Two friends learn to write letters to a classmate who has moved away. The Writing Builders series can help you become a better writer. Join the fun as friends learn the basics of the writing process, from brainstorming and outlines to first drafts, revising, and the finished piece. Each book in the Writing Builders series covers a different writing project. From book reports to blogs, you can follow the steps needed to finish your own. Activities in the back of the book provide additional information and writing practice.

"The alphabet has 26 letters -- 21 of them are consonants. They can be combined with vowels to build words. Readers discover what some of the most common consonants can do."--

Letter writing is an important skill. Readers will complete activities that teach the basic formatting and composition skills needed to write a perfect letter every time.

Lake Shore Drive, the Magnificent Mile, Navy Pier...just the mention of these iconic sights conjures up a skyline known the world over as the Windy City. Welcome to Chicago! And there's no better guidebook to the city than W is for Windy City: A Chicago Alphabet. Following the alphabet, the city's character and familiar landmarks are fully captured in poem and expository text. A is for Art Institute or Adler Planetarium. And if we want a "triple A," we'll add the Shedd Aquarium. Young readers can marvel at the treasures on display at the renowned Art Institute, go window shopping along Michigan Avenue's mile-long Magnificent Mile, or take in an afternoon game at Wrigley Field with the Chicago Cubs. W is for Windy City brings this famous city to life.A faculty member in the Department of Education at Judson University in Elgin, Illinois, Dr. Steven L. Layne is a respected literacy consultant and keynote speaker, working with educators and children at schools and conferences throughout the world. With more than 20 years as an educator, Deborah Dover Layne has worked at elementary and middle school levels and has been a reading specialist. Currently, she is an elementary principal in Elgin. The Laynes live in St. Charles, Illinois. Rhode Island School of Design graduate Michael Hays teaches illustration and drawing at Columbia College and lives in Oak Park, Illinois. Judy MacDonald and Michael started Painted Pony Studio in Chicago several years ago, each of them bringing their own unique style to the drawing table while illustrating books and creating art for children.

The second title in our already popular provincial alphabet series, A is for Algonquin Park: An Ontario Alphabet introduces young readers to all the beauty of this spectacular province. Written with the charm and knowledge of a life long resident, A is for Algonquin Park teaches youngsters of all ages about Ontario's inhabitants, history, flora and fauna, movers and shakers. As with our other two-tiered alphabet books, A is for Algonquin Park answers a variety of questions about one of Canada's most picturesque provinces. Is the longest street in the world really in Ontario? And the world's longest skating rink? What is the Group of Seven? A is for Algonquin Park is Lovenia Gorman's first book. She lives in Toronto, Ontario. Melanie Rose has illustrated six other titles for Sleeping Bear. She lives near Toronto, Ontario.

What country is made up of 95 islands, invented the game of golf, and raised a warrior worthy of the name "Braveheart"? Welcome to Scotland! In B is for Bagpipes: A Scotland Alphabet, Scottish native Eve Begley Kiehm gives an A-Z tour of the country that may be small in size but a giant in history and rich in tradition. Kick up your heels at a Highland dance, visit the statue of Greyfriar's Bobby as he stands guard near his master's grave, and finally dig into a dish of haggis with a side helping of "tatties and neeps." From the splendors of capital city Edinburgh to the stories of Robert Louis Stevenson to the gloomy waters of Loch Ness and its lonely "Nessie," the treasures of Scotland are revealed. Colorful artwork captures the proud spirit of its landscape and culture.Eve Begley Kiehm was born in Bridge of Allan, Scotland. She has a master's degree in Scottish History and Literature from Glasgow University and an early childhood education certification from the University of Toronto. Her books about Scotland include a YA historical adventure novel. Eve lives in the San Diego area. Alexa Rutherford lives in Edinburgh, Scotland. She has illustrated many books for UK publishers and a handful of US publishers, as well as US children's magazines.

Where can one find a town nicknamed the "Polar Bear Capital of the World"? Or see more than 3,000 beluga whales? Or stand along a lakeshore and hear the sound of the Great Kitchie Manitou beating a huge drum? Visit the province of Manitoba in G is for Golden Boy: A Manitoba Alphabet and learn about these and other wonders, along with fascinating history and important facts. Readers can traverse northern Manitoba on the amazing Ice Roads, a 2,200-km network of temporary roads; attend a dogsled race at the Festival de Voyageur in St. Boniface; or take a trip back in time at the Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre in Morden. From the A of Ancient Shores to the Z of the Z-dike, G is for Golden Boy showcases the history and natural wonders of Manitoba.Larry Verstraete, a native Manitoban, grew up in the French Quarter of Winnipeg, a stone's throw from the Golden Boy. A former teacher, he now spends his time writing, visiting young readers in schools and libraries, and presenting at conferences and festivals. Larry lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Brian Lund recently retired from a career in digital mapping at the City of Winnipeg and now has time to indulge his passion for oil painting. He has a degree in Environmental Design from the University of Manitoba, and is a self-taught artist. Brian lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba.