Review
Your Story Matters
- Richard Scrimger
- Tundra, 2024
Your Story Matters is a delightful book about writing, aimed at upper elementary and junior high audiences (up to grade seven) and their adults. The author of many books for middle grade and YA readers, Richard Scrimger may be best known for his popular debut middle-grade novel The Nose from Jupiter (1998). He has since written more than a dozen books, so he’s a well-qualified guide for this journey. And importantly, beyond technical expertise, Scrimger’s pages exude good humour, warmth, and an ethos of compassion, underscoring a message that so many readers—and aspiring writers—want to hear: Your story matters. You matter.
Scrimger introduces the foundational elements of storytelling, illustrating his points with examples from his own life and work. He then takes readers through writing exercises, comedic quizzes, and review sections, reinforcing his points and giving readers a chance, if they wish, to write a story of their own as they work through the book. There is nothing particularly surprising in his instruction, but his authoritative position and empathic presentation should help these lessons land well with school-age writers (they certainly also apply to writers who have left school far behind). Scrimger’s words are complemented by whimsical illustrations by D. McFadzean, giving the reader a moment to breathe and reflect—something zealous readers may need, especially if they hope to become writers as well as readers.
From the very first page I loved this book. That’s no surprise, though, since it’s exactly in my wheelhouse as someone who teaches writing, editing, and publishing. If you teach writing, host a writing club in a school or library, or simply want to coach and encourage young writers, this book is an excellent resource. It’s one I see myself returning to again and again.
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