Writing Radar: Using Your Journal to Snoop Out and Craft Great Stories

The Newbery Award–winning author of Dead End in Norvelt shares advice for how to be the best brilliant writer in this funny and practical creative writing guide perfect for all kids who dream of seeing their name on the spine of a book.

With the signature wit and humor that have garnered him legions of fans, Jack Gantos instructs young writers on using their "writing radar" to unearth story ideas from their everyday lives. Incorporating his own misadventures as a developing writer, Gantos inspires readers to build confidence and establish good writing habits as they create, revise, and perfect their stories. Pop-out text boxes highlight key tips, alongside Gantos's own illustrations, sample stories, and snippets from his childhood journals. More than just a how-to guide, Writing Radar is a celebration of the power of storytelling and an ode to the characters who―many unwittingly―inspired Gantos's own writing career.

Praise for Writing Radar:

Evanston IL Public Library Best Books of the Year
CPL: Chicago Public Library Best of the Best

“An excellent guide for aspiring authors. . . And while the book is directed at serious writers in the making, there's enough exaggeration and grossness to keep readers laughing.” ―Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Gantos’s journey as a young writer learning his craft and the stories he actually wrote in middle school, all told with his characteristic humor, will appeal to fans of his novels whether or not they aspire to a writing career. Teachers will also find Gantos’s breakdown on the creation of a story valuable for teaching critical reading as well as writing skills." ―VOYA, starred review