A stack of mentor texts helps students become acquainted with authentic models of the writing genre for

each unit. Teachers can use focused minilessons to tailor their instruction to students’ needs and interests.
Stacks of mentor texts provide a mental model for a genre of writing or a particular writing focus. These are the suggested texts listed in each unit
and available in many classroom libraries. Stacks can also include works authored by teachers and students.

GRADE K TITLES
UNIT 1 UNIT 2 UNIT 3 UNIT 4 UNIT 5
Non-Genre List Books Fiction Personal Narrative Literary Nonfiction
(Q&A Format)

All Kinds of Books What Do Living I Want a Dog My Apron Who Hoots?
by Susan Cañizares, Things Need? by Helga Bansch by Eric Carle by Katie Davis
1
Betsey Chessen, by Elizabeth Austen
S. Berger

My Apron On a Farm Wemberly Worried Joshua’s Night What Do You Do with

2 by Eric Carle by Alexa Andrews by Kevin Henkes Whispers a Tail Like This?
by Angela Johnson by Steve Jenkins

Who Hoots? What Lives Little Nino’s Pizzeria Every Friday Why?
3 by Katie Davis at the Pond? by Karen Barbour by Dan Yaccarino by Lila Prap
by Caroline Hutchinson

I Want a Dog The Very Hungry Just Like Daddy Salt Hands Do I Bug You?
4 by Helga Bansch Caterpillar’s ABCs by Frank Asch by Jane Chelsea Aragon by Bob Moog
by Eric Carle

In My New I Read Signs If You Give a Knuffle Bunny Who Has These Feet?
Yellow Shirt by Tana Hoban Mouse a Cookie by Mo Willems by Laura Hulbert
5
by Eileen Spinelli by Laura Joffe
Numeroff

GRADE 1 TITLES
UNIT 1 UNIT 2 UNIT 3 UNIT 4 UNIT 5
Non-Genre Informational Book Poetry Personal Narrative Procedural/
How-To Book

Ralph Tells a Story Lots and Lots of Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin Ralph Tells a Story How to Babysit
by Abby Hanlon Zebra Stripes: by Lloyd Moss by Abby Hanlon a Grandpa
1
Patterns in Nature by Jean Reagan
by Stephen Swinburne

Places in My Wax to Crayons Quick as a Cricket Owl Moon How to Teach a

2 Neighborhood by Inez Snyder by Audrey Woods by Jane Yolen Slug to Read
by Shelly Lyons by Susan Pearson

Lots and Lots of My Baseball Book Hailstones and Fireflies How to

Zebra Stripes: by Gail Gibbons Halibut Bones by Julie Brinckloe Make a Pancake
3
Patterns in Nature by Mary O’Neill by Dave Max
by Stephen Swinburne

How to Babysit National Geographic Charlie Parker Played Tulip Sees America How to Make Slime
4 a Grandpa Readers: Snakes! Be Bop by Cynthia Rylant by Lori Shores
by Jean Reagan by Melissa Stewart by Chris Raschka

Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin Red-Tailed Hawks A Poke in the I Kitchen Dance Walk On
5 by Lloyd Moss at Big Bend by Paul Janeszko by Maurie J. Manning by Marla Frazee
by Frances Ruffin

1
 GRADE 2 TITLES
UNIT 1 UNIT 2 UNIT 3 UNIT 4 UNIT 5
Non-Genre List Article Poetry Personal Narrative Procedural/
(Launching Writer’s How-To Book
Notebook)

I Lost My Tooth National Geographic Animalia I Lost My Tooth How To Raise

1 in Africa for Kids by Graeme Base in Africa Mom and Dad
by Baba Wague Diakite (magazine and online) (alliteration) by Baba Wague Diakite by Josh Lerman

How To Raise Young Rider Spider Canoe Days Ingredient

2 Mom and Dad (magazine) (magazine) by Gary Paulsen (magazine for kids
by Josh Lerman curious about food)

Animalia Dig The New Kid Sports Illustrated Ranger Rick

3 by Graeme Base (magazine) on the Block for Kids (magazine)
(alliteration) by Jack Prelutsky (magazine and online)

Bugs Faces: People, Places, Kids Pick the American Girl Jack & Jill
by Joan Richards and Cultures Funniest Poems (magazine) (magazine)
4 Wright and Nancy (magazine) by Bruce Lansky
Winslow Parker
(nonfiction text)

My Little Island chickaDEE Laughing Out Loud, I chickaDEE Ask

by Frank Lessac (magazine) Fly: Poems in English (magazine) (magazine)
5
(fiction text) and Spanish
by Juan Felipe Herrera

GRADE 3 TITLES
UNIT 1 UNIT 2 UNIT 3 UNIT 4 UNIT 5
Personal Narrative How-to Article Historical Fiction Opinion Essay Poetry

Everything Cricket: The Realm Island Boy Stone Soup It's Raining Pigs
1 but the Horse of Imagination by Barbara Cooney (magazine - includes and Noodles
by Holly Hobby (magazine) book reviews) by Jack Prelutsky

April Chop Chop Ox-Cart Man Stella Writes an Opinion Swirl by Swirl:
2 from My Year (magazine) by Donald Hall by Janiel Wagstaff Spirals in Nature
by Roald Dahl by Joyce Sidman

American Girl Ranger Rick She's Wearing a Dead I Wanna Iguana Spider
3 (magazine) (magazine) Bird on Her Head! by Karen Kaufman (magazine)
by Kathryn Lasky Orloff

Storyworks Jack & Jill Goin' Someplace Special You Can Write a Skipping Stones
4 (magazine) (magazine) by Patricia C. McKissack Terrific Opinion Piece (magazine)
by Jennifer Fandel

Spider Ask The Wheat Doll In My Opinion Kids Pick the

5 (magazine) (magazine) by Alison L. Randall by Deb Bird Funniest Poems
by Bruce Lansky

2
 GRADE 4 TITLES
UNIT 1 UNIT 2 UNIT 3 UNIT 4 UNIT 5
Personal Narrative Travel Article Realistic Fiction Opinion Essay Poetry
(informational)

The Bike National Geographic Eleven Stone Soup Silver

by Gary Soto Kids by Sandra Cisneros (magazine - includes by Walter de la Mare
1
(magazine) book reviews) (assonance and
alliteration)

June Faces The Marble Champ I Want a Dog: The Robin Makes a
from My Year (magazine) from Baseball in April My Opinion Essay Laughing Sound
2
by Roald Dahl by Gary Soto by Darcy Pattison by Sallie Wolf
(rhyme scheme)

Spider Skipping Stones Stone Soup I Wanna New Room Spider

3 (magazine) (magazine) (magazine - includes by Karen Kaufman (magazine)
book reviews) Orloff

Storyworks Mexico for Kids: People, Cricket: The Realm What Do You Think, Skipping Stones
(magazine) Places and Cultures - of Imagination Katie?: Writing an (magazine)
4 Children Explore the (magazine) Opinion Piece
World Books with Katie Woo
by Baby Professor by Fran Manushkin

Faces Cultures Around Each Kindness Pick a Picture, Comets, Stars, the
5 (magazine) the World by Jacqueline Woodson Write an Opinion Moon, and Mars
by Jeanne Dustman by Kristen McCurry by Douglas Forian

GRADE 5 TITLES
UNIT 1 UNIT 2 UNIT 3 UNIT 4 UNIT 5
Personal Narrative Informational Article Poetry Personal Narrative Procedural/
How-To Book

Teeth from Marshfield National Geographic Stone Soup All Summer in a Day Drum Dream Girl
1 Dreams Kids (magazine - includes by Ray Bradbury by Margarita Engle
by Ralph Fletcher (magazine) book reviews) (stanzas/line breaks)

entries from the book Time for Kids I Want a Cat: The Pedestrian Ode to My Shoes
Anne Frank: The Diary (magazine) My Opinion Essay by Ray Bradbury by Francisco X. Alarcon
2
of a Young Girl by Darcy Pattison (punctuation)
by Anne Frank

Storyworks Scholastic - Persuasive Paragraphs The Fun They Had Spider

3 (magazine) Science World by Frances Purslow by Isaac Asimov (magazine)
(magazine)

Faces Earth Explained: I Wanna Go Home Stone Soup Skipping Stones

(magazine) A Beginner's Guide by Karen Kaufman (magazine - includes (magazine)
4
to Our Planet Orloff book reviews)
by Barbara Taylor

Skipping Stones Muse Teen Ink Owl Magazine Poetrees

5
ReaPri581L750

(magazine) (magazine) (teenink.com/opinion) (magazine) by Douglas Forian