Enrollment is Open!

Enrollment is now open for my upcoming online course with the UCLA Extension Writers' Program. INTRODUCTION TO WRITING PICTURE BOOKS is an 8-week course that introduces new writers to the world of picture books! Through the course, we'll talk about idea generation, structure, character development, language, the balance of art and text, and revision. Everyone will work on their own quarter project and engage in creative writing exercises. And this all happens in a safe environment where folks can exercise their creativity!

What better way to start off the new year than with a meaningful and fun learning experience! Click HERE for more details.

The Launch Continues...

This week EMU'S DEBUTS has been celebrating the launch of Donna Janell Bowman's debut picture book, STEP RIGHT UP. It's a fabulous picture book biography about Doc and Jim Key and how they began the humane treatment of animals movement. Every day, a new post has been made to give insight into the creation of this wonderful book.

Today, Cynthia Levinson lets readers get to know some of the EMUS a little more closely by sharing stories and pictures of their own pets. I've always said that behind every great author there's a cat (or dog or horse or some furry, finned or feathered creature!). Enjoy Cynthia's post here!

Wonderful New Picture Book is Out!

Donna Janell Bowman's debut picture book is out! STEP RIGHT UP: HOW DOC AND JIM KEY TAUGHT THE WORLD ABOUT KINDNESS is a beautiful story about the relationship between a man and a horse and how that relationship began the humane movement.

Read an interview with Donna Janell Bowman here and an interview with her editor here.

Want to buy the book? Visit it on Amazon.

We Have BOOK COVERS!

Wow, the writing business can be full of happy surprises. I am so fortunate to have two books coming out in the spring 2017. 

MY BUSY GREEN GARDEN (illustrated by Carol Schwartz, published by Tilbury House) is a rhyming cumulative picture book about insects you'd find in a garden. It has a release date of January 31, 2017. 

MAMA LOVES YOU SO (illustrated by Simone Shin, published by Little Simon) is a rhyming board book that celebrates a mother’s love trumping even majestic mother nature. If you know me, you know I'm a huge nature-lover so I used nature metaphors to illustrate the power of a mother's love. Little Simon is releasing this book on March 14, 2017.

Two books with release-dates about six weeks apart. But this week, I saw where both covers appeared online. WOW! Just look at these...

AREN'T THEY GORGEOUS???

I am so lucky to have two amazing illustrators create the art for my words. Thank you, Carol and Simone! If you'd like some more eye candy, please visit their websites:

Carol Schwartz

Simone Shin

 

Concept Books: What are they and how do I know if I’ve written one?

The first picture book manuscript I ever wrote was about ocean animals. I hadn’t done any research about children’s writing, much less the specifics of picture books. I just wrote—and in rhyme too! (yikes!)  I then attended a children’s writing conference and found myself utterly confused because so many editors kept saying that they wanted character-driven stories, not plot-driven. Hmm…my story didn’t have either of those things! But then, after doing some research at home (studying the craft—which I should have done first), I discovered there was a type of picture book called “concept books.”

Like my story, concept books often lack characters and their problems. They also lack a plot (e.g., rising story arc), instead structured by other frameworks, such as the alphabet, numbers, time, categories or a host of other structures. I was thrilled to discover this wonderful type of picture book! My story “fit” in somewhere. Through the years, I’ve learned more about concept books, which is why I wanted to write this—to help others understand more about these wonderful treasures in the picture book world.

What they are…

Concept books (either fiction or nonfiction) introduce children to an idea, concept or theme such as (but not limited to) the alphabet, counting, colors or shapes. Sometimes they tell a story using a character or they focus on a concept using some other form of structure (such as the alphabet). A classic example of a straightforward concept book is Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Bill Martin Jr. My own Blackberry Banquet is a rhyming concept book with a cumulative structure that features forest animals. An example of a concept book that uses a character to drive the story is Kelly Bingham’s Z is for Moose. The best way to learn more about concept books is to read them. Click here for a terrific list of books. 

So how do you know if you’ve written a concept book? The first thing I tell my writing students is to think about what drives the reader to turn the page. Does he seek information? Is his curiosity driven by the need to learn something? If the answer is yes; then the book is a concept book. Concept books are read by children whose curiosity is information-based. Structures such as a sequence, a journey, a cumulative build-up, a definition, or question and answer (to name a few) will provide the framework for a concept book.

What they are not…

Now, if the answer to the above question is no (the reader is not seeking information); then you must dig deeper and ask yourself again what drives the reader to turn the page. Does your story have a main character with some sort of problem or goal? If so, then the book is a character-driven story. The reader will turn the page because he cares about the main character and wants to see how he solves his problem. Character-driven stories are read by children whose curiosity is emotion-based. These stories use a traditional rising story arc with a beginning, middle and end to frame the story and show how the character resolves his/her problem. Examples are Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak or Sophie’s Squash by Pat Zietlow Miller.

So there you have it! Easy as pie, right? Well, probably not. As the picture book market continues to expand with amazing creativity, the variations of stories will grow and more hybrid versions will likely appear. But for now, I hope this helps you to determine if you’ve written a concept book.

New Book Release!

Schoolwide, Inc. has released my latest picture book, WHERE IN THE WORLD ARE YOU?

This concept picture book is rich in photographs and is meant to teach basics of geography and cosmology. It explores the universal truth that that we are all part of the same place in space. In cumulative fashion, the story takes the reader from the outer reaches of the universe to our galaxy to our solar system to our planet, continuing to the reader's own room.

Way out in space, there is a universe--

an ever-growing universe--

where all of us are living.

Schoolwide, Inc. is the largest producer of educational e-books. Because reading and writing are critical for success in the school, the community, and the workplace, Schoolwide, Inc. has a central mission to improve students' reading, writing, and learning by increasing the tools teachers can use to teach effectively. 

Teachers from schools with site licenses  can access my book through their account.

RhyPiBoMo

Rhyming Picture Book Month is just around the corner! For anyone interested in joining the fun, click here.

PiBoIdMo is just around the corner. Sign-ups have started. Are you in?

Click here to join!

Has your picture book manuscript been turned down so many times you're considering using it to wallpaper your office?

Have you agonized over every single word in your picture book manuscript and are unable to make one more change--but still don't feel it's ready to submit?

Do you love picture books but long to learn more in a deeper, more meaningful way?

Or would you like to work with like-minded writers in exploring a new picture book story?

Well, I have good news for you!

I've been told there are still a handful of spots left for my upcoming online course, INTERMEDIATE PICTURE BOOK WRITING. Click here for information. I hope to see your name on my roster!

Enrollment is now open for my online fall course, INTERMEDIATE PICTURE BOOK WRITING, through the UCLA Extension Writers' Program. This is one of my favorite courses to teach! We'll dive into the world of picture books, going beyond the basic craft issues as we investigate this fascinating genre of children's books. Students will have the multiple opportunities for feedback on their work. The end goal is a completed draft of a picture book.

For more information, click HERE.

PiBoIdMo Starts Today!

Today is Day One of PiBoIdMo (Picture Book Idea Month). I'm so looking forward to this event! And just based on the Day One post by the fabulous Tammi Sauer, I can tell it's going to be a great month of brainstorming and feeding the picture book monster within (of course, because it' a picture book monster, it's a cute, pink, endearing monster).