Author studies provide us with the opportunity to give the gift of the BEST books. Read on to discover just why you need to plan out your author study calendar. This DONE FOR YOU guide will outline the year and simplify your planning.
Teachers love things done for them, right? This yearly planner takes the guesswork out of author study planning.
Do you recall your favorite books from elementary school? Chances are pretty good that you remember the special connection to who shared them with you just as much as you remember the book itself. However, these special connections can entice readers to look for more by the author. When I share my favorite Patricia Polacco books as mentor texts, my students race to the Patricia Polacco section of the library to find more. Then, as students finish the books, they talk about them. Guess what the result is? Yes, they want more! But why else should we consider using author studies in our classrooms?
There are so many reasons, but I’ll share a few more below just in case you need more convincing.Â
Another reason to use author studies with your students is for the quality of literature. Not all authors are equal, so carefully selecting authors FOR YOUR GRADE LEVEL is important. Most choose a target age or audience for the books they write. THIS POST gives you a starting list and many more reasons to use author studies. For class read alouds, you might choose books just slightly above your grade level in order to increase exposure to new vocabulary words.
For the k/1 crowd, you might look for authors that write about relatable themes. In my experience working with K/1 teachers, thematic teaching worked VERY well. You can pull in themed poetry, tie in nonfiction, and use reader’s theater scripts to build skills.
For this age, Eric Carle is a favorite because of his insect books. You might also enjoy Lois Ehlert’s books too and compare them. Arnold Lobel’s classic Frog and Toad series make my favorites list too because the vocabulary is controlled helping students feel success with their first chapter books.
This group is transitioning to chapter books, but for author studies, I suggest picture books. Why? They are rich in vocabulary and short enough to use for your lessons. I recommend Kevin Henkes, Leo Lionni, and Karma Wilson for second grade. For third grade, I love Mem Fox, Tomie dePaola, and Jan Brett. I know some primary teachers use Jan Brett’s books, but the reading levels are more appropriate for third and even fourth.Â
With all of the selected authors and titles, I encourage you to use them as mentor texts for author’s craft, comprehension skills, and writing. You are sure to find a plethora of writing topics you can tie to each book.
Upper elementary students are NOT too old for picture books! Patricia Polacco has enriched many lives with her themes and wonderful writing, and she’s truly my favorite for this range. I also LOVE Chris VanAllsburg, William Steig, Cynthia Rylant, and Eve Bunting for reading and writing mentor text lessons.
Because it’s important to include a variety of genres in your reading and writing instruction, I featured a few nonfiction authors as well as poets. With fictional texts, I recommend pairing with related nonfiction in order to work on fiction and nonfiction skills. You’re sure to love the titles and find many ways to showcase them.
In addition to building excitement and exposure to great literature, author students unite your students with a shared experience. Students get the opportunity to talk about the wonderful books they’ve enjoyed, the themes, the author’s writing style (which we hope they copy) and so much more. Author students are also so much fun for teachers. You get to share all of your favorites. In fact, many teachers comment that they prefer author studies over the reading textbook any day of the week.
Short on time and need materials at your fingertips? No worries! I have you covered. You can check these out or search for your favorite author here or in my TPT store. I have lots to choose from!