"Quotables . . ."
“‘Try to find the poetry in your pudding,’ Mr. Morley said softly. ‘There’s always a new way with old words.’”
“‘ Surprise yourself!’ Mrs. Martinez said.”
Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street
Illustrated by Kyrsten Brooker.
Orchard Books/Scholastic Grades 2-5
- NCTE Notable Trade Book in the Language Arts Winner
- Washington Irving Children's Choice Award
"Write about what you know," Eva's teacher tells her. So Eva goes out to the stoop in front of her home on 90th Street and opens her notebook. But, "nothing ever happens" there! Then, suddenly, extraordinary events occur, or do they? Do they happen in real life or in Eva's imagination? Only Eva, the author, knows for sure. A wild urban romp, peppered with writing tips--"add a little action," "don't forget the details," "ask, 'what if?'"--guaranteed to inspire young writers like Eva to write their own stories. Lots of fun as well as a great tool for teaching children to write their own stories.
"A lively, fluently told tale." - Starred Review, SLJ
"It turns out that there is plenty of spice on 90th Street. The unexpected catalyst of events and the surprising turn they take make for an insightful and amusing look at the artistic life. Schotter has a knack for creating dramatic situations filled with romantic characters. First-time illustrator Brooker adds to the momentum with her madcap visual pastiches--zany, stylized collages that offer glimpses of a captivating New York. Her characters wear unforgettable expressions and she dresses them in wonderfully inventive clothing. Writers and artists of every age will find much here to savor--and to inspire them." - Publishers Weekly
"An excellent choice to use with older children studying creative writing." - Booklist
Buy the paperback edition of Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street:
IndieBound.org.
Barnes and Noble.com.
Amazon.com.
Related Links
See Curriculum Connections
See Teachers Guide to "Mentor Text of the Year" from WritingFix