Stella Writes An Opinion

Meet Stella. She has lots of opinions. Like, the best food is ice cream and kids should be allowed to bring toys to school and Ms. Merkley is the nicest teacher in the whole world. So, when Ms. M. tells the class they get to write an opinion, Stella gets excited. But how will she choose what to write about? Go with Stella on her writing journey and see how one kid s opinion can change a school. What could be more fun than to write what you think about an important topic. Now that's power!

Stella Writes an Opinion

Children's Books

Janiel Wagstaff

Growing Up & Facts of Life

SDE, Inc.

Stella Tells Her Story

She has a story to tell. (Ms. Merkley says everyone does.) Today, Ms. Merkley announced, is the perfect day to start writing narratives. Max has the story about his puppy, and Tineka is ready to retell her catfish adventure. But what topic will Stella choose? The time she got cupcake batter in her hair? Her trip to the amusement park? And how will she write it? What happened first, next, last . . . ? Stella loves to write. Go with her on a writing journey as she relives and retells a heartwarming story.

Do you know what it's like to be inquisitive? To have your mind racing with questions? Stella does! When Stella's class gets curious about chameleons, their teacher, Ms. Merkley, is happy to oblige. Join Stella and her friends as they become chameleon experts, and experts in informative writing. Sharing what you learn; that's what informative writing is all about.

Stella & Class: Information Experts

Janiel Wagstaff has done it again! In Stella, Poet Extraordinaire, she has managed to use all her experience as a teacher and writer to create two engaging characters that help young writers, as well as teachers, discover the joys of poetry. Stella and her teacher, Ms. Merkley, take readers on a journey through the process of writing poetry, from finding inspiration by taking a poetry walk to a final Poetry Jam where all the young poets share their work. Stella is genuine, making her a perfect mentor for young writers. Initially, she encounters many of the same struggles with writing that teachers often see with students lack of confidence, confusion, and uncertainty. But with Ms. Merkley s guidance, Stella is able to work through those difficulties and emerge as a poet extraordinaire. As she says, I look more closely at things; I linger so I can pick just the right words for what I m observing, thinking, or feeling; and I discover thoughts I didn t know I had when I write poems. Janiel has a special way of creating books that are must-haves in the writing workshop. Both teachers and students will embrace Stella and Ms. Merkley as their personal writing mentors, and will soon find themselves hooked on poetry, too.

Stella: Poet Extraordinaire

Engage your students to help you teach writing. This book by writing expert Janiel Wagstaff, pairs examples of student writing with writing lessons. 
Peer writing samples are extremely powerful tools for boosting the growth of young writers. The kindergarten, first, and second grade student samples provided in this book serve as mentor texts and the basis for each lesson. They help teachers teach young writers to work within the three required text types, plus poetry, elevate their craft, and learn to use mechanics. The samples are mentors that are doable for students; they highlight skills, strategies, craft moves, and traits within the reach of their intended audience. Additionally, samples that reflect the most common errors or trouble spots are included, enabling teachers to explicitly teach to these points. The samples can be easily duplicated and/or displayed for group instruction. Each sample focuses on keys teaching points clearly outlined by the narrative explanation that accompanies it.

We Can Do This! Student Mentor Texts That Teach and Inspire