The Story Writer's Handbook by Katrina Nannestad. IIlus. by Cheryl Orsini

Well known multi-award winning Australian author Katrina Nannestad has shared her love and joy of writing in a new activity-style journal that primary-school aged children from eight years onwards will take great pleasure in using. With a warm and encouraging personal introduction from Katrina as well as thoughtful advice on how to use the book, budding writers will be ready to begin a writing journey of their own.

The contents page sets out each chapter with headings that include Be An Ideas Bowerbird, Splashes of Colour, Exploding Ideas, Dreams and Schemes, Writing with the Senses and many more. The book can be used to ‘dip in and out as you fancy’ or some writers may prefer to follow it through chapter by chapter.

Throughout the handbook, Katrina shares her writing ideas and provides examples. In the chapter Figurative Language the following detail is shared, “…the writer can paint a picture using words …offering the reader a new and surprising way of looking at things.” One of the examples given is ‘Grandma snores like a walrus with fish tangled in its teeth.’ The chapter Coloured Pairs gives writers the opportunity to pair up colours to create interesting images. For example, the colour yellow could be ‘dandelion and duckling fluff’ or ‘scrambled eggs and lemon-scented soap.’

Being a journal style book there is plenty of room for writers to write down their ideas, thoughts and doodles with the use of illustrations scattered throughout providing visual interest. In the Exploding Ideas chapter there is an example of a concept map/infographic using the word Switzerland with arrows pointing out to where the writer’s mind has taken them. Following this are a number of pages where children can create their own exploding ideas pages.

Before beginning to use this handbook with it might be beneficial to listen to and watch Katrina as she talks about her book. The Story Writer’s Handbook: Adventures in Creative Writing – Teachers’ Hub. It is a fabulous introduction and may provide a great hook for young writers.

Themes: Writing, Ideas, Creating Stories, Imagination, Activity Book.

Kathryn Beilby