Once upon a time, there was a writer named Penelope who loved to write stories. She wrote and wrote, and soon she had many drafts of different stories. But she wanted to make sure they were just right before she showed them to anyone. So she went to an editor named Edita to help her with her stories.

Edita looked at Penelope's drafts and said, "Your stories are good, but we need to work on your dialogue and diction."

Penelope asked, "What's wrong with my dialogue and diction?"

Edita explained, "Your dialogue is the way your characters talk in your story, and your diction is the choice of words you use. You want to make sure your characters sound like real people, and that your words are clear and easy for kids to understand."

Penelope listened carefully and worked with Edita to improve her stories. After many drafts and revisions, Penelope's stories were finally ready for the world to read! And all the kids loved them, because the characters talked like real people and the words were easy to understand.

The end.

Reflections

1. What was the problem with Penelope's stories at first?
2. Who helped Penelope improve her stories?
3. What did Edita teach Penelope about dialogue and diction?
4. How did Penelope's stories change after she worked with Edita?
5. Do you think it's important for writers to have someone look at their stories before they share them with others? Why or why not?