" Rip the Page!" is an invitation and a feast. Every page springs the imagination into freedom, eagerness, curiosity, the spirit of experimentation, and the power to express the abundant possibilities of both words and world. Jane Hirshfield, poet and author of "Nine Gates: Entering the Mind of Poetry" Alive with ideas, playful, encouraging, and full of heart, " Rip the Page!" will help you uncover stories of inner treasure and express them in a fresh new way. Susan Wooldridge, author of "Foolsgold: Making Something from Nothing" "Rip the Page!" is fun, sassy, and zany. It's a great resource for writers of all ages and for teachers of creative writing who want to put the zing back in their writing. Julia Alvarez, author of "Return to Sender" "Rip the Page!" inspires creativity to flow, sparkle, whoosh, and claim a child s imagination. Karen Benke uses playful, inviting, inspiring language to form 'hooks' to snag the interest and 'reel in' the imagination of children to write. Great for an individual writer on their own, and wonderful as a guideline for teachers or home-school parents to inspire young hearts. "San Francisco Book Review" This collection of exercises and ideas inspires young writers with interesting prompts, friendly encouragement, and suggestions. Realizing that beginning writers often have potential for creativity, yet freeze when faced with the formidable task of constructing a composition, Benke introduces livelihood and fun to the risky process of recording one s thoughts. Working to show kids that not all writing is dry, formal, or plagued by the pressure of getting a good grade, Benke stirs the imaginations of kids, never limiting them. "ForeWord Reviews " As a writer, I love the way this author brings fun to the experience of writing.Too many kids are scared of writing or bored with the whole exercise. I found many of the exercises to be fun and engaging: the kind that my kids found silly and different. And because they were, they didn t feel like work. This book will do a wonderful job of adding a key element of fun to what can be a challenging part of your homeschooling day. "Practical Homeschooling " "An inspiring, irreverent, and highly accessible book of ideas for writing. This is a riotous celebration of language and the exhilarating joy of words. Great Fun! Recommended for homeschoolers wanting a creative way into language and parents with a household of bored, creative children looking for an outlet on a rainy day. "Juno" (UK)"

Karen Benke has inspired children in the art of creative writing for sixteen years as a freewrite facilitator, creative writing coach, and poet-teacher in the California Poets in the Schools program, where she specializes in leading creative writing workshops for children seven to fourteen years old. Her writing has appeared in many anthologies and national literary journals. She is the recipient of two teaching grants from "Poets & Writers" and is a four-time grant recipient from the Marin Arts Council Fund for Artists.