Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Picture book fiction origins: your own told tale


by J.G. Annino
ALLIGATOR BABY is one of the silliest picture books
I know to feature the swamp survivor as a character.
A new baby in a human family is the author’s invention.
And that baby brought home from the hospital is
an alligator.

I work and live in Florida, so I’m a magnet for snappy
& Snapsy alligator picture books, to read as a volunteer
in schools with BookPALS.



What is new to me about this title, learned from visiting
the website for this book for the first time, is that it began
as an oral story. How cool is that? It was made up to entertain
the author's family & then told over and over long before it ever




As I moved to other titles at the site of American-turned-
Canadian author Robert Munsch, I began to understand
that originating a told story in my family or with children
I spend time with & perfecting it, is a path to writing that
I should return to more often. 

Perhaps it intrigues you, as a way to try a story. Make it
up as you go along, first. At naptime/bedtime, at
family events, at made-up storytime.

Other picture book titles that Munsch transferred
from originating as a made-up oral story,
to an actual book, include MAKEUP MESS

My family story that became a manuscript was told
by my father, about my grandfather. It involves
a farm boy, a model T-Ford, the Pine Barrens &
a trip to the Atlantic Ocean.

I added an ox and a bear to it. And it’s also so close to my
heart because it’s my first picture
book manuscript that ever received a compliment
(although not a contract) from an editor.

I looked up ALLIGATOR BABY this week because I’m
scouring resources for alligator crafts, poems & stories
to present at a storytime  next month during an open-air
regional arts festival.  

I’m  pretty sure I’m going to share ALLIGATOR BABY.









9 comments:

  1. This is genius, Jan! I had never thought of mining oral family stories! They will have heart, rhythm and more. Great post.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh, I agree. Hope you have time to go for it...

    My mother had a canary named Caruso & that is quite a story. There was their family goat (in an urban North Jersey setting...) & more. Going back to the drawing board :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you for sharing, Jan. I never thought about those family stories :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's exciting to realize there is a wealth of material so close at hand. Happy weekend, Charlotte!

      Delete
  4. I enjoyed the post. Alligator Baby sounds like a really fun book. I love the cover. It also sounds like a good idea to make family stories into books. I have often put bits of past family history into my stories.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am thrilled to know you are already plucking adventures/anecdotes from family history, Janet. Brava.

    Your site is enjoyable to visit. Hope spring arrives there soon!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Bob Munsch has a boatload of wonderful books. My favorites are PURPLE, GREEN, AND YELLOW and THE PAPERBOY PRINCESS (Girl power!). I have to admit I'm not a fan of LOVE YOU FOREVER, though...
    My family is a bit boring, I'm afraid. But I sometimes eavesdrop on other people's conversations and that can provide and idea or two.

    ReplyDelete
  7. "Those who are wise will shine as brightly as the expanse of the Heavens, and those who have instructed many in uprightousness, shall shine like the stars in the firmament forever" -Daniel 12:3

    Here's what the prolific, exquisite GODy sed: 'the more you shall honor Me, the more I shall bless you' -the Infant Jesus of Prague.

    Go git'm, girl. You're incredible.
    See you Upstairs...
    I won't be joining them in the Abyss.
    Thesuperseedoftime.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. "Those who are wise will shine as brightly as the expanse of the Heavens, and those who have instructed many in uprightousness, shall shine like the stars in the firmament forever" -Daniel 12:3

    Here's what the prolific, exquisite GODy sed: 'the more you shall honor Me, the more I shall bless you' -the Infant Jesus of Prague.

    Go git'm, girl. You're incredible.
    See you Upstairs...
    I won't be joining them in the Abyss.
    Thesuperseedoftime.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete