Books to inspire children’s creative writing
A hand-picked collection of creative writing books for children and teens | Suitable for 5-18 year old students
Creative writing books – our recommendations for school and home learning
A creative writing book is a great way to help kids tap into their imagination and improve their writing. With prompts, exercises, and examples from famous authors, these books guide young writers through everything from short stories to poetry. They make learning about characters, plots, and style feel less like a lesson and more like fun. Ultimately, they give kids the freedom to express themselves and build confidence along the way.
Why should I buy a creative writing book or manual for my child?
A creative writing book for your child can spark their imagination and help them find their voice. With fun prompts and exercises, these books make writing exciting and help kids think beyond the usual. Writing doesn’t just boost creativity – it sharpens language skills, expands vocabulary, and teaches how to organize thoughts. The best part? It builds confidence as they see their ideas take shape. Plus, it’s a stress-free way to let them express themselves. Give them the tools to explore the world through words – and enjoy the ride as they grow!
Creative writing books for children and schools – our recommendations
Let’s do poetry in primary schools by James Carter
This book is an essential guide for educators who want to bring poetry to life in the classroom. Written by a renowned poet and educator, it offers a wealth of creative and practical ideas for teaching poetry to primary school students in an engaging and meaningful way.
On Writing by Stephen King
This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the craft of writing. Written by a bestselling author, it offers valuable insights, practical advice, and personal anecdotes on the writing process, making it an essential guide for both aspiring and established writers.
Descriptosaurus: Supporting Creative Writing for Ages 8–14 by Alison Wilcox
This book is an invaluable resource for educators, parents and students who want to improve their creative writing skills. Written by an experienced teacher, it offers a wealth of practical advice, tips and exercises for teaching descriptive writing to children aged 8-14, making it a great tool for encouraging creativity and developing writing skills.
Creating Writers: A Creative Writing Manual for Schools by James Carter
This book is an essential guide for any educator who wants to inspire and develop their students’ writing skills. Written by an expert in the field of creative writing education, it provides practical strategies, techniques and exercises for teaching creative writing in the classroom, making it an invaluable tool for promoting self-expression and fostering a love of writing in students of all ages.
Modelling Exciting Writing: A guide for primary teaching by Adam Bushnell, Rob Smith and David Waugh
This book is perfect for primary school teachers looking to inspire their students to love writing. Written by experienced educators, it offers a wealth of practical strategies and engaging activities for teaching writing in primary school, making it a valuable tool for promoting self-expression and creativity in young students.
How to Write Your Best Story Ever! by Christopher Edge
This book is an ideal resource for aspiring writers who want to improve their writing skills. Written by a experienced author, it provides practical advice, tips and exercises for writing compelling stories and unlock the potential of their imagination, making it a great guide for anyone who wants to take their writing to the next level.
100 Writing Lessons by Tara McCarthy
This book is a must-have resource for anyone looking to improve their writing skills. Written by an experienced writing teacher, it offers 100 lessons on various writing techniques, strategies and exercises, making it an ideal guide for students, educators, and anyone looking to develop their writing abilities and express themselves more effectively through the written word.
How To Write Poems by Joseph Coelho
This book is an insightful guide for those who want to discover the art of poetry. Written by a renowned poet, it offers practical advice, prompts and exercises for writing poems, making it a perfect resource for poets of all levels, from beginners to advanced, who wish to hone their skills and express themselves through the beauty of poetry.
Inviting Writing: Teaching and Learning Writing Across the Primary Curriculum by Adam Bushnell and David Waugh
This book is a comprehensive guide for primary school teachers who want to integrate writing into the curriculum. Written by experienced educators, it offers practical strategies, techniques and activities for teaching writing across all subjects, making it a valuable tool for promoting literacy and encouraging creativity in young students.
You-niquely You: An Emmie & Friends Interactive Journal by Terri Libenson
This book is a fun and interactive journal for young readers who want to explore and express their individuality. Written by a bestselling author, it offers creative prompts and exercises that encourage self-discovery and self-expression, making it a perfect tool for helping children learn to appreciate their unique qualities and talents.
No Map, Great Trip: A Young Writer’s Road to Page One by Paul Fleischman
This book is a must-read for aspiring young writers who want to improve their craft. Written by a Newbery Medal-winning author, it offers valuable insights, practical advice and personal anecdotes on the writing process, giving aspiring writers a roadmap to success and the inspiration they need to bring their writing to the next level.
Story Path by Kate Baker
This book is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to improve their storytelling skills. Written by an experienced author, it offers practical advice, tips, and exercises for crafting compelling stories, creating memorable characters, and developing a strong plot, making it an essential guide for writers of all levels.
Story Box: Create Your Own Fairy Tales by Anne Laval
This book is an engaging and fun guide for children who want to learn how to create their own fairy tales. Written by an experienced author, it offers creative prompts and exercises that inspire imagination and encourage children to express themselves through the magic of storytelling, making it a perfect tool for fostering creativity and encouraging a love of reading and writing in young readers.
Taylor Before and After by Jennie Englund
This book – written as as series of journal entries – is a heartwarming coming of age story for readers of all ages. Written by a talented author, it offers a relatable and honest look at the struggles of growing up and the power of self-discovery and acceptance, making it a must-read for anyone looking for a poignant and uplifting read.
Unleash Your Creative Monster: A Children’s Guide to Writing by Andy Jones
This fun and engaging guide is perfect for children who want to tap into their inner creativity and learn how to write stories of their own. Written in a relatable and easy-to-understand style, it’s a great way to inspire the next generation of writers.
Write Your Own Myths: Your Guide to Writing the Most Legendary Stories by Philip Womack
This comprehensive guide is perfect for anyone who wants to learn how to write their own mythological stories. Written by a master storyteller, it provides a wealth of tips, techniques, and inspiration for writing the most legendary tales.
Online creative writing resources for children and teachers
- School Reading List has a list of up-to-date list of writing competitions open to children and teens.
- BBC Bitesize offers a host of free videos packed with ideas and creative writing tips for 5-7, 7-11, 11-13 and 14-16 year olds. There’s also a useful guide to writing stories of up to 500 words.
- National Geographic Kids has a page full of free activities including crosswords, planning ideas, writing quests, and story rubrics.
- Scottish Book Trust‘s top tips for Creative Writing With Your Kids guide invites parents to get involved at home. Detailed suggestions include how to make time, create a space and use a notebook.
- 100 Story Building in Australia has created a wealth of learn-at-home resources to generate ideas, move past writing blocks, and help parents and teachers talk to children and young people about their work.
- New England Writing Center‘s Directory of free online creative writing and illustration resources and activities is a fantastic collection of practical and creative writing activities for children and teens.
- Common Sense Media maintains a collated and vetted list of Elementary School writing apps and websites, including collaborative writing tools and student writing portfolios.
Online creative writing courses for educators
- Futurelearn and Manchester Writing School run a three-week online Introduction to Teaching Creative Writing course aimed at English teachers. The course aims to identify techniques and learn practical skills to effectively teach creative writing in a variety of different contexts.
About Professor Scribblybibbly
Professor Scribblybibbly scribbles bibbles and bibbles scribbles in his role as a Visiting Adjunct Fellow of Frontal Adverbials at the Gromboolian Institute of Unnecessary Letters. He lives in an eco yurt constructed entirely from reclaimed poetry.
- You can follow and connect with Professor Scribblybibbly on X.
Copyright notice
Please do share or link to this page via social media, but please do not copy our resource reviews onto other websites. Thank you.
Spread the word! Share this page!
Devour more Scribblebibble resources!
Scribblebibble VIRAL Flash Fiction & Micro Essay Competition
Scribblebibble's annual viral flash fiction and micro-essay competition. Open to students aged 7-18 worldwide. Teachers and parents can submit entries.
Scribblebibble writing competition
Scribblebibble's annual writing competition. Open to students aged 7-18 worldwide. Teachers and parents can submit entries.