mentor text argumentative essay

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Mentor Texts for Teaching Argument Writing

admin 01.29.18 Booklists Reading Writing

As a follow-up to our November 2017 #NCTEchat, Using Mentor Texts , we asked our social media community to share some of their favorite mentor texts with us. In the first part of this series, we’ve compiled educators’ favorite mentor texts for teaching argument writing. To see the original messages this list is based on, click here .

Did we miss one? Please let us know on Twitter!

Should There Be Zoos?: A Persuasive Text by Tony Stead with Judy Ballester and her fourth-grade class Examines the opposing viewpoints of a fourth-grade class on whether zoos are helpful or harmful to animals; written in persuasive language.

Hey, Little Ant by Phillip M. and  Hannah Hoose , illustrated by Debbie Tilley What would you do if the ant you were about to step on looked up and started talking? Would you stop and listen?

A Pig Parade Is a Terrible Idea by Michael Ian Black, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes Could anything possibly be more fun than a pig parade!? You wouldn’t think so. But you’d be wrong. A pig parade is a terrible idea.

I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman Orloff, illustrated by David Catrow Alex just has to convince his mom to let him have an iguana, so he puts his arguments in writing.

Have I Got a Book for You! by Mélanie Watt Mr. Al Foxword is one persistent salesman! He will do just about anything to sell you this book. Al tries every trick of the trade.

Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing by Judi Barrett, illustrated by Ron Barrett This well-loved book by Judi and Ron Barrett shows the very youngest why animals’ clothing is perfect . . . just as it is.

Stella Writes an Opinion by Janiel Wagstaff, illustrated by Dana Regan Meet Stella. She has lots of opinions. When Ms. M. tells the class they get to write an opinion, Stella gets excited. But how will she choose what to write about?

I Wanna New Room by Karen Kaufman Orloff, illustrated by David Catrow Writing letters to his mom convinced her to let him get his pet iguana, so Alex puts pencil to paper again, this time determined to get his own room.

They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel In this celebration of observation, curiosity, and imagination, Brendan Wenzel shows us the many views of one cat and the ways perspective shapes what we see. When you see a cat, what do you see?

Dear Mr. Blueberry by Simon James It’s vacation time, so Emily has to write to her teacher for help when she discovers a blue whale living in her pond. Mr. Blueberry answers that she must be mistaken, because whales live in the ocean, not in ponds.

Red Is Best by Kathy Stinson Young Kelly’s mom doesn’t understand about red. Sure, the brown mittens are warmer, but the red mitts make better snowballs. No doubt about it, red is best.

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers Poor Duncan just wants to color. But when he opens his box of crayons, he finds only letters, all saying the same thing: We quit! The supporting details are great to get students to think and write about the why instead of just writing a list of demands.

One Word from Sophia by Jim Averbeck, illustrated by Yasmeen Ismail Sophia tries varied techniques to get the giraffe she wants more than anything in this playfully illustrated story about the nuances of negotiation.

She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton, illustrated by Alexandra Boiger In this book, Chelsea Clinton celebrates thirteen American women who helped shape our country through their tenacity, sometimes through speaking out, sometimes by staying seated, sometimes by captivating an audience.

Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving  by Laurie Halse Anderson, illustrated by Matt Faulkner Way back when “skirts were long and hats were tall,” Americans were forgetting Thanksgiving, and nobody seemed to care! Thankfully, Sarah Hale appeared.

Earrings by Judith Viorst, illustrated by Nola Langner Malone She wants them. She needs them. She loves them.  Earrings!  What won’t a girl do to finally get her ears pierced?

Upper Grades

This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women , edited by Jay Allison and Dan Gediman Based on the NPR series of the same name,  This I Believe  features eighty Americans―from the famous to the unknown―completing the thought that the book’s title begins.

Everything’s an Argument by Andrea A. Lunsford and John J. Ruszkiewicz This bestselling text shows students how to analyze all kinds of arguments—not just essays and editorials, but clothes, cars, ads, and website designs—and then how to use what they learn to write their own effective arguments. Making a Visual Argument: Claire Ironside’s “Apples to Oranges” was specifically mentioned.

Dear Mr. President: Letters to the Oval Office from the Files of the National Archives by Dwight Young and Brian Williams Drawn from the extensive holdings of the National Archives, these carefully chosen letters remind us that ours is a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people,” which entitles us to make our views known to our leaders.

Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela The autobiography of Nelson Mandela, one of the great moral and political leaders of our time.

Good speeches are exemplars of argument, evidence, genre blending, word choice, and more.

“Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!” by Patrick Henry, delivered March 23, 1775, St. John’s Church, Richmond, Virginia

“ Ain’t I a Woman? ” by Sojourner Truth, delivered 1851, Women’s Convention, Akron, Ohio

“ The Destructive Male ” by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, delivered 1868, Women’s Suffrage Convention, Washington, D.C.

“ Toward a More Perfect Union ” by Barack Obama, delivered March 18, 2008, The Constitution Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Any speech by Barack Obama, Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King Jr., or Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Newsela Current events stories tailor-made for classroom use. Indexed by broad theme, stories are student-friendly and can be accessed in different formats by reading level.

The New York Times Upfront Magazine by Scholastic Upfront  gets teens talking about today’s most important issues with current events for grades 9–12.

“ The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me ” by Sherman Alexie, Los Angeles Times, April 19, 1998

Atticus Finch’s closing argument in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Declaration of Independence

Abigail Adams’s letters to John Adams

Barack Obama’s Town Hall response where he compares gun control to auto safety

Book descriptions are taken from the Goodreads website.

8 Highly Engaging (and Controversial) Argumentative Mentor Texts for Middle and High School

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Not only will you help support the work I do, you’ll also benefit a lot too! Everything I create for teachers is high quality, easy to follow, and editable. I’ve also tested all these resources with hundreds of students and are incredibly effective for increasing engagement in your classroom.

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Any English teacher can tell you that argumentative essays written by students are more often than not, dry, dull, and formulaic. I’m here to tell you, it’s not our students’ fault. The writing units most teachers follow to teach argument essays are dry, dull, and formulaic.

Common core standards require that teachers prioritize the core concepts of argument writing such as the writing process, thesis statement, claim statement, reasoning, evidence, and the annotated bibliography. Teachers have to use a step-by-step process because students need these foundations.

In all the years I’ve been an English teacher I have found that writing surpasses expectations when students have a purpose for writing and are given permission to write with voice and passion about high-interest topics.

In a highly engaged English classroom argument essay writing is forgotten. Making a positive change and real-life application are infused into the lesson plan when students begin to care. Argumentative writing units can become opportunities for learning about current events, participating in discussions about issues students face in their daily lives, and making an impact in the community. If you are interested in a unit that prioritize these things then check out blog post about The Absolute Best Way to Start an Argumentative Writing Unit .

One of the best ways to help students discover their passion, voice, and purpose is through highly engaging mentor texts. In this blog post I have put together a variety of mentor texts or persuasive pieces about topics I believe students need to know about and that they have strong opinions about. These topics range from how to cope with death to the spread of misinformation about ADHD on TikTok. English teachers have the power to help students develop their background knowledge about societal issues and think critically about how to approach them. In addition to each mentor text, I’ve also included skills you could teach with the mentor text and discussion questions. Teachers can read the article(s) aloud and have students form small groups to discuss the questions. If students are comfortable sharing their own opinion to the whole class. Check out this blog post with 15 Ways to Engage Students in Meaningful Discussions .

Please note, each mentor text article should be vetted based on the maturity level of your students and their reading levels. Some of the articles may be above the reading level of middle school students. For this reason, I recommend reading the entire mentor text aloud on a separate day before using it to teach a writing skill. You might also consider utilize a graphic organizer for writing definitions for key vocabulary within the articles. There are many different ways you can use these mentor texts in your class, feel free to get creative! You might even do a jigsaw activity where small groups read different articles and summarize them to their group members.

1. What to Say When You Meet the Angel of Death at a Party

Loss is a taboo topic in schools and it shouldn’t be because eventually everyone experiences loss in their lives. When a student or teacher experiences loss, the pain radiates out into the community. Most who aren’t directly connected to the person who died, don’t know what to say or how to help. This article is written by a woman who faces death every day because she is living with stage IV cancer. She writes truthfully about her experiences being so close to death. She describes how people around her become uncomfortable when confronted with their mortality because of her cancer diagnosis.

“To so many people, I am no longer just myself. I am a reminder of a thought that is difficult for the rational brain to accept: that the elements that constitute our bodies might fail at any moment. When I originally got my diagnosis at age 35, all I could think to say was, ‘But I have a son.’ It was the best argument I had. I can’t end. This world can’t end. It had just begun.”

Although, the article may be too mature for some students, it’s still a high quality, high interest piece of argumentation. The author is making suggestions to people about what not to say to someone experiencing loss. It can be utilized to teach students that arguing a point doesn’t have to be formulaic or lacking in narrative. This article provides an opportunity for students to discuss this fairly taboo topic and also learn the important skill of writing with voice while weaving in a narrative. Here are some other ways you can utilize this article:

Writing Skills

• Point of View
• Narrative Writing
• Figurative Language
• Writing Style

Reflection/Discussion Questions

• What do you think the author means with this figurative language? “A tragedy is like a fault line. A life is split into a before and an after, and most of the time, the before was better.”
• What is the author suggesting we say when we meet the angel of death at a party?
• What is the point the author is trying to make? What’s her claim?
• What do you think the author means by this? “Some people give you their heartbreak like a gift”

2. The Myth of the Normal Brain: Embracing Neurodiversity

Students deserve to know that labels such as dyslexia, ADHD, and autism are being reevaluated. For a long time these terms have been associated with negative and deficit based ideas. This persuasive text makes the important point that people with mental “disorders” such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, down syndrome, and other diagnosis have been found to have strengths and gifts associated with the “disorder”. The author argues that these mental differences may have actually been selected over time through evolution because they benefited humankind over many thousands of years!

• Compare and contrast (in the intro)
• Bibliography
• Counter argument

Discussion Questions

• What are some examples of evolutionary advantages that humans have developed?
• Do you think the term “disorder” when describing ADHD, OCD, or autism needs to be changed, why or why not?
• How might labels for mental health conditions be helpful, how might they be hurtful?
• “There is no normal flower or culture. Similarly, we ought to accept the fact that there is no normal brain or mind.” Do you agree or disagree with these statements?

3. Misleading videos about ADHD are being widely disseminated on TikTok, study finds

Did you know that #adhd is the seventh most popular hashtag on TikTok? This article presents a study done to find out if this rise in popularity and information about ADHD on the social media platform may be causing the spread of misinformation as well. The findings were that 52% of the TikTok videos were misleading! This article is an excellent one to analyze the argumentation skills listed below and teach students about misinformation on the internet.

• Summarizing (the research study)
• Embedding Quotes
• Identifying the Claim (the spread of misinformation about ADHD is pervasive on social media platforms like TikTok)
• Organizational Structure (summary of study and interview)
• “Most of these misleading videos oversimplified ADHD, recommended incorrect treatments, or wrongly attributed symptoms of other psychiatric disorders as being a symptom ADHD.” Have you seen videos like the ones described in this quote on social media?
• What consequences do you think the spread of misinformation has?
• What consequences do you think hitting the like button on a piece of content that spreads misinformation has?
• This quote below describes advertisements on TikTok attempting to get kids to self-diagnose with ADHD using oversimplified symptoms such as being too chatty. The goal? To make money.“There has recently been serious concerns raised in the media about predatory advertisements about ADHD on TikTok, made by for-profit telehealth companies. Some of these advertisements were pulled from TikTok, and we do not have access or a way to search for these videos.” What other companies or advertisements have you seen that seem to target and make a profit from children?

4. The Climate Book: Greta Thunberg’s ‘impassioned anthology’ on climate change

Greta Thunberg, who has autism, was only around 11 when she started speaking up about climate change. Now she’s one of the leading advocates for taking action now to stop the climate change crisis. This article is a summary of her newest book (she’s written many!), The Climate Book. I haven’t read Greta Thunberg’s new book (yet) but after reading this article I can tell the book is a stellar example of argumentative writing at its finest. The article paints a bleak picture so make sure to read it first before reading it with students. Some students may be very sensitive about these scary topics related to our planet becoming uninhabitable eventually. You may even allow students to opt out of the lesson and do an alternative activity.

• Rhetoric (specifically ethos because of all the experts featured in the book)
• Embedding quotes (from the book and interviews)
• Summarizing (the book)
• Citing other articles
• Are there any issues you feel passionate enough about to lead a school strike?
• Why do you think it might be challenging for kids to speak up about issues that society faces and that they care about?
• What support do you think a kid would need to speak out, organize a strike, publish a book, or give a speech about an issue?

5. Drug Education Curriculum Moves Beyond ‘Just Say No’ to Teach Harm Reduction

• Informative vs. Argumentative Writing
• Summarizing (the new curriculum)
• Quoting a Text (the curriculum)
• Do you believe just say no or harm reduction should be taught to students? Why?
• The article discusses some of the critical thinking skills taught in this new curriculum. Do you ever ask these questions about the websites and articles you find online? Such as, does the author have an agenda? If you have, what kind of “agendas” do you think authors online might have?
• What skills do you believe would be most helpful for students when navigating the issue of drugs in their every day lives?

6. Don’t Ban ChatGPT in Schools. Teach With It.

I can’t have a collection of controversial articles without including an article on the topic of ChatGPT. If you are a regular reader of this blog or listener to the podcast, you know how I feel about ChatGPT: this tool will change teaching…for the better. In fact, that’s the claim of the article above. Yep, I’m definitely biased on the topic of ChatGPT. You may be too, it is a controversial topic and controversial topics have extreme sides. So, I’d recommend pairing this article with one that has a claim for the other side: ChatGPT is not a tool for learning. It must be banned in class. After reading each article students can write why they side with one argument or the other, or have an entirely different view.

• Counterargument
• Engaging title
• Where do you stand on the issue of using ChatGPT in schools?
• In what ways could ChatGPT be harmful in schools?
• In what ways could ChatGPT be helpful in schools?
• How might ChatGPT be used to improve student writing?

7. Schools Say No to Cell Phones in Class But Is It a Smart Move?

This is a lengthy article detailing the ins and outs of why banning cell phones in school doesn’t work very well. It’s informative and includes many reasons for why banning cell phones is problematic. It’s very convincing and analyzing why would really help students understand how to argue their point in convincing ways too. It could also be really beneficial for students to read an article arguing the opposing point. This article, Should cell phones be banned in American classrooms? includes a study that showed kids in schools that banned cell phones had better test scores.

• Once Sentence Emphasis
• Do you believe cell phones should be banned in schools? Why or why not?
• After reading both articles, which school would you feel more calm in? A school that banned cell phones or a school that did not?
• “They are feeding an addiction and stunting students’ development of face-to-face communication skills”. Do you believe cell phones do these things? Why or why not?

8. Are Video Games Really Addictive?

This article discusses the ins and outs of the argument that video games are addictive. The author’s claim is that they are not. It’s very convincing because of statistics like this: “But video game-playing is rarely addictive. That makes it a very different animal from, say, gambling or binge eating. Experts estimate that problematic play is  exhibited  by 0.5% of the general population and less than 1.0% of adult gamers.” The article is another excellent example of argumentation about a highly engaging topic for students!

• Anecdote Hook
• Counterarguments
• Asking Questions
• What is the author’s claim and reasoning to support that claim? Identify these parts of the article.
• Why do you think video games are so appealing? Does everyone like them?

Teaching argumentative writing can get dry and dull fast resulting in decreased engagement. Utilizing well-written mentor texts about critical high interest topics is a great way to teach your entire argumentative essay unit while also engaging students in real conversations, critical thinking, and close reading.

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Argumentative Writing Unit

Writing prompts, lesson plans, webinars, mentor texts and a culminating contest, all to inspire your students to tell us what matters to them.

By The Learning Network

Unit Overview

On our site, we’ve been offering teenagers ways to tell the world what they think for over 20 years. Our student writing prompt forums encourage them to weigh in on current events and issues daily, while our contests have offered an annual outlet since 2014 for formalizing those opinions into evidence-based essays.

In this unit, we’re bringing together all the resources we’ve developed along the way to help students figure out what they want to say, and how to say it effectively.

Here is what this unit offers, but we would love to hear from both teachers and students if there is more we could include. Let us know in the comments, or by writing to [email protected].

Start With Our Prompts for Argumentative Writing

How young is too young to use social media? Should students get mental health days off from school? Is $1 billion too much money for any one person to have?

These are the kinds of questions we ask every day on our site. In 2017 we published a list of 401 Prompts for Argumentative Writing categorized to provoke thinking on aspects of contemporary life from social media to sports, politics, gender issues and school. In 2021, we followed it up with 300 Questions and Images to Inspire Argument Writing , which catalogs all our argument-focused Student Opinion prompts since then, plus our more accessible Picture Prompts.

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33 Mentor Texts for Opinion Writing

Show kids how powerful sharing ideas in writing can be.

In today’s world, we want our teaching to inspire students to be forward thinkers and changemakers. Teaching them how to share their opinions in writing is a key ingredient. Let’s get kids making signs and writing letters, lists, reviews, essays, blog posts, and speeches! Check out some of our favorite opinion-writing mentor texts to bring this important genre to life for kids. We’ve got plenty of picture books for the younger set, and titles to help older kids make the leap to persuasive writing backed by researched facts.

(Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves!)

1. We Disagree by Bethanie Deeney Murguia

A mouse and a squirrel think differently about, well, everything. Can they ever be friends? This is such a cute title for introducing kids to what it means to share an opinion, and it could lead to plenty of writing prompts to open an opinion-writing unit.

Buy it: We Disagree on Amazon

2. I Love Insects by Lizzy Rockwell

This early reader should definitely be in your primary classroom collection of opinion-writing mentor texts to help introduce the genre. Do you love insects? Two kids give competing reasons for why and why not. Read it aloud and head straight into shared writing of a list of pros and cons.

Buy it: I Love Insects on Amazon

3. Usha and the Big Digger by Amitha Jagannath Knight

To introduce kids to opinion writing, you need opinion-writing mentor texts to teach them what “opinions” are—and Usha, Aarti, and Gloria have them in this book! They each see something different when they look at the stars. This book could lead to a great introduction activity in which students try to convince each other that they see the Big Dipper, a “Big Digger,” a “Big Kite …” or something else. (Hint: It’s all in your perspective!)

Buy it: Usha and the Big Digger on Amazon

 4. Don’t Feed the Bear by Kathleen Doherty

When a park ranger puts up a “Don’t Feed the Bear” reminder, he has no idea about the persuasive sign-writing battle he’ll set in motion. (Strategic language includes “Please feed the ranger rotten eggs and slimy spinach.”) Share this hilarious title to introduce students to using signs to influence others’ thinking.

Buy it: Don’t Feed the Bear on Amazon

5. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems

Let a favorite character guide young students in the art of persuasion. The bus driver does not want Pigeon in the driver’s seat, but the well-known bird builds an emotional and unrelenting case.

Buy it: Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! on Amazon

6. Our Favorite Day of the Year by A.E. Ali

We adore sharing this book with young students to open inclusive conversations about favorite holidays and traditions. Each student in Musa’s class shares about their favorite day of the year, from Eid Al-Fitr to Pi Day. Use this book to prompt kids to write their own opinion pieces about their favorite days, and to model how reasoning, information, and anecdotes can support one’s opinion.

Buy it: Our Favorite Day of the Year on Amazon

7. Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea by Meena Harris

This true story from Kamala Harris’ childhood details how she and her sister wrote letters to their landlord until he agreed to let them build a playground in their apartment complex courtyard. Get kids excited about how their opinion writing could create real change!

Buy it: Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea on Amazon

8. If I Were President by Trygve Skaug

A young boy talks at length about what he’d do differently if he ran the country. Maybe cars could run on legs instead of gasoline, and “playing” should be a subject taught in school. Share this with kids who need more ideas for opinion-writing topics!

Buy it: If I Were President on Amazon

9. The Little Book of Little Activists by Penguin Young Readers

Introduce young students to the idea of activism and its connection to opinion writing. This inspiring photo essay includes examples of kids’ opinions about real-life causes and many written signs.

Buy it: The Little Book of Activists on Amazon

10. The Big Bed by Bunmi Laditan

This protagonist is a toddler on a mission—a mission to kick her dad out of her parents’ bed so she can sleep with her mom. Use this little girl’s precocious modeling to show students how to polish their own opinion writing by adding visual supports.

Buy it: The Big Bed on Amazon

11. The Perfect Pet by Margie Palatini

Elizabeth crafts a plan to convince her parents to let her have a pet, with unexpected—but pleasing—results. This is our favorite opinion-writing mentor text for introducing kids to win-win solutions and encouraging them to suggest them in their own opinion writing.

Buy it: The Perfect Pet on Amazon

12. & 13. Can I Be Your Dog? and I Found a Kitty! by Troy Cummings

First, read a collection of persuasive letters from a lonely dog seeking an owner that’s a twist on kids’ pet requests. Each letter is tailored to a specific audience, with Arfy promising to lick things clean, protect, and deliver endless affection.

In the sequel, Arfy uses his persuasive skills to help someone else, a lovable stray kitten. Notice with students how he once again shapes his reasoning for each recipient—and how he doesn’t give up until he’s successful!

Buy it: Can I Be Your Dog? on Amazon

Buy it: I Found a Kitty! on Amazon

14. True You: A Gender Journey by Gwen Agna and Shelley Rotner

This delightful and important title stars real kids with a full range of gender identities. Each child introduces themselves in a speech bubble that shares their opinion about gender identity. Use this title to model talking to the reader using strong, direct language.

Buy it: True You: A Gender Journey on Amazon

15. Stella Writes an Opinion by Janiel Wagstaff

Sometimes you want perfectly straightforward opinion-writing mentor texts that match right up with your teaching goals. Stella thinks second graders should be able to have a morning snack time. She sets out to write about her opinion, state her reasons, and ends with a compelling summation.

Buy it: Stella Writes an Opinion on Amazon

16. I Wanna New Room by Karen Kaufman Orloff

After his successful angling for a pet in I Wanna Iguana , Alex tries using note-writing to broach his next request: a room of his own, away from his pesky younger brother. The parent-child communication includes plenty of examples of making and responding to counterarguments.

Buy it: I Wanna New Room on Amazon

17. Be Glad Your Dad … Is Not an Octopus! by Matthew Logelin and Sara Jensen

This author’s opinion is that you should appreciate your dad for who he is. He makes his case with plenty of arguments grounded in facts—facts that show that if your dad were an animal, he could be even more gross, embarrassing, or annoying!

Buy it: Be Glad Your Dad … Is Not an Octopus! on Amazon

18. Earrings! by Judith Viorst

A young girl desperately wants her ears pierced, but her parents respond to her begging with a firm no. Ask students to evaluate the merits of her various arguments. Which are strong? Which are just whiny?

Buy it: Earrings! on Amazon

19. Pick a Picture, Write an Opinion! by Kristen McCurry

If you’re looking for opinion-writing mentor texts that lay it all out there explicitly, you’ll appreciate this resource. Engaging, diverse photos and topics, a kid-friendly tone, and explicit advice make this a helpful primer to accompany more conventional mentor texts.

Buy it: Pick a Picture, Write an Opinion! on Amazon

20. I Hate My Cats (A Love Story) by Davide Cali

This narrator has plenty of reasons to dislike his self-centered cats, which he outlines in specific detail. Use this title as an example of a multi-pronged argument. (Plus, show that sometimes, opinion writing actually leads us to change our own minds. By the end, the owner realizes he actually loves his pets, quirks and all.)

Buy it: I Hate My Cats (A Love Story) on Amazon

21. I Can Be Anything! Don’t Tell Me I Can’t by Diane Dillon

Zoe makes big plans for her future, from being an archaeologist to a veterinarian. She quiets self-doubt with confident arguments. Aside from sharing this title’s lovely, affirming message, use it to teach kids to anticipate tough questions and head them off convincingly in their opinion writing.

Buy it: I Can Be Anything! Don’t Tell Me I Can’t on Amazon

22. Rise Up and Write It by Nandini Ahuja

Farah Patel works to convince her local government to improve a vacant lot to benefit her community. Great realistic examples of using letters and signs to inspire change!

Buy it: Rise Up and Write It on Amazon

23. The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt

These disgruntled but endearing crayons have opinions, and they aren’t shy about making them known in this read-aloud favorite. Check out this free downloadable educator guide from the publisher for persuasive letter-writing curriculum connections.

Buy it: The Day the Crayons Quit on Amazon

24. Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist by Jess Keating

The best opinion writing springs from genuine conviction. Eugenie Clark believed sharks were fascinating and  that women could be accomplished scientists who study them. Use this title to help students generate their own passion-fueled topics about which to write.

Buy it: Shark Lady on Amazon

25. What Can a Citizen Do? by Dave Eggers

Share this title for its inspiring message about the power of one citizen to evoke positive change through spoken words, writing, and action. Also consider it as an example of how words and art interact in opinion writing; the illustrations and text work together here to advance the book’s message.

Buy it: What Can a Citizen Do? on Amazon?

26. Dr. Coo and the Pigeon Protest by Sarah Hampson

Dr. Archibald Coo believes that pigeons don’t deserve their reputation as avian pests. He outlines a plan to change the minds of his city neighbors. Part of his approach is to send a persuasive letter to the mayor, suggesting creative, mutually beneficial agreements—a great example for student writers aiming to change the minds of authority figures.

Buy it: Dr. Coo and the Pigeon Protest on Amazon

27. The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry

The animals in this classic read-aloud give a range of reasons their home shouldn’t be chopped down. Use them as examples of how to vary sentence structures and formats when listing arguments and how to use specific details to strengthen reasoning.

Buy it: The Great Kapok Tree on Amazon

28. Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson

This fictional account of the Birmingham Children’s Crusade, told from the point of view of a young participant, is a classroom must-read. It exemplifies how children’s actions can make a difference in an adult world and how powerful language strengthens a written message.

Buy it: Let the Children March on Amazon

29. No Voice Too Small: Fourteen Young Americans Making History edited by Lindsay H. Metcalf, Keila V. Dawson, and Jeanette Bradley

This powerful title introduces inspiring and diverse young activists’ causes using original poems by notable authors. Show kids that impactful opinion writing can take many forms.

Buy it: No Voice Too Small on Amazon

30. The Week Junior magazine “Big Debate” feature

The Week Junior is one of our absolute favorite magazines for the classroom , and its “Big Debate” section is a main reason for that. Each issue examines both sides of an interesting topic, from whether we should eat Maine lobster, to if space exploration is worth the huge cost, to whether or not kids’ screen time should be restricted. Have kids study examples to get tips for their own opinion writing, and maybe even create their own “Big Debate.”

Buy it: The Week Junior

31. Planet Ocean: Why We All Need a Healthy Ocean by Patricia Newman

This is a fantastic resource for upper elementary and middle school classrooms moving from opinion writing to research-based persuasive writing. This mind-boggling look at the impact of trash on our oceans gives kids so many models for sharing one’s opinions, experiences, and knowledge to spark change. Embedded QR codes take readers straight to awesome examples of persuasive speeches and other cool resources that support the author’s message.

Buy it: Planet Ocean: Why We All Need a Healthy Ocean on Amazon

32. We Are Still Here! Native American Truths Everyone Should Know by Traci Sorell

A classroom prepares to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day with research projects that convey a clear message: Native Nations are still here! Besides being critical content for kids, this is a great example of how to use researched facts to support one’s opinion.

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33. Marley Dias Gets It Done and So Can You! by Marley Dias

Every middle school student should meet Marley Dias through this powerful account of her #1000blackgirlbooks campaign. It boasts plenty of practical advice for young activists. Pull text excerpts for mini-lessons about tailoring opinion writing to your audience. Marley writes straight to her peers.

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Excited to share these opinion-writing mentor texts? Also check out our favorite mentor texts for procedural and narrative writing.

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40 Best Mentor Texts for Narrative Writing in Elementary School

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Five must-read mentor texts for teaching persuasive writing.

Are you ready for your students to write persuasive essays with ease? Teaching persuasive writing is such an important skill for elementary students. It can be used in so many different situations, from getting a new toy to convincing your parents to let you stay up late. In order to help your students become better persuasive writers, it is important to expose them to good books that model the techniques of persuasive writing. Let's take a look at 5 must-read books for elementary students who are working on persuasive writing skills. These books will give students the tools they need to master the art of persuasion. Your students will learn how to craft an argument, back up their points with evidence, and appeal to their readers' emotions.

One Word from Sophia by Jim Averbeck and Yasmeen Ismail

“One Word from Sophia” is a wonderful text to share with students as you are teaching persuasive writing because Sophia is very convincing. She tries to convince her mother, father, Uncle Conrad, and Grand-mama that she should have a giraffe. Sophia presents convincing arguments that are trying to persuade her family without being argumentative.

This mentor text gives the opportunity to discuss the difference between persuasive and opinion writing. The major difference between persuasive and opinion writing is that persuasive writing is based on facts, while opinion writing is based on personal beliefs. In persuasive writing, the writer presents evidence to support their argument, while in opinion writing, the writer simply shares their thoughts and feelings. Sharing the story of Sophia is a great way to help students recognize the power of persuasive writing.

Earrings by Judith Viorst

The narrator in “Earrings” considers WHY her parents always say no to getting her ears pierced before she forms her arguments. This is a great way to discuss how persuasive writers should consider both sides of the argument before developing their own persuasive reasons.

One way to strengthen a persuasive argument is to anticipate and address potential objections. By addressing objections, the writer can show that they have considered all possible angles and that their argument is well-thought-out.

The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry

As you read “The Great Kapok Tree” you can discuss how each animal has a clear reason that the Great Kapok tree should not be cut down. The animals have clear reasons that they give with support and evidence. This can help students realize how they must organize their own ideas so that their point of view is clear and so that their arguments are focused.

Having a clear and focused argument that is persuasive to readers:

• Helps you anticipate and address objections
• Makes your argument well-thought-out

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive The Bus by Mo Willems

The pigeon is quite demanding in “Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus” and the way that the author uses capital letters give the reader the impression that the pigeon is even screaming at times. This can help students realize that the tone of their writing matters! When writing persuasive essays , students must consider the tone and mood that come across in their writing…and try not to be quite as demanding in their reasoning as the pigeon!

When you consider the tone in your persuasive writing:

• It helps you sound persuasive and in control
• Shows your readers that you've considered their objections
• Makes your argument look well-thought-out
• Comes across as a strong and credible writer

Hey Little Ant by Phillip and Hannah Hoose

“Hey, Little Ant” is a great book that shows how to persuade with kindness and compassion while truly trying to consider the other side of the argument and that person or group's feelings. It is a funny and thought-provoking book that will keep your students thinking about their own persuasive arguments.

When you're trying to persuade someone, you're trying to convince them that your opinion is the right one. You want them to see things the way that you do, and agree with your point of view. Persuasive writing can be a very powerful tool because it can change people's minds and opinions. When you're able to persuade someone successfully, you know that you've considered each side of the argument and the objections and you've earned their trust as a credible source.

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Using Mentor Texts to Learn From the Best and Improve Students’ Writing

Truth be told, there are very few phrases my [ speaking as  post co-author  Sean ] high school teachers used during instruction that I remember to this day. Ironically, if taken at face value, the phrase I do still remember promotes outright thievery.

My high school journalism teacher Jack Kennedy told us:  “If you are going to steal, steal from the best.”  Of course, he was not advocating larceny. In the context of teaching us how to write, he also was not teaching us to plagiarize. He was emphasizing that learning techniques and approaches from other writers’ work, and using what you learn in your own writing, is a good thing. He taught us to read the best writers for this purpose, and we devoured articles from  Sports Illustrated ,  Time , and  Rolling Stone  and talked about them in class.

Most teachers are not going to be able to bring in the most accomplished writers, such as journalist  Malcom Gladwell  or novelist  Courtney Summers , for mentoring sessions with their students. However, teachers can do the next best thing by using mentor texts as part of their writing instruction. These texts also can be used to help children and teens become better writers at home.

What Are Mentor Texts?

Those articles we read and discussed in Kennedy’s class were  mentor texts . Mentor texts are written pieces that serve as an example of good writing for student writers. The texts are read for the purpose of studying the  author’s craft , or the way the author uses words and structures the writing. The goal is to provide students a model they could emulate in crafting their own piece. Essays, passages, articles, chapters, or full books could all serve as mentor texts. So too could a letter, email, film script, or comic strip, depending on the context under which the mentor text is being used.

What Constitutes a Good Mentor Text?

A good mentor text will be something student writers can read (individually or as a group), identify techniques and approaches used by the writer, discuss and understand why those approaches were effective, and integrate what they learned from this process into their own writing. A mentor text will  show , not just tell, students how to write well, and allow them to envision the kind of writer they can be as they develop their skills (Dorfman & Cappelli, 2017).

Three Qualities of a Good Mentor Text

• You (the educator) think it is good.  If you will be reading the mentor text aloud with students or assigning them to read it, choose something  you  consider to exemplify good writing. Do not pick a piece or a writer just because his or her work has a reputation for being good. If you are indifferent about the piece, it will be difficult to authentically teach students to emulate the writing.
• It is understandable for your students.  Although it is an added bonus if a mentor text is about a topic that is of interest to students, fundamentally, students must be able to comprehend the piece. This does not mean to avoid all challenging texts. You can go over difficult vocabulary with students prior to having them read the mentor text independently or in a group. That way, they will not get frustrated when they reach those challenging words (Gil, 2017).
• It is relevant to what you are teaching.  If you are teaching a unit on writing persuasive essays, do not choose a hilarious parody article. If you are teaching students how to write a lead or introductory paragraph, make sure you include the beginning of the piece, not a beautifully composed conclusion from a long research paper. If you want students to identify and implement several writing techniques into their own writing, choose a text where the writer did multiple things well.

In addition to textbook passages and texts that are part of your specific literacy curriculum, mentor texts can be found from a variety of other sources.

Potential Sources of Mentor Texts

• “In the wild”:  You may encounter or already know of excellent mentor texts without even trying. Perhaps you subscribe to a literary magazine that had an article last month with incredible use of metaphors and similes. Or, maybe you frequently think back to reading the journalistic profile of an actor that had great use of direct quotes. When you encounter good examples of authors’ craft, print them out, email them to yourself, or bookmark them on your computer. You can never have too many mentor texts in your toolbox for a future writing lesson.
• Students’ peers:  Student writers may be more likely to connect to a mentor text written by someone close to them in age or writing experience. They also may have greater confidence in their abilities to implement in their own writing the techniques that a peer used, as opposed to emulating a more experienced professional writer. For example, if you have a unit on narrative poetry coming up, you might recall reading a narrative poem in the magazine just published by your high school’s poetry club that contained captivating character development. You may know that the local university’s arts and culture magazine always has strong student-written reviews that would work great for your lesson on how to write a movie review. Go to student publications and see what you can find.
• Go straight for the best:  Teach using mentor texts that won prestigious prizes like the  Pulitzer Prize  for journalism or fiction, or  The Masters Review  short story award. This can also be a way to find outstanding mentor texts by students’ peers, such as winners from the  Paul Engle High School Essay Contest.  As mentioned previously, make sure to select something  you  actually think is well written, not just because it won a prize.

Teaching With Mentor Texts

Once you have identified mentor texts that you want to use, your students can gain the most from them with some instruction. Research findings indicate that using mentor texts as part of comprehensive writing instruction can result in students improving as writers. A large-scale statistical review (meta-analysis) resulting in the recommendation of 11 key elements of effective adolescent writing instruction included teaching students to analyze and emulate mentor texts (referred to in the report as  models ; Graham & Perin, 2007).

An action research project suggested that picture books might be useful as mentor texts for struggling writers (Premont, Young, Wilcox, Dean, & Morrison, 2017). The teacher read the mentor texts aloud, followed by a class discussion. Students then considered the writing traits explored in the picture books when writing their own personal narrative. The student writers’ improved their sentence fluency, word choice, and writing conventions such as punctuation. Picture books may not be the best choice for every class or specific lesson, but they may work well as a change-of-pace alternative, as long as they have sufficient text to work with.

The authors of a descriptive study wrote that mentor texts also might have application for teaching overall structure and necessary contents for subject-specific writing (Pytash, Edmondson, & Tait, 2014). A teacher would read aloud a white paper in a high school economics class and highlight the techniques and vocabulary used by the author. Students then worked in groups to analyze the text further before writing their own economics papers. An analysis of their writing and comments made in interviews seemed to suggest that reading the mentor text provided students’ knowledge of how to structure their own papers, how to effectively use transitional words, the need to include evidence for their claims, and the need to recognize bias in their own writing and the writing of others.

A study with younger students ages 7-11 found that their quality of writing improved from pretest to posttest when teachers taught with mentor texts (Corden, 2007). Over the course of a school year, teachers used mentor texts as models of particular narrative forms and writing styles during daily instruction. They read aloud the texts to the class, focusing on structural or stylistic features. This was followed by a shared writing of sentences or paragraphs using techniques identified in the mentor texts. Then, students further investigated the mentor texts in small groups. Students followed all this by transferring ideas and devices learned into their author notebooks during weekly independent work. The resulting students’ writing showed significant progress in structure and style. Although students were not compared to a group of peers who were not receiving the mentor text instruction, the authors noted that the average improvement of students in the project exceeded the expected rate of normal writing progress over the course of a school year. The techniques discussed in the mentor texts were evident in the students’ writing.

Overview of Steps for Teaching Writing Using Mentor Texts

• Directly teach students what they should recognize in a piece of mentor text.  For example, if students are unfamiliar with figurative language, it will be difficult for them to recognize it or label its properties in a text. No matter how good the piece of writing might be, knowing what makes it so compelling is not necessarily intuitive for student writers. Authentic writing used as mentor text likely does not come with a set of directions pointing out what the author has done or what the particular technique is called. You will need to introduce that element of author’s craft first by defining it and giving easily understood or simple examples before asking students to apply that knowledge in studying a mentor text.
• Have students read the mentor text.  Depending on the age of the students and their familiarity with reading to identify a particular type of author’s craft, you may want to read the mentor text aloud to them. Reading in small groups or reading individually are also options. As students become familiar with recognizing one or more elements of writing, you can transition from reading aloud to having students read the mentor text individually.
• Engage in a discussion about the text by asking questions.  Though opinions on the mentor text’s topic should not be the focus of the discussion, it is important to establish that students understand what the text is about (Gil, 2017). Next, move to the crux of the discussion by asking students about the technique or approach used by the writer. Initially, you will need to model for students how you identify in the text the element of language or structure that you are teaching them. Think aloud to describe for students what makes the author’s craft stand out to you. As students become familiar with analyzing a mentor text, ask them to identify where and how the technique(s) they are learning were used in the text and why the writer was effective at using the technique. The discussion is a time to slow down and focus on individual words, sentences, and paragraphs and how these convey meaning to the reader (Dorfman & Cappelli, 2017). Talk about writing decisions that the writer made, section-by-section, and why certain words and phrases were used to make points (Pytash & Morgan, 2014).
• Time for students to write using what they learned from the mentor text.  If possible, have students begin writing existing or new pieces right away, with a focus on emulating the techniques and approaches of the mentor text writer. This too will need to be modeled for students first. Think aloud as you demonstrate for students how you adapt an example from the mentor text to incorporate that craft into your own writing. With guidance and practice, students should be able to take what they learned, using their own writer’s voice, and tell the story they want to tell. As they write, help students revisit and reflect on their conclusions about what the writer did well in the mentor text.
• Assess the students’ writing and provide feedback.  What level of success did students have in using the writing techniques and approaches of the mentor text writer in their own writing? Provide specific praise and constructive feedback. Ask for revisions where opportunities for improved use of the techniques and approaches exist. Peers can also provide feedback in a writer’s workshop or small-group setting, depending on the students’ ability level and prior experience providing peer feedback.

Using the “Improve Your Writing Using Mentor Texts” organizer (see Supplemental Materials for Teachers and Families below), students can read and respond to a mentor text as a class, in small groups, or as individuals.

By finding and using excellent mentor texts as part of writing instruction in the classroom or at home, you can help students progress from “stealing” from the best to learning to “read as writers.” This involves reading with a sharp eye for writing techniques and approaches that they can use to become multi-skilled writers like those successful scribes they wish to emulate.

Supplemental Materials for Teachers and Families

Improve Your Writing Using Mentor Texts

This organizer can be used in a group or individual setting to guide thinking and discussion about a mentor text, and how students can identify techniques and approaches used by the writer to improve their own writing.

Corden, R. (2007). Developing reading-writing connections: The impact of explicit instruction of literary devices on the quality of children’s narrative writing.  Journal of Research in Childhood Education ,  21 , 269-289. doi:10.1080/02568540709594594

Dorfman, L. R., & Cappelli, R. (2017).  Mentor texts: Teaching writing through children’s literature, K-6  (2nd ed.). Stenhouse Publishers.

Gil, C. (2017, June 1). 8 Tips for Teaching With Mentor Texts.  Edutopia . Retrieved from  https://www.edutopia.org/blog/8-tips-teaching-mentor-texts-christina-gil

Graham, S., & Perin, D. (2007).  Writing Next: Effective Strategies to Improve Writing of Adolescents in Middle and High Schools . Retrieved from Carnegie Corporation of New York website:  https://www.carnegie.org/media/filer_public/3c/f5/3cf58727-34f4-4140-a014-723a00ac56f7/ccny_report_2007_writing.pdf

Premont, D. W., Young, T. A., Wilcox, B., Dean, D., & Morrison, T. G. (2017). Picture books as mentor texts for 10th grade struggling writers.  Literacy Research and Instruction ,  4 , 290-310. doi:10.1080/19388071.2017.1338803

Pytash, K. E., Edmondson, E., & Tait, A. (2014). Using mentor texts for writing instruction in high school economics class.  Social Studies Research and Practice ,  9 (1), 95-106. Retrieved from  http://www.socstrpr.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/MS-6543-Paytesh.pdf

Pytash, K. E., & Morgan, D. N. (2014). Using mentor texts to teach writing in science and social studies.  The Reading Teacher ,  68 , 93-102. doi:10.1002/trtr.1276

Disciplinary Literacy Tools Structure a Process for Inquiry and Argument Writing

The mentor text tool, analyze sample writing.

Use the “Mentor Text” tool to analyze how other people write arguments.

Mentor Texts offer students examples of disciplinary argument writing. The example in each investigation is a model of the type of writing the investigation calls for, but the topic and focus are different from the investigation’s topic and focus. This offers students an opportunity to review and consider the overall structure of the writing, but does not bias them toward any particular claim in their own writing. Students interact with Mentor Texts by identifying the features of argument writing and discussing how those features function or contribute to the quality of the argument.

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