Show; Don't Tell!: Secrets of Writing [Hardcover]

Josephine Nobisso (Author), Eva Montanari (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2004 | Age Range: 7 and up

Innovative yet accessible writing strategies appropriate for both fiction and nonfiction are presented in this enchanting tale of a writing lion who holds court for a cast of animal friends. Aspiring writers learn the essential nature of nouns and adjectives and how to use them to express their individual visions so that they “show and don’t tell” every time. Writing lessons are cleverly integrated into a tale that incorporates a sound chip, a scratch-and-sniff patch, and a tactile object to engage the aspiring writer’s five senses in fun proofs.

American Booksellers Association "Picks List"

 

Winner of a 2004 Parents' Choice Recommended Award

 

Winner of the Best Trade Book with Educational Application award from Global Learning Initiative, a partnership of The Bologna Children's Book Fair and The Association of Educational Publishers

 

Selected for The Original Art exhibition at the Museum of Illustration

 

Winner of a Children's Choices Award from the International Reading Association/Children's Book Council

 

Winner of the National Parenting Publications Honors Award

 

Innovative yet accessible writing strategies appropriate for both fiction and nonfiction are presented in this enchanting tale of a writing lion who holds court for a cast of animal friends. Aspiring writers learn the essential nature of nouns and adjectives and how to use them to express their individual visions so that they “show and don’t tell” every time. Writing lessons are cleverly integrated into a tale that incorporates a sound chip, a scratch-and-sniff patch, and a tactile object to engage the aspiring writer’s five senses in fun proofs.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6–This sophisticated picture book attempts to demystify the writer's craft, offering insight into authors' most crucial decisions: their choice of specific nouns and adjectives. Montanari's whimsical animal characters represent students in a writers' workshop. The lion urges his classmates to engage in a "language arts experiment," in which the directions and the animals' playful antics are splashed at many angles about the dreamscape pages. Indeed, the alluring illustrations achieve the "daydream state" to which Nobisso declares "writers go for story." Having made this clear and convincing pitch for selecting powerful nouns and adjectives, the author continues with a preachy section on the senses and figurative language, which is unoriginal despite some interactive "bells and whistles," including scratch-and-sniff pages and a sound module. The text is tedious for students who need clear explanations, the cuddly animals belie the complexity of the concepts, and the layout often makes reading difficult.–Gloria Koster, West School, New Canaan, CT
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About the Author

Josephine Nobisso is a writing consultant and the author of Grandpa Loved, Grandma’s Scrapbook, and Shh! The Whale Is Smiling. She lives in Quogue, New York. Eva Montanari is an artist who has both written and illustrated several books in Italian.

Product Details

• Age Range: 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Gingerbread House; First Edition edition (September 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0940112132
• ISBN-13: 978-0940112131
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 0.7 x 9.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #54,928 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Josephine Nobisso's first story appeared in a national magazine when she was 18. Since then, she has published over fifty books, mostly for children.

Each year, to rave evaluations, Miss Nobisso conducts about 100 workshops in "The Nobisso Recommendations: Guiding Students to Write in Their Authentic Voices," part of which comes to life in her book, Show; Don't Tell! Secrets of Writing. a book for which she received "The Global Learning Initiative Award" for "The Best Trade Book with Educational Application"-- a singular citation jointly administered by the Association of Education Publishers and the Bologna Children's Book Fair.

The National Catholic Educational Association named her "Distinguished Graduate," and Delta Kappa Gamma--the international society of honored teachers-- named her "Friend of Education," for "someone outside the profession who has worked significantly toward improving the educational opportunities of others, and who has given outstanding service to promoting quality education."

Among the very many honors that Miss Nobisso books have received are five other awards for Show; Don't Tell! Secrets of Writing: the International Reading Association/Children's Book Council "Children's Choice Award," an American Booksellers Association BookSense "Pick of the Lists" citation, a Parents' Choice Award, a National Parenting Publications Award, and was a ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Finalist.

Born February 9, 1953, in the Bronx, Miss Nobisso homeschooled her daughter, Maria Nicotra, the Art Director of Gingerbread House, the press they founded together. Miss Nobisso and her family live on the East End of Long Island.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 35 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun and informative September 13, 2004

By Midwest Book Review

Format:Hardcover

Show; Don't Tell!: Secrets Of Writing by author and writing expert Josephine Nobisso is a wonderfully shows young readers ages 7 and older a diversity of writing tips and strategies that they can use in their own efforts. Eva Montanari's artwork is a perfect supplement to Josephine's text. Show; Don't Tell! is enhanced for young readers with a push-button sound feature as well. Fun and informative, Show; Don't Tell! is unique and highly recommended.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Picture Book That Teaches--How Wonderful! January 5, 2008

By midwest

Format:Hardcover

After years of reading mind-numbing chldren's books that my kids thought were hilarious and gross and cute and cuddly--I wanted an illustrated book that taught them something they could use in school.

This is it.

Though I feel this book is a bit wordy (ironically), it gets my kids (ages 5-8) thinking and answering questions. It really gets their minds working, though in the illustrated format they still crave. And what they're learning from this book will have a positive impact on how they do their work in school.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!!! March 2, 2009

By T. Parker

Format:Hardcover

This is a wonderful book. I have been searching high and low for a book that truly explains the difference between showing and telling. This is the one. My students truly grasp the concept now. Before, no books could get the point across to them, but now they have it. Any teacher having a hard time explaining show, not tell to their students should purchase this book. A+