Wondrous Words is a "loud" book, filled with the voices of writers, young and old. Drawing on stories from classrooms, examples of student writing, and illustrations, Katie Wood Ray explains in practical terms the theoretical underpinnings of how elementary and middle school students learn to write from their reading. The author invites readers into her library and offers suggestions on using books by authors including Cynthia Rylant, Debra Frasier, Eve Bunting, and Gary Paulsen to help teach writing. Wondrous Words weaves practice and theory together to provide an important knowledge base for teachers.