The Best Part of Me: Children Talk about Their Bodies in Pictures and Words

I shared this book with my third grade class in the beginning of the year. Each double page spread has a child's writing (best self-edited) and a black and white photo. Since the writers were close to their ages, they could model their own writing after the writing in the book. Each child chose their "best part" to write about and then posed for a picture of their hair, feet, etc. I used a digital camera to take black and white photos. The lack of color really emphasized their work. These are now mounted on their lockers for all to see and I have never had as many comments on student writing. This book could inspire writers of many ages.

Great book. What an easy way to get children involved with writing associated with literature. Not only does The Best Part of Me expose children to engaging prose, which they can relate to, it also gets them thinking about what they might say about their own bodies. This is an easy and instant writing project for any classroom, K-12, and the end project creates a terrific bulletin board. The book is worth every cent.

My wife, Marilyn, did a Best Part of Me project with one of the classrooms she consults with. The children who wrote and the shildren and adults who saw the photos and the writing about them were engaged.Wendy Ewald is an amazing person who uses a camera as a way to learn.

Immediate, poetic & bright this big book brings you up close & personal with children's feet, hands, eyes, backs, hair, elbows in award-winning Wendy Ewald's magical photos.The poems penned by these 15 youngsters are funny & eloquent, touching & proud. As is usual with children, it's more about what they don't say as much as it is about what they do.Bound to get kids thinking about what they like about their bodies, might even get them writing little ditties about it too! A must in a classroom or school library!The poems & black & white photos in THE BEST PART OF ME are drawn from Literacy Through Photography, a program Wendy Ewald originated in the public schools of Durham, North Carolina.