That muse of fire isn't going to ascend all by herself, so Messner and Siegel, in their follow-up to How to Read a Story, walk readers through 10 steps of literary creation, starting with "search for an idea" and ending with "share your story." The exemplar of this process is a brown-skinned girl who seems unstoppable in her determination to commit words to page. Messner offers realistic advice: not every idea may be "shiny," "make the problem worse... until finally, your character thinks of something to do," and revise again (and again): "Reading out loud helps." The tale that results from the girl's shiniest idea is an impressive one: a battle royale between a brave mermaid and a nasty sea monster, vividly illustrated in school notebook style by Siegel. Readers new to writing should find this accessible volume a smart choice to get the creative writing juices flowing. Ages 5--8. (July)

This follow-up to How To Read a Story (2005) shows a child going through the steps of creating a story, from choosing an idea through sharing with friends. A young black child lies in a grassy field writing in a journal, working on "Step 1 / Search for an Idea-- / a shiny one." During a walk to the library, various ideas float in colorful thought bubbles, with exclamation points: "playing soccer! / dogs!" Inside the library, less-distinct ideas, expressed as shapes and pictures, with question marks, float about as the writer collects ideas to choose from. The young writer must then choose a setting, a main character, and a problem for that protagonist. Plotting, writing with detail, and revising are described in child-friendly terms and shown visually, in the form of lists and notes on faux pieces of paper. Finally, the writer sits in the same field, in a new season, sharing the story with friends. The illustrations feature the child's writing and drawing as well as images of imagined events from the book in progress bursting off the page. The child's main character is an adventurous mermaid who looks just like the child, complete with afro-puff pigtails, representing an affirming message about writing oneself into the world. The child's family, depicted as black, moves in the background of the setting, which is also populated by a multiracial cast. A lovely encouragement to young writers to persist. (Informational picture book. 6-10) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

In this complement to How to Read a Story (2015), Messner offers an easy 10-step guide to writing a story. As in the first book, Siegel's cartoon-like watercolors not only provide examples for each step but also create a story line of their own. In "Step 1: Search for an Idea," for example, a girl with brown skin walks through the park, looking for ideas, which appear in thought bubbles. Her story takes off after she chooses an aquarium setting, a mermaid main character, and a sea monster hatching in a city aquarium as a problem. The girl's idea possibilities and accompanying illustrations become more elaborate and adventurous as she plans, adds more details to, illustrates, and revises the story, and finally shares it with others. More visuals, in the form of childish artwork and written text, simulate the girl's efforts alongside the guide's ongoing steps and illustrations. These writing basics will be a welcome addition to literacy centers and for students who struggle with the question of what to write about.