This book describes a program designed to help children think about the writing process in order to express their ideas better in writing: to stimulate children's thought and to introduce them to forms of literature they might not ordinarily read, the teacher should read aloud to both primary and secondary level students at least 20 minutes every day. The program has been tested by teachers with the children in their classrooms, and samples of the children's writing illustrate the text. Topics of the chapters are children and writing, writing with and for the very young, characterization, description of settings, development of ideas about plot, using figurative language, poetry, and reshaping writing. A bibliography and an index conclude the book. (JM)