BREAKFAST ON MARS

A guide for writing teachers that is truly useful.

Good models abound for teaching fiction, nonfiction and poetry, but accessible ones for young essay writers? Not so much. Though essay writing is a staple of the junior and senior high curricula, examples of good essays accessible to young readers have not been readily available. So this handy volume fills a gap. Thirty-eight essays for young readers by contemporary writers demonstrate that “essays can be just as enjoyable to read as fiction (perhaps even more so!).” Essays on fears, favorite places, a time a friend helped you, memories of being young, crazy experiences, a time you felt like an outsider will inspire students to write their own essays. Highlights of this collection include “Breakfast on Mars,” a persuasive essay; Gigi Amateau’s “River Girl,” an elegant and beautifully descriptive personal essay; and Scott Westerfeld’s “Warning: This Essay Does Not Contain Pictures,” an informative essay. Teachers might use this volume best by offering three or four choices and models at a time, so students can choose one that best connects with them. A companion volume might be one in which three or four essayists write on the same topic, demonstrating how different writers approach the same idea.

An important collection that ought to become a staple in writing classes.