Collecting Snippets

Books are worth loving for so many reasons. Besides being lost in a great story, I am often mesmerized and moved by how an author crafted a moment. It is fun to collect snippets that made me laugh, sigh with contentment, and wonder. When snippets are shared in the classroom, students often begin to read their own books with a lens that is tuned in to the craft.

Confession: Sometimes I collect things that make me scoff. I don’t want to disparage the book or author by naming them here, but I will tell you that I wrote down “His brow lifts, tugging at one corner of his mouth.” After which I wrote, “This is so dumb. Is that even possible?” I can tell you after much trying, my mouth doesn’t move when I lift my brow.

Are you inspired to read this way? I hope so. And I hope that sharing with your students will help them begin to read with writer’s eyes and collect their own wonderous snippets. Sharing these with one another moves us from being just readers to real connoisseurs of books. 

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