My kid is a struggling reader; is the handwriting font hard to read?

The book uses several different 'handwritten' fonts to represent different kids. While it's generally clear, some kids with visual processing challenges might find the varying styles slightly more work than a standard font, but the short entries usually make up for it.

Does the 'battle' involve bullying?

It involves 'mean girl' behavior and social exclusion, but the book handles it by showing the consequences and the teacher's eventual intervention. It's a depiction of bullying dynamics rather than an endorsement of them.

Is it too 'babyish' for a 6th grader?

A 6th grader will likely find it a very quick read (maybe 30-45 minutes). While the characters are younger, the social dynamics of the 'battle' are something most middle schoolers still find very relatable.

Please Write in This Book – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Please Write in This Book

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

book2008Juvenile Fiction

88%

WISE Score

A teacher leaves a blank notebook in the classroom to encourage sharing, but her students use it to launch an all-out, handwritten war of words.

Please Write in This Book

book

2008, Juvenile Fiction

88%

WISE Score

A teacher leaves a blank notebook in the classroom to encourage sharing, but her students use it to launch an all-out, handwritten war of words.

Jump to

Where to Read

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Libby

Our reviews and ratings are 100% unbiased, but as an Amazon Associate, Screenwise earns an affiliate fee if you buy a book or game by clicking one of our links. We don't get any credit if you just Google it instead :)

Screenwise Verdict

Mary Amato’s Please Write in This Book is essentially the 2008 analog version of a group chat gone wrong. It’s a clever, fast-paced epistolary novel that respects a kid's intelligence while being incredibly easy to pick up and put down.

If you have a kid who thinks they 'hate reading,' this is a top-tier gateway drug. It doesn't lecture; it just lets the chaos of a 4th-grade classroom play out across the pages of a spiral notebook. It’s smart, funny, and surprisingly deep about how quickly a community can fracture when communication gets messy.

Age Fit

Perfect for the 7–11 crowd. It hits that sweet spot where kids are starting to navigate more complex social groups but still love a book that feels like a diary or a comic.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

The book centers on a classroom environment and a teacher's well-meaning experiment. While the 'battle' involves conflict and social friction, it's grounded in a relatable school setting and serves as a mirror for how kids navigate peer dynamics.

Imaginative

The 'found document' format—complete with different handwriting styles, doodles, and notes—invites kids to see storytelling as something they can do themselves. It turns a simple notebook into a stage for an ensemble cast.

Safe

This is a very safe middle-grade novel. There are no mature themes, violence, or language concerns beyond typical elementary school bickering and social maneuvering.

Enriching

It's a fantastic tool for reluctant readers and writers. It demonstrates the power of the written word—both for building community and for causing harm—and encourages perspective-taking as the story shifts between different students.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Reluctant reader gold thanks to a layout that uses doodles, notes, and short bursts of text instead of intimidating blocks of prose.
Social-emotional mirror that perfectly captures the messy reality of 4th and 5th-grade social hierarchies and the 'group chat' dynamics of a shared space.
Creative spark that often inspires kids to start their own shared journals or 'Writer's Corner' projects at home or in class.

⚠

What to Watch For

The 'battle' involves some snarky comments and school-yard exclusion that might sting for more sensitive kids who are currently dealing with friendship drama.
A few characters act as 'antagonists' in the notebook, which provides a good opening to talk about how it's easier to be mean when you're writing it down rather than saying it to someone's face.

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think the students started fighting in the book instead of just talking to each other normally?"
"Which student's handwriting or drawing style did you like the most? Why?"
"If our family had a 'Please Write in This Book' notebook on the kitchen counter, what's the first thing you'd write in it?"
"How does it feel when someone writes something mean about you versus saying it out loud?"

Deep Dive

The Analog Group Chat

Long before every ten-year-old had a smartphone, they had notebooks. Please Write in This Book captures that specific, high-stakes energy of a shared classroom space. When Ms. Wurtz leaves a blank book in the Writer's Corner, she's hoping for a collaborative utopia. What she gets is a fascinating study in human nature.

The beauty of this book is in its construction. Each student has a distinct 'voice'—not just in what they say, but in how their entries look. You have the perfectionists, the jokers, the artists, and the kids who just want to stir the pot. For a child reading this, it feels less like 'Literature' and more like they're snooping on someone's private desk, which is a powerful hook for engagement.

Why It Works for Modern Kids

Even though it was published in 2008, the themes are more relevant than ever. The 'epic classroom battle' that ensues in the pages is a perfect parallel to the digital social lives kids lead today. It explores how anonymity (or at least, the distance of the page) can embolden people to say things they wouldn't say to a friend's face.

If your kid is a fan of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Dork Diaries series, this is a natural next step that offers a bit more ensemble depth. It’s also a great 'co-engagement' book—it’s short enough to read together in a few sittings, and it almost always leads to a kid wanting to go buy a fresh composition notebook to start their own version.

What Parents Ask

Ask Anything

Get a personalized guide on any topic

Writing about Please Write in This Book? Put this WISE score on your site