Mentor Texts:Narrative

First text is basic

First text is basic

Second text is use of figureative language

"Drying Out" by Cynthia Rylant is a great example of a real person going through real problems. The main character is an alcoholic who has a lot of personal problems. The story is simply his character development. 

First text is basic

Second text is use of figureative language

This is an except from Island of the Blue Dolphins.

This is a description of a character coming into her sister's bedroom, and there are hints of a problem all over the scene!

"Stray" is a story about a family does not want a stray dog.

This is a very basic, but very complete, narrative.

This narrative is about a boy who finds a sick kitten and the kitten doesnt make it.

This is actually from a student a couple years back.  The original story is his, and we used it in class as a exercise in expressing emotion.  There are two versions here: happy and angry.

"Goosebumps" is about a girl who doesn't listen to her mother's advice on a sleepover and regrets it.  On the other hand, Pet by Cynthia Rylant is a good examle of a story without a morale.

BAD EXAMPLE

Here are three texts of the same story: First person, Third person and the most fun, Second person.

Here are three texts of the same story: First person & Third person; police reporter voice, story teller voice... Very fun!

"Something to do" is a quick story from a reading curriculum test.  I thought it was rather boring, so took the first paragraph and re-wrote it... three different times@

"Flashbacks" is the narrator telling of a memory in the the present tense.  The first draft s very baisc.  The second draft is more descriptive with figurative language.

"Something to do" revisions