Archive for the ‘BW products’ Category

Mechanics & Literature: March 2024

Brave Writer

March’s Dart, Arrow, and Boomerang shine light on the power of deep relationships. While exploring writing, mechanics, and literary devices, lean into the big, juicy conversations these stories will inspire!

And this month’s Quill is Pets, and we think you’ll agree it’s the purr-fect way to introduce new concepts to your kids. We’ll investigate wordplay and onomatopoeia, we’ll connect with nature, and play with vivid vocabulary!


Brave Writer Quill
Quill (ages 5-7)

Pets

Go off-leash with the March issue of the Quill!

In the Brave Writer Book Shop, you’ll find books about pets that we adore! These are not required (you can use any books about these topics that you have in your stacks or discover at your library), but we find it’s helpful to have a list to get you started.

In this Quill, we’ll:

  • make like terriers and sniff out some book themes;
  • expand vocabulary as we squirrel away pet names;
  • take our imaginations for a walk by designing a dream pet;
  • draw upon fine motor skills to decorate awesome animals;
  • conduct a count of marvelous marks; and
  • get carried a-weigh with pet weights!

Get the Quill.


Brave Writer Dart
Dart (ages 8-10)

Duet by Elise Broach

Embark on an adventure with Mirabelle, a young goldfinch, and Michael an eleven-year-old musical prodigy, as they work to solve a real-life musical mystery!

The literary device focuses on Lyrical Language. Join us for a closer look! 

Inside this Dart we’ll also:

  • make colorful comparisons;
  • collect commas in a series;
  • discover a double-dot punctuation mark, the colon;
  • scope out the jobs of a semicolon;
  • consider closed compounds;
  • meander through a magnificent description; and so much more! 

Purchase the book.

Get the Dart.


Brave Writer Arrow
Arrow (ages 11-12)

Peter Lee’s Notes from the Field by Angela Ahn

Eleven-year-old Peter Lee has one dream—to become a paleontologist. But that dream is put on hold when unforeseen circumstances turn his life upside down! Thankfully, Peter’s scientific savvy can help!

The literary device focuses on Journal Writing. Join us for a closer look! 

In this Arrow we’ll also: 

  • explore the power of alliterative adjectives;
  • illuminate interjections;
  • sleuth for syllables;
  • act out action beats;
  • consider quotation marks;
  • sidle up to symbolism,and so much more! 

Purchase the book.

Get the Arrow.


Brave Writer Boomerang
Boomerang (ages 13-14)

Romeo & Juliet (graphic novel) by Gareth Hinds

Gareth Hinds’s graphic adaptation of the Bard’s romantic tragedy will delight the most loyal of Shakespeare fans, and it will appeal to readers new to his work as well! 

In this Boomerang, we’ll:

  • tune our ears to rhyme and meter;
  • see how Shakespeare celebrated and satirized the sonnet;
  • wonder what’s in a name and an identity;
  • appreciate the art of abridged text;
  • look into literary foils;
  • charge into graphic novel actionpacing, and inference; and so much more! 

Purchase the book.

Get the Boomerang.


For ages 15-18, check out the Slingshot.


Brave Writer

Make Grammar Concepts Stick

Brave Writer Grammar

Home education is not about having it all figured out but rather about the process of discovery along the way.

Have you ever doubted your ability to teach any of the subjects to your kids? I felt that way about math. In fact, I felt like I was learning the subject as I was teaching it. (Psst: that’s allowed!!)

When I designed the Brave Writer® program, I kept in mind that the average educated adult didn’t remember anything about grammar. I was aware that most full grown adults with high school and college degrees couldn’t remember the rule for using a semicolon. I also understood that most native speakers have a pretty good sense of syntax—how to speak intelligibly with clear meaning and good grammar.

With this in mind, I asked myself a question: “What would it take for children and parents to learn grammar concepts, so that they stick and support powerful communication?”

Living Literature

That’s how I began our literature and grammar programs. I realized everyone needed to see spelling, punctuation, and grammar concepts in quality writing. So we use living literature to highlight how authors use language to pack a punch.

Then we created games and activities that help children not only explore those concepts, but play with them and master them. Once a child understands what a powerful verb is, that child can use powerful verbs in their own writing. They can’t get there if your focus is on filling out a worksheet. They need you to understand the role of a powerful verb in quality writing too.

Enter Brave Writer’s:

We cover it all! It counts and does the job for both you and your kids.

It’s okay not to know enough yet. We’ll help you get there!


Brave Writer

Mechanics & Literature: February 2024

Brave Writer

February’s Dart, Arrow, Boomerang, and Slingshot shine a light on the power of perseverance and self-determination. While exploring writing, mechanics, and literary devices, your family can glean inspiration from amazing individuals, some real, some imagined, as they knock down obstacles with a mix of intelligence, humor, charisma, and confidence.

This month’s Quill is Space: Planets, and we think you’ll agree that it’s out of this world! We’ll investigate infographics, master mapmaking, and ignite imaginations with interplanetary wordplay!


Brave Writer Quill
Quill (ages 5-7)

Space: Planets

This Quill is out of this world! 

In our Book Shop, you’ll find books about space that we adore! These are not required (you can use any books about these topics that you have at home or discover at your library), but we find it’s helpful to have a list to get you started.

In this issue, we’ll:

  • investigate infographics;
  • vroom our way through some playful planetary vocabulary;
  • design a delightfully fact-filled planet poster;
  • master mapmaking (and give our motor skills a marvelous workout);
  • squash some shapes to explore dimension; and
  • slice into the juicy topic of symmetry!

Get the Quill.


Brave Writer Dart
Dart (ages 8-10)

Ways to Grow Love by Renée Watson

Spend time with fifth-grader Ryan Hart as she navigates relatable childhood twists and turns in this joy-filled sequel to Ways to Make Sunshine. (Note: No need to read the first book before jumping into this novel, but if you want to, we have a Dart for that one too!)

This month’s literary device focuses on Rhyme

We’ll also:

  • zigzag our way through an exploration of action words;
  • wrestle a tricky possessive pronoun into its proper place;
  • festoon a horse with adjectives;
  • grow our understanding of a literary theme;
  • have a little fun with a lot;
  • enjoy a good time exploring rhyme; and so much more! 

Purchase the book.

Get the Dart.


Brave Writer Arrow
Arrow (ages 11-12)

Freewater by Amina Luqman-Dawson

When a young boy named Homer escapes enslavement from a southern plantation, he finds a wondrous new community, but before he can enjoy his new freedom, he must liberate his mother from the plantation he escaped.

February’s literary device is Juxtaposition.

We’ll also: 

  • discuss and explore conjunctions;
  • find out why figurative language flies high in writing;
  • admire the amazing abilities of alliteration;
  • try playing with present participles;
  • use symbolism to see the story in a new way; 
  • walk and talk with verbs, and so much more! 

Purchase the book.

Get the Arrow.


Brave Writer Boomerang
Boomerang (ages 13-14)

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

With eloquence and power, Woodson’s poetry relays her experiences growing up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s amid the civil rights movement.

In this issue, we’ll:

  • mull over memoir;
  • venerate verse;
  • explore what happens when we show instead of tell readers what is happening;
  • follow along easily with help from attributive tags;
  • certainly see superb sentence structure;
  • power through parallelism; and so much more!

Purchase the book.

Get the Boomerang.


Brave Writer Slingshot
Slingshot (ages 15-18)

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

Poet Maya Angelou’s debut memoir, the story of her childhood in the segregated south, is a modern American classic.

In this Slingshot, we’ll:

  • time travel to explore historical context;
  • mull over motivation;
  • partake of poetic prose and hyperbole;
  • associate images and ideas with allusions;
  • analyze autobiographies in the context of coming-of-age stories;
  • discuss denouement when we reach the end; and so much more!

A note about content: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings touches on mature themes of human experience. We encourage parents to read the book ahead of time in order to be prepared for deep conversations with your teens.

Purchase the book.

Get the Slingshot.


Brave Writer

Mechanics & Literature: January 2024

Brave Writer

January’s Dart, Arrow, and Boomerang selections are about characters who encounter adventures and challenges of different shapes and sizes. From heartwarming storylines to white-knuckle adventure, these page-turners are an entertaining way to explore:

  • writing,
  • mechanics,
  • and literary devices with the entire family!

Sow seeds of wonder and curiosity with this month’s QuillOn the Farm! Go on a hunt for noisy nouns, discover who’s who on a farm, and explore eggsellent egg activities with us!


Brave Writer Quill
Quill (ages 5-7)

On the Farm

Cultivate your young child’s curiosity with this month’s issue of the Quill!

In the Brave Writer Book Shop, you’ll find books about farmyard fun that we adore! These are not required (you can use any books about these topics that you have in your stacks or discover at your library), but we find it’s helpful to have a list to get you started.

In this Quill, we’ll:

  • notice a number of nifty nouns;
  • wonder whowhatwhywherewhen, and how;
  • interview an animal and practice some mooo-ter skills;
  • have an eggciting time with dotslines, and curves;
  • crow with glee over counting games;
  • and we’ll cock-a-doodle-do a bit of skip counting!

Get the Quill.


Brave Writer Dart
Dart (ages 8-10)

Just Beyond the Very Far North by Dan Bar-El

Enjoy an adventure with Duane the polar bear and his arctic friends in this charming sequel to The Very, Very Far North (Note: No need to read the first book before jumping into this Arctic adventure, but if you want to, we have a Dart for that one too!).

This month’s literary device focuses on Personification and Anthropomorphism. We’ll also:

  • tuck dialogue between quotation marks;
  • plop capital letters into place in proper nouns and sentence starters;
  • fall for figurative language;
  • ponder prepositions;
  • enjoy a bit of juxtapositioning;
  • discover characterization through dialogue; and so much more! 

Purchase the book.

Get the Dart.


Brave Writer Arrow
Arrow (ages 11-12)

Honestly Elliott by Gillian McDunn

Meet Elliott, a big-hearted kid, who is doing his best!

January’s literary device is First-Person Narration. We’ll also: 

  • use similes to make comparisons as smooth as butter;
  • sneak up on the superscripts that lead toward footnotes;
  • find out why figurative language is a writing superpower;
  • dish out dialogue punctuation;
  • sample sentences that are interrogative and declarative;
  • ponder pronouns; and so much more! 

Purchase the book.

Get the Arrow.


Brave Writer Boomerang
Boomerang (ages 13-14)

The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells

This Victorian classic is a touchstone in the science fiction canon—Martians and Mars, oh my!

In this Boomerangwe’ll:

  • ponder point of view
  • get inside editions
  • get behind the wheel of plot-driven versus character-driven stories;
  • situate this book in context
  • appreciate how science fiction can use realism;
  • discover descriptive writing; and so much more.

Purchase the book.

Get the Boomerang.


For ages 15-18, check out the Slingshot.


Brave Writer

Mechanics & Literature: December 2023

Brave Writer

December’s Dart, Arrow, Boomerang, and Slingshot selections are packed with awesome adventures. Literary allusions, historical context, plot twists, and resounding resolution await you as your family explores:

  • writing,
  • mechanics,
  • and literary devices.

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s this month’s QuillSuperheroes & Heroes! Spot bravery, ingenuity, and compassion in action! Collect sound effects and design superhero trading cards and capes with us!


Brave Writer Quill
Quill (ages 5-7)

Superheroes & Heroes

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s the December issue of the Quill!

In the Brave Writer Book Shop, you’ll find books about superheroes and heroes that we adore! These are not required (you can use any books about these topics that you have in your stacks or discover at your library), but we find it’s helpful to have a list to get you started.

In this Quill, we’ll:

  • make a ruckus with supersonic sound effects;
  • gather an array of words that describe heroic figures;
  • create a superhero trading card;
  • build fine motor skills by giving an everyday hero a fabulous cape; 
  • roll a die that adds up to a rescue; 
  • and we’ll search for some sensational shapes!

Get the Quill.


Brave Writer Dart
Dart (ages 8-10)

Mr. Lemoncello’s Very First Game by Chris Grabenstein

Meet PUZZLE-obsessed Luigi Lemoncello and world famous Professor Marvelmous for fun and games!

This month’s literary device focuses on Portmanteau

In this Dart, we’ll also:

  • make a ruckus with onomatopoeia;
  • notice nouns that also can be verbs;
  • appreciate adjectives;
  • investigate apostrophes;
  • time travel with verbs;
  • experience an epiphany; and so much more! 

Purchase the book.

Get the Dart.


Brave Writer Arrow
Arrow (ages 11-12)

A Rover’s Story by Jasmine Warga

Meet Resilience, a Mars Rover on a big adventure!

December’s literary device is Anthropomorphism.

In this Arrow, we’ll also:

  • appraise the effects of alliteration;
  • see how specific nouns add power to writing;
  • examine the versatile em dash;
  • connect with coordinating conjunctions;
  • analyze acronyms ASAP;
  • see how distinct colors make images pop; and so much more!

Purchase the book.

Get the Arrow.


Brave Writer Boomerang
Boomerang (ages 13-14)

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

This first installment of Rick Riordan’s best-selling series based on Greek mythology is an action-packed thrill ride that keeps teens turning the pages!

In this Boomerangwe’ll:

  • talk about conversation style;
  • investigate genre;
  • muse about myths;
  • wonder and work out if it’s who or whom;
  • embark on a dramatic Hero’s Journey;
  • discuss dialogue with an authoritative author; and so much more.

Purchase the book.

Get the Boomerang.


Brave Writer Slingshot
Slingshot (ages 15-18)

Animal Farm by George Orwell

Among the most widely-read fables of all time, this satirical novella will give your family lots to talk about!

In this Slingshot, we’ll

  • mull over a monologue manifesto;
  • ruminate on rhetorical questions;
  • probe personal maxims;
  • spot symbols and forecast with foreshadowing;
  • dissect dialogue;
  • pore over propaganda; and much more.

A note about content: Animal Farm is an allegory reflecting the overthrow of monarchy and rise of communism in Russia, which was characterized by violence and death as well as propaganda and disinformation. We encourage parents to read ahead in order to be prepared for deep conversations with your teens.

Purchase the book.

Get the Slingshot.


Brave Writer