A pet shop for teaching writing? Sure. One of the main reasons second- and third-graders say they can't write is that they don't have anything to write about. These programs give them surefire "story starters."

Captain Write, a retired sea captain who writes a weekly newspaper column about animals, runs the Fins, Feathers & Fur pet shop with his daughter, Amy. Three children who make the friendly neighborhood shop their second home learn from the Captain and Amy about the writing process and about helping each other put their thoughts and feelings on paper.

The series begins with concepts as simple as the connections between objects and words. Later, the children draft sentences and paragraphs, revise drafts, and write for specific purposes and readers. Most programs contain two "story starters"—a montage of animals, people, or both and a surprise or unresolved ending.

"A Utilization Manual for Fins, Feathers & Fur" (1990), by Lea M. Bancroft, offers ideas for conducting Fins, Feathers & Fur workshops and suggestions for student seatwork and activities.

"A View to Writing: The Effectiveness of ITV as a Model for Process Writing" (1990), by Sally E. Lipa, is a research report focusing on Fins, Feathers & Fur.