Note to Teachers
Below are just a few examples of exemplary mentor texts for teaching writing and literary devices. All of the Wilson School District Libraries can borrow books from each other, so if your school doesn't have a particular books, talk to your librarian about getting a copy through inter-library loan.
If you have a suggestion to add to this list (especially newer books), please e-mail your librarian! We have included the Fountas & Pinnell levels when available.
Codes for book locations:
ALL = All of the elementary buildings own this book.
CT = Cornwall Terrace
GV = Green Valley
SL = Shiloh Hills
SR = Spring Ridge
WH = Whitfield
Interactive ebook = Indicates this book is available to read or listen to online through the library catalog.
Wordless Picture Books for Writing
Dylan's Day Out by Call Number: E CAL
Unspoken by Call Number: E COL
Carl's Snowy Afternoon by Call Number: E DAY
Carl's Christmas by Call Number: E DAY
Pancakes for Breakfast by Call Number: E DEP
Flora and the Flamingo by Call Number: E IDLCaldecott Honor
The Red Book by Call Number: E LEHCaldecott Honor
No! by Call Number: E MCP
Daisy Gets Lost by Call Number: E RAS
A Ball for Daisy by Call Number: E RASCaldecott
Good Night, Gorilla by Call Number: E RAT
10 Minutes to Bedtime by Call Number: E RAT
Draw! by Call Number: E ROL
Chicken and Cat Clean Up by Call Number: E VAR
Tuesday by Call Number: E WIECaldecott winner
Flotsam by Call Number: E WIECaldecott Winner
The Lion and the Mouse by Call Number: 398.2 PINCaldecott winner
The Tortoise and the Hare by Call Number: 398.2 PIN
Books to Teach the Craft of Writing
Crafty Chloe by Call Number: E DIPISBN: 9781442421233Publication Date: 2012SR
"Pop-out" words
Books to Teach Cause and Effect
If You Give a Moose a Muffin by Call Number: E NUMALL
F&P: K
If You Give a Cat a Cupcake by Call Number: E NUMALL
F&P: K
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears by Call Number: 398.2 AARALL
F&P: N
No Monkeys, No Chocolate by Call Number: 633 STEISBN: 9781580892872SR
Grade level (approx): 4.1
Lexile: AD740L
Books to Teach Point of View
Honestly, Red Riding Hood Was Rotten! by Call Number: E SHAPublication Date: 2011-07-01CT, SR
ALL Interactive ebook
F&P: N
The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by Call Number: E SCI or 398.2 SCIALL
F&P: Q
Black and White by Call Number: E MCCALL
F&P: Not available
Lexile: 610L
Two Bad Ants by Call Number: E VANALL
F&P: P
Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse by Call Number: 811 SINISBN: 0525479015ALL
Grade level (approx): 3.0
Lexile: NP
The Silver Button by Call Number: E GRAISBN: 9780763664374SR, WH
Books to Teach Drawing Conclusions
Jumanji by Call Number: E VAN
Is Your Mama a Llama? by Call Number: E GUA
Books for Word Study
The King Who Rained by Call Number: 428.1 GWY
A Chocolate Moose for Dinner by Call Number: 428.1 GWY
A Visitor for Bear by Call Number: E BECISBN: 0763628077CT, SL, SR, WH
F&P: K
Good News, Bad News by Call Number: E MACISBN: 9781452101101Publication Date: 2012SL, SR
Opposites, multiple meanings?
Brave Irene by Call Number: E STEISBN: 9780312564223Publication Date: 2011
Books to Teach Character Traits
The Honest-to-Goodness Truth by Call Number: E McKHonesty
Brave Irene by Call Number: E STEPerseverance
Each Kindness by Call Number: E WOO
Extra Yarn by Call Number: E BARISBN: 0061953385Generosity
ALL
F&P: T
Mentor Texts for Informative Narrative
Fly High! by Call Number: B COLISBN: 0689824572CT, GV, SL, SR
Grade level (approx): 4.5
Lexile: 710L
Bad News for Outlaws by Call Number: B REEISBN: 9780822567646CT, SL, SR
F&P: T
Different Like Coco by Call Number: B CHA
Harvesting Hope by Call Number: B CHAISBN: 0152014373CT, SL, SR, WH
Grade level (approx): 5.6?
Lexile: AD800L
You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?! by Call Number: B KOUISBN: 0375837388CT, SL, SR, WH
Grade level (approx): 4.5
Lexile: AD830L
Books to Teach Compare and Contrast
The Rough-Face Girl by Call Number: 398.2 MAR
Stellaluna by Call Number: E CAN
Little Red Writing by Call Number: E HOLISBN: 9780811878692
Books to Teach Dialogue
The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary School by Call Number: F FLEISBN: 0440422299Publication Date: 2009CT, SL, SR, WH
F&P: S
Grade level (approx.): 3.3
Lexile: 580L
DRA: 40
Going Home by Call Number: E BUNISBN: 0060262966CT, SL
F&P: T
Books to Teach Transitions
Meanwhile Back at the Ranch by Call Number: E NOBISBN: 9780140545647CT, GV, SR, WH
Grade level (approx): 3.5
Lexile: AD500L
Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch by Call Number: E ISAISBN: 9780375867453Publication Date: 2014SR
Books to Teach Figurative Language / Similies / Metaphors
Amelia Bedelia by Call Number: E PARALL
idioms
Dog in Charge by Call Number: E GOIISBN: 0803734794SR, WH
onomatopoeia
Swamp Angel by Call Number: E ISAISBN: 9780525452713ALL
similes
Grades 3-5 recommended
Dust Devil by Call Number: E ISAISBN: 9780375867224SL, SR, WH
Similes, all grades
Crazy Like a Fox by Call Number: E LEEISBN: 9780823417193CT, GV, SL
similes
Books to Teach Voice or Tone
Night Noises by Call Number: E FOXISBN: 0152574212CT, GV, SL, WH
F&P: M
How to Babysit a Grandpa/Grandma by Call Number: E REAISBN: 9780385753845Publication Date: 2014SL, SR
Books to Teach Reading Charts / Graphs
The Life and Times of the Apple by Call Number: 634 MICISBN: 0531059391ALL
F&P: P
Life and Times of the Honeybee by Call Number: 595.7 MICISBN: 039565968XALL
F&P: Q
Books to Teach Small Moments / Slice of Life
Home Run by Call Number: E BURISBN: 0152045996SR, WH
Grade level (approx): 2.0
Lexile: AD280L
The Seashore Book by Call Number: E ZOLISBN: 0060202130SL, SR
Grade level (approx): 3.8
Lexile: AD840L
Roller Coaster by Call Number: E FRAISBN: 9780152045548Publication Date: 2003SR, SL, WH
F&P: K
Grade level (approx): 2.1
Lexile: 490L
The Kissing Hand by ISBN: 9781933718101Publication Date: 2007CT, GV, SL, SR
Also available as a read-aloud online at http://www.storylineonline.net/kissing-hand/
Books to Teach Main Idea
Tacky the Penguin by Call Number: E LESALL
F&P: L
The Polar Express by Call Number: E VANALL
F&P: N
Books to Teach Sequencing
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly by Call Number: 782.4 TABALL
F&P: L
The Mitten by Call Number: 398.2 BRE or E BREALL
F&P: D
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Call Number: E CARALL
F&P: J
Books to Teach Predicting
Too Many Tamales by Call Number: E SOT
Doctor de Soto by Call Number: E STE
Good Night, Gorilla by Call Number: E RAT
This Is Not My Hat by Call Number: E KLAISBN: 0763655996ALL
F&P: J
Books to Teach Character Struggles and Motivations
- Each Kindness by Call Number: E WOO
Thank You, Mr. Falker by Call Number: E POL
Books to Teach Expressive Narrative
Miss Rumphius by Call Number: E COO
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by Call Number: E STE
Saturdays and Teacakes by Call Number: E LAMRichly detailed prose.
Books to Teach Description
Owl Moon by Call Number: E YOL- The Seashore Book by Call Number: E ZOLISBN: 0060202130SL, SR
Grade level (approx): 3.8
Lexile: AD840L 
Lucky Ducklings by Call Number: E MOOISBN: 9780439448611Publication Date: 2013CT, SL, SR
Moonday by Call Number: E REXISBN: 9781423119203Publication Date: 2013SR
Older students
Books to Teach Persuasion
I Wanna Iguana by Call Number: E ORL
Earrings! by Call Number: E VIO
Dear Mrs. La Rue by Call Number: E TEA
I Wanna New Room by Call Number: E ORL
Books to Teach Great Beginnings / Hooks
- Lucky Ducklings by Call Number: E MOOISBN: 9780439448611Publication Date: 2013CT, SL, SR
The Grannyman by Call Number: E SCH
Charlotte's Web by Call Number: F WHIBegins with a question.
Alejandro's Gift by Call Number: E ALBISBN: 0811804364SR
Grade level (approx): 5.0
Lexile: AD840L
The Relatives Came by Call Number: E RYLISBN: 0027772209ALL
Grade level (approx): 4.1
Lexile: AD940L
Books to Teach Satisfying Endings
Milo's Hat Trick by Call Number: E AGESurprise ending.- Stellaluna by Call Number: E CAN
Widget by Call Number: E MCFEnding nicely tied to the beginning.
Snow Day! by Call Number: E LAM
Purple Delicious Blackberry Jam by Call Number: E PET
Books to Teach Organization
Scaredy Squirrel by Call Number: E WATISBN: 1553379594ALL
F&P: K
Books to Teach Nonfiction Text Features
Amazing Animals: Introduction to Nonfiction by Call Number: PROF 372.4 CHAISBN: 9780545156608SR (oversized big book)
Books to Teach Inferencing
Explorer: The Mystery Boxes by Call Number: GN EXP"Under the Floorboards" by Emily Carroll (wordless)
SR
F&P: Not available
Lexile: 340L
Grade level (approx): 3.2
The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Call Number: E VANISBN: 0395353939ALL
Grade level (approx): 2.2
Lexile: AD760L
This Is Not My Hat by Call Number: E KLAISBN: 9780763655990ALL
Reading level (approx.) - 2.0
Dear Mrs. La Rue by Call Number: E TEAISBN: 0439206634ALL
Grade level (approx): 3.6
Lexile: 500L
The Stray Dog by Call Number: E SIMISBN: 0060289333ALL
Grade level (approx): 1.9
Books to Teach Strong Emotion
- A Visitor for Bear by Call Number: E BECISBN: 0763628077CT, SL, SR, WH
F&P: K - Brave Irene by Call Number: E STEISBN: 9780312564223
Books to Teach "How to"
- How to Babysit a Grandpa/Grandma by Call Number: E REAISBN: 9780385753845Publication Date: 2014SL, SR
How to Swallow a Pig by Call Number: 591 JENISBN: 9780544313651Publication Date: 2015SR
Walk On! by Call Number: E FRAISBN: 0152055738Publication Date: 2006SR
Created and Maintained by Your Teacher-Librarian
Mentor Text Web Sites
Below are great websites to go to for creative ideas when it comes to using Mentor Texts in reading and writing.
