Analyze and Examine Mentor Texts ~By Suzy Leopold

The temperatures are dropping and days are becoming shorter on the Illinois Prairie—all signs that summer is coming to a close. Many are celebrating the last unofficial end of summer during this Labor Day weekend. The autumnal equinox, when night and day are roughly equal in length, officially takes place on September 22nd.

The morning sun
on the prairie.

With a new season around the corner, it is time to revisit your writing goals. Adjust as need be.

Today I'll share a friendly reminder about the importance of studying, examining, and analyzing mentor texts. I'll share some thoughts and pose some questions.

When a writer reads and studies high-quality books in the genre one writes you'll discover many important elements that make for stellar book. Examine books and discover how doing so provides a writer with support, encouragement, and motivation along your writing journey of becoming published. 

Time to grab a magnifying class and discover what makes a book a book and apply it to your own writing.

There are many aspects to consider and interpret when examining a stack of well written books as mentor texts. I'll point out a few for our GROG Blog readers.

From the cover with the title to the back matter, including an author's note and everything in between, there is much to consider. How does the author hook the reader in the beginning of the story? Are the characters believable? Do you note a well-paced plot with words that fit just right?

Analyze the text structure of well written books. Examine and determine how the text is organized. This deeper understanding can help you as a writer to better understand how to use text structure more effectively in your own writing. 

Investigate, compare, and contrast, and discover ways quthors use transitional words to move the reader along. Are there excellent page turns included keeping the reader focused and wanting to know more? 

Study the word choices used by the author. Does the author use higher level vocabulary and well-constructed sentences? 

When a writer dissects books and notes what is working and what is not, all of the acquired knowledge will carry over into the writer's own stories. Investigate, compare, and constrast to discover, and interpret the theme and the "so what" of the story. 

"The use of mentor texts is intentionally using the rich relationship between reading and writing to improve writing."

David Willett Premont, 

Professor, Brigham Young University 

A Mammoth Sunflower
from my prairie garden.

Finally, keep in mind the target audience you write for. Publishers generally assign age groups and classify children’s books into categories. Listed below is one variation of many that describes reader age groups:   

•  Birth to 24 months

Look for minimal text—one word per page; no more than one to two lines of text per page. Are there bright primary colors and contrasts between dark and light? This helps develop babies’ vision. Photographs are great for babies and toddlers. Now pull out the manuscript that you set aside and think about how you can revise your book to appeal to these littles.

Quarks!
by Ruth Spiro

• 2 to 3 years

Do you note one to two sentences per page for limited attention spans? This age group enjoys stories that allow participation and movement. Board books are excellent choices for engagement. There are those who may believe writing for this age is easy. I know you’ll disagree. Does you picture book project include participating and movement for toddlers? It may be time to polish your work.

MARISOL MCDONALD DOESN'T MATCH
MARISOL MCDONALD NO COMBINA
By Monica Brown

SAM AND JUMP
By Jennifer K. Mann

• 4 to 5 years

Books written for this age group are longer and more complex. The stories include more detail and description. Excellent examples should allow for participation, (same for 2 to 3 year olds) creativity, and conversation. The story line should keep the readers’ attention and develop language preparing kids for school readiness. Revisit your manuscripts that are *under construction* and keep these tips in mind when you revise.

• 5 to 9 years

LINES, BARS AND CIRCLES
HOW WILLIAM PLAYFAIR INVENTED GRAPHS
By Helaine Becker

Read books that make for excellent read alouds and keep this in mind as you write your stories. Look for books that use playful language, such as alliteration, onomatopoeia, rhymes, rhythm, and tongue twisters. Think about stories that allow kids to participate and provide conversation for the reader to question and respond. This helps children develop literacy skills and instills a love of reading. What about early chapter books? Look for interesting characters and plots filled with adventure, mystery, and a hook that keeps the reader turning the pages.

• 10 to 12 years

The preteen years can be a time for big changes in our youth, both physically and emotionally, along with increased self-consciousness. This age group wants to make a connection to dynamic characters and memorable plots. These tweens desire to see themselves in the books being read and want to read about the struggles of daily life and growing up. Kids in this age group read books that offer confidence boosters, determined characters with a can do attitude that problem solve and grow for the better. From mystery to adventure to well-written nonfiction books, kids this age want inspiration, entertainment, knowledge, and information. 

ME AND MARVIN GARDENS
by Amy Sarig King

There are many more important elements to consider when examining and  analyzing mentor texts. Hopefully, these few will serve a purpose with your writing.

Share your thoughts and comments about specific elements that you feel are important to consider when analyzing books as mentor texts.