in a toothy grin." There is a pattern to the text and sentence structure, with the words carefully chosen to fit the scheme. I use this book when talking about verb choice. It is also a good one to use when talking to kids about the importance of word choice in nonfiction text.

When my students think like writers, I want them to pay close attention to words that stand the test of time. So many famous quotes are part of the language we use on a regular basis. Paying attention to what makes certain words powerful can help students think about their own writing in new ways. Doreen Rappaport has three books that celebrate the powerful words of famous Americans. They are Abe's Honest Words, Martin's Big Words, and Eleanor, Quiet No More. In each book, Rappoport tells a bit about the life of the person, while including the powerful words that they are often remembered for. A newer book by Kadir Nelson Change Has Come: An Artist Celebrates Our American Spirit. Nelson's drawings accompany some of Barack Obama's words from the election year.

Finally, I like to have discussions with my students about content-specific words. So much of our writing is nonfiction, and so many words that we use are specific to a topic. I want my students to think about that when they are writing. They know that if they are a soccer player, they will be familiar with and use words that I may not fully understand. They know that if they read lots about a certain topic, they will most likely encounter some of the same words over and over. They come to understand that these content-specific words make their nonfiction writing better.

Laurie Keller is an author who uses content specific words. In Open Wide: Tooth School Inside, Keller introduces many words associated with teeth and dental health. The thing I especially like about this book is that she combines the use of content-specific vocabulary with some word play. For example, the teacher in the book is named Dr. Flossman.

I also have a couple picture book dictionaries to start conversations about content-specific word choice.

A Dictionary of Dance by Liz Murphy is a fun dictionary of dance vocabulary. Each letter of the alphabet is accompanied by a dance specific word such as improvisation or kick. The pronunciation and definition are included. The illustrations give readers visuals to further explain the words.

In ABC Dentist: Healthy Teeth from A to Z, Harriet Ziefert takes a look at words associated with a visit to the dentist. Using this book to think about words you might use when writing about a topic helps kids include this step in their writing process.