Book Review: The Write Start by Jennifer Hallissy

Hallissy opens her book on writing by giving parents a solid foundational understanding on the "why's" of writing. Through her expertise as a pediatric occupational therapist, she has found that children that struggle to form letters also struggle to become successful writers. In the first half of The Write Start, Hallissy also identifies four different stages of writing, explaining how to recognize each level and interpret readiness for moving into the next stage of writing. Each chapter is easy to read and filled with great information for both parents and new teachers looking for activities to strengthen writing skills.

After fully explaining the necessity of proper writing technique, Hallissy fills the second half of her book with a variety of activities designed to engage the child and strengthen the mind and body. Suddenly, a simple game of paper airplanes becomes a literary event and chalk cloth turns dining with kids into a writing fiesta. For each activity, there are variations listed for children at each of her four stages of writing: scribblers, spellers, storytellers, and scholars. With a few easy adaptations, Hallissy has offered parents a way to invite children of all ages to write through nearly any occasion.

The Write Start will be available December 28, 2010 from Random House, Inc. The author's blog can be found at The Write Start.