In an effort to help young writers develop ideas and build skills Kent (literacy, U. of Maine) describes how and why to develop interdisciplinary writing centers largely maintained by their peers. In this compact by comprehensive guide he describes the work of the writing center and what professional educators should expect of it and gives practical guidelines on planning and organizing a center, selecting and training student staff, operating the center to support not only English classes but any discipline that requires writing reports or essays, locating resources and developing activities. He also provides narratives, case studies, samples of forms and promotional material from writing centers, and suggestions for further reading. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)