HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! Celebrating GROG Blog’s 10th ~ By Julie Phend

Happy Tenth Anniversary, GROG!

https://groggorg.blogspot.com/

The GROG Blog has been offering support, information, and encouragement to members of the children's writing community for ten years! To celebrate this milestone, we're going to review GROG's history and mission and highlight some of the people who have made this wonderful resource happen. And for you, our readers, we're offering gifts and prizes as a thank-you for spreading the word. 

Intrigued? Read on.

The GROG Mission:

To provide:

    G: Guidance and support

    R: Resources on the craft of writing

    O: Opportunities to expand our skills

    G: Great folks who support readers and writers of all ages.

That spells GROG!

How Did GROG Get Started?

2014 WOW Retreat

The GROG origin story began in the mountains of Georgia in the summers of 2013-2014 when a group of writers who didn't know each other bonded at the Week of Writing (WOW) nonfiction writing retreat. GROG evolved out of their desire to gather a group of writers to form a new blog about children's literature. Being energetic, intrepid souls, these writers made their vision a reality.

Kathy Halsey & Christy Mihaly

Two of the writers at that original event, Kathy Halsey and Christy Mihaly, are still writing for the GROG blog. GROG grew by inviting writers from all over the world through online forums.

One of the original online recruits is Tina Cho.  

"In 2014, I was living

Tina Cho

in South Korea with my husband and kids," she said. "I had started writing in 2008, so when we moved to Korea, I participated virtually in critique groups, blogs, and social media groups. I started with the GROG blog when I took Kristin Fulton's nonfiction picture book biography class online. Todd Burleson was in the class, and he asked if we'd like to continue together and write a blog. I joined and have been submitting blog posts ever since."

Let's give a SHOUT OUT  to original Groggers Tina Cho, Kathy Halsey, and Christy Mihaly, who have been contributing great information for TEN YEARS! 

Watching the GROG Grow

The first GROG post came out on February 24, 2014. At that time, there were fourteen contributing writers. GROG came out daily, with a different focus each day. Talk about ambitious! 

Here's a quote from one of the first posts on March 22, 2014: "Why are we doing this? The answer is simple. It is for YOU--the writers, librarians, teachers, and lovers of books--especially books for young readers." That's still true today.

The post listed the fourteen original bloggers: Jan Godown Annino, Tina Cho, Christy Mihaly, Sherri Jones Rivers, Patricia Toht, Marcie Flinchum Atkins, Leslie Colin Tribble, Pam Vaughn, Suzy Leopold, Janie Reinart, Todd Burleston, Kathy Halsey, Cheryl Mansfield, and Jackie Wellington. I'm sure many of their names are familiar. (You can read the full post here.)

An early WOW Retreat
With some of the original Groggers

Over the years, the GROG blog has evolved and changed. Some bloggers moved on, and new voices were added. We now post weekly instead of every day. But our mission is unchanged. GROG remains a great place of enlightenment and support in the children's writing community.

Did You Say Something about GIFTS and PRIZES?

You bet! Keep reading to learn how. (Even that has roots in the past.)

How does a new blog get readers?

With a Blog Launch, of course. GROG's launch ran from March 24-April 7, 2014. Bloggers conducted a raffle, giving away free books and services. Readers could enter by visiting the blog and leaving a comment, signing up to subscribe, and re-posting about GROG on social media. The more you did to spread the word, the better your chance of winning a prize.

It worked, too. In its first year, the GROG blog had over 59,000 page views and 16,732 visitors from all over the world. (See the whole post at Happy One Year Anniversary )

As of today, GROG has 851, 244 views with 13,483 comments on 814 posts. Well done, Groggers!

Happy Ten Year Anniversary: 

GROG Giveaway!

In celebration of our tenth anniversary, we're doing another giveaway. Here's your chance to be part of our story and win some fabulous prizes.

How to Enter the Raffle:

We're giving away 10 prizes over 10 days! To enter, you need to comment on a blog post and follow the GROG Blog. For an extra entry, reblog a post on another form of social media and share the link.

What Can You Win?

Here are the prizes and the date entries will open for each one, as well as link to follow:

 

Books:

 

Day 1

3/20 Tina Cho, My Breakfast with Jesus

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e998ca2e3/?

 

Day 2

3/21 Sue Heavenrich, The Pie that Molly Grew

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e998ca2e4/?

 

Day 3

3/22 Eileen Meyer, The Superlative A Lincoln and swag bag

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e998ca2e5/?

 

Day 4

3/23 Christy Mihaly, three-book package: Little Golden Book about Mel Brooks; Patience, Patches; and choice of Free for You and Me or The Supreme Court and Us

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e998ca2e6/?

 

Day 5

3/24 Julie Phend, D-Day and Beyond: A True Story of Escape and POW Survival

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e998ca2e8/?

 

Day 6

3/25 Tina Cho, God's Little Astronomer

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e998ca2e7/?

 

 

Services:

 

Day 7

3/26 An Ask Me Anything Zoom chat with author, speaker, former librarian Kathy Halsey (For more information, see Ask Infowoman: A Library Consult )

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e998ca2e9/?

 

Day 8

3/27 An Ask Me Anything Zoom chat with author Sue Heavenrich

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e998ca2e10/?

 

Day 9

3/28 A nonfiction manuscript critique from author, editor, and agent Fran Hodgkins (1500 words, max. )

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e998ca2e2/?

 

Day 10

3/29 One ten-page fiction manuscript critique by author Julie Phend

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e998ca2e12/?

 

 

THANK YOU for being a GROG reader and helping us spread the word about this great resource. Sign up to follow us each Wednesday for informative new posts and Blasts from the Past, where you'll find previous posts that are still relevant today. 

Look for a post on May 29, when I'll interview some long-time Groggers about what's changed in the world of children's publishing over the past ten years.

And good luck with the RAFFLE!

 

 

 

Addressing OCD with Young Readers - Kidlit Author Natalie Rompella Talks About her New Picture Book by Eileen Meyer

 

I'm delighted to welcome author Natalie Rompella here today to share her thoughts about researching and writing her new picture book about OCD, which comes out later this month.

1. Tell us a little bit about your newest picture book coming out with Albert Whitman & Co., MALIK’S  NUMBER THOUGHTS: A Story about OCD

Malik’s obsessive-compulsive disorder means his brain wants him to do everything on the count of four. When he’s invited to a mini-golf birthday party, Malik is excited. But he worries about his Number Thoughts. If he has to take four tries to get the ball in the hole, he’ll never win—and everyone might make fun of him. Can Malik say “no” to his Number Thoughts?

2. This seems like such an important picture book for young readers  because it includes good strategies for dealing with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Can you share more:

Yes, it was important to me that young readers who have OCD could see themselves in this book. When I set out to write it, I realized that I could not convey (especially in a low-word-count picture book) someone with OCD receiving a diagnosis, working through treatment, and reaching a point at which he or she implemented strategies successfully. I chose to start the book when Malik has already been in treatment and is applying what he learned to a new situation.

 I wanted to feature an activity many children enjoy that could be difficult for someone with counting OCD. I chose mini-golf—a favorite in my family. I also wanted to have a spread where Malik creates his own practice course—something I have done in my classroom that can be a blast!

I hope that someone who has just been diagnosed with OCD as well as someone working on strategies can see that he or she is not alone.

 

3. This is your THIRD book about the topic of OCD. Can you share a bit more about why this topic is important to you, as well as information about your earlier work?

 The first book I wrote on OCD was a nonfiction book for teens titled It Happened to Me: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder [Scarecrow Press]. This book contains narratives from teens with OCD and offers information, such as types of OCD, types of treatment, and tips for handling OCD in college. Book link here:https://www.amazon.com/Obsessive-Compulsive-Disorder-Ultimate-Guide-Happened/dp/0810857782/

Because of all my research for that book, as well as because I have OCD, I decided to write a middle grade novel, Cookie Cutters & Sled Runners [Sky Pony Press], where the character is coping with her OCD. I wanted this book to be both a mirror and a window—a chance for kids with OCD to see themselves in the book and a chance for kids who don’t have OCD to understand what it’s like. Find Natalie's novel here: https://www.amazon.com/Cookie-Cutters-Runners-Natalie-Rompella/dp/1510717714

4. With your detailed research and experience, do you have any special advice for teachers who work with students or parents who have children with OCD?

 I am not a therapist/psychologist. However, as a teacher and a parent, I would suggest reaching out to the parents for how you can help. There are so many great books out there. I recently did a talk about Cookie Cutters for kids with OCD, and they appreciated reading about a character who was going through things they had gone through.

Mention that writing can be therapeutic and suggest that the parent help the child pick out a journal in which to write down whatever he or she wants—unwanted thoughts, goals, poetry, stories, etc.

5. Tell us something we don’t know about you, Natalie! Do you have a favorite guilty pleasure TV show, hobby, or a favorite food?

 

Through my research and writing, I fell in love with watching/following sled dog racing (featured in Cookie Cutters & Sled Runners)…I even attended the start of the Iditarod.

Any spare time I have is spent playing pickleball—it is how I clear my mind. As for favorite food: yellow cake with buttercream frosting. And I am sometimes called The Bug Lady because I collect and study bugs for fun.

THANK YOU, Natalie, for joining us today on the blog.

Natalie Rompella is the author of more than sixty books and other resources for children, including Malik’s Number Thoughts: A Story about OCD, a picture book addressing obsessive number thoughts; Cookie Cutters & Sled Runners, a middle grade novel about OCD; and It Happened to Me: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, a nonfiction book about OCD for teens. She is a former elementary school and middle school teacher. Natalie lives with her two kids, husband, and dog in the Chicago suburbs, where she enjoys playing pickleball, baking, and hanging out with her family. 

Find out more at natalierompella.com.

If you’re interested in a school or library visit, contact me at info@natalierompella.com

Website: https://natalierompella.com

Twitter: @NatalieRompella

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorNatalieRompella/

 

INTERVIEW w/ Sophia Gholz & BUG ON A RUG PB by Eileen Meyer

 

Hi! Thanks for having me. I’m a big fan of GROG Blog and am so excited to be here sharing my new book.

 

1. Tell us a little bit about your newest picture book, BUG ON A RUG . . .

 

Bug on the Rug shares the story of a rug-loving Pug and a rug-stealing Bug. When these two encounter one another, a hilarious battle erupts with surprise twists and turns, until a third friend joins the fray and ultimately helps everyone find common ground. In general, this is a funny rhyming book that’s packed with action. But at its core, this is a story of friendship, empathy, compromise, and forgiveness.

 

2. How was this book different from your previous releases?

Bug on the Rug is different from my previous books in a few ways. First, this marks my fiction debut. Hooray!

 

Many years ago, when I began writing, I only wrote fiction. Fiction was what I envisioned I’d always write. It just so happened that my first three published books were nonfiction (with a few more in the works now). But I’ve found I approach both fiction and nonfiction the same way: by falling in love with a story first. The nonfiction books I’ve written weren’t subjects I sought out just for the sake of writing nonfiction. They were stories that I found fascinating and couldn’t stop thinking about. So, my draw to each of my books, whether a true story or not, has come from that same obsession and desire to tell those stories.

 

But Bug on the Rug is different in more ways than one…it also marks my rhyming debut! Poetry isn’t new to me. I love various forms of poetry, verse, and playing with sounds. But despite studying and exploring poetry, for many years I was terrified to truly pursue a full rhyming text because I doubted my skill. Rhyme can be so tricky! I’m truly in awe of the master poets out there. But when I began writing Bug on the Rug, the story wrote itself in rhyme. There really was no other option for me once I began drafting it. So, I had to be brave. I decided to run with it and here we are.

 

Last, but not least, Bug on the Rug is full of giggles. Humor is another one of those things that I’ve always written. But for those who are familiar with my previous books, this will be the first funny story you’ve seen from me. That said, it won’t be the last! A History of Toilet Paper (And Other Potty Tools) hits shelves this August and is another humorous tale. I’ve got a few more books in the works that haven’t been announced yet—both humorous and quiet. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to write both the raucous funny books and the quieter heartfelt stories.

 

3. Which character in BUG ON A RUG is your favorite and why?

Oh my. This is a hard question to answer! Can I just say all of them? They are each such fun characters and illustrator extraordinaire, Susan Batori, has done such a phenomenal job of making them unique and quirky. But I guess if I really had to pick one...maybe Slug? Slug is more of a peacemaker and I love that about him. J

 

4. For what age group would you recommend your book?  

I’d say 3-7 is a great age range for Bug on the Rug. The play with phonics in this story also makes a nice tool for early and emergent readers. The humor and rhyme here are also great for story times. I recently presented this book to K-4^th grade at an elementary school visit and each one of those age ranges had a blast reading the story, trying to guess what would happen next and acting out some of the characters. So, I think anyone who likes a humorous adventure can have a good time with this book.

 

For those interested, I have free classroom guides, crafts and activity pages that accompany Bug on the Rug and can be downloaded from my website here:

https://www.sophiagholz.com/teacher-guide

  

5. Tell us something we don’t know about you, Sophia . . . 

People may not know that I have severe OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). I was diagnosed as a very young teen and it’s something that I’ve had to learn to navigate my whole life. It’s also something that I’m slowly learning to talk about more openly. When I was first diagnosed waaaay back in the day, OCD wasn’t something that was widely discussed. I thought I was broken or crazy. Trying to overcome that inner voice telling me to keep my struggles secret has been a challenge. But I know how easy it is to flip through social media and assume life is perfect for someone else, and I think it’s important, for mental wellbeing, for others to see that they aren’t alone. At least, I know that’s been important for me. 

 

Thank YOU for sharing from your heart today, Sophia—we are cheering you on and wishing you and BUG ON A RUG great success! If you want to know a little more about Sophia, here you go: 

Sophia Gholz is an award-winning children's book author, business major, and magic seeker. She enjoys writing fiction with humor and heart. When writing nonfiction, she pulls on her love of science and strong family background in ecology. Since 2017, Sophia has helped oversee the Henry L. Gholz SEEDS National Field Trip Endowment for The Ecological Society of America, funding field experiences for students from diverse backgrounds. Previously, Sophia worked as an advertising copywriter and made a career working with visual artists in New York City. Sophia’s books have received numerous awards and accolades. When she’s not writing from her home base in Florida, you can find Sophia reading, visiting schools or exploring the great outdoors. For more, find Sophia online with the links below:

 

Web: www.SophiaGholz.com

Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok: @SophiaGholz

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDQwIwDuBuZrGNVqTCcIKlg

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/sophiagholzauthor

4 Ways to Get Back on Track When Your WORK-LIFE Balance is Off-Kilter by Eileen Meyer

 

Most of my writing and illustrating colleagues in the children’s book publishing world have been in this same spot . . . when your work-life balance is temporarily out of whack and weighted far too heavily to one side. Too many deadlines or marketing activities for an upcoming publication, and your work hours take over your free time. (Your family and friends wonder when you will come up for air!) On the flip side, there are times that writing, or illustrating must take a back seat to other commitments. Important activities such as helping family members, unexpected travel, group project commitments (you can’t let others down)—all these things and more can eliminate dedicated time for individual projects. It can be frustrating . . .but I have found ways to keep moving forward by focusing on a few things I can manage to squeeze in when I don’t have either time or the head space to write.

 

 

 

1. READ! 

This is a time that I like to go to the library and check out oodles of books in my genre. Even though I may not have the opportunity to write, I can always use a bit of my evenings for browsing and reading to fill my brain with wonderful words and phrases, admire beautiful illustrations, study interesting narratives, and meander through fabulous stories. Plan to stop by your favorite indie bookstore, or locate your library card and head over to the stacks for an afternoon of searching for useful selections!

 

 

Taago, 2006 - by El Anatsui

 

2. EXPLORE! 

During this lull in my writing efforts, I found time to squeeze in a trip to a museum to see exhibits. The beautiful aluminum and copper wire art installation pictured above captured my attention at Atlanta’s High Museum. Ghanaian artist El Anatsui formed this beautiful textile from discarded bits of aluminum taken from the necks and tops of liquor bottles. His art celebrates the tradition of West-African strip woven cloth. Wow—what an incredible metal-cloth sculpture! It was a joy to behold. So, get out—fill yourself up with an afternoon at a museum, take a morning walk at a local park, or taste something from a new food truck in your neighborhood. Inspiration may be lurking where you least expect it.

 

 

 

3. THINK! 

Even though I don’t have time to sit down at my writing desk . . . I do have time to consider new project ideas and turn them over in my mind. How might I approach this new story idea? What will make my characters or plot unique? What else can I possibly do to learn more about a new nonfiction topic? So, think about it . . . can you jot down some new story ideas or list items that require more research?

 

 

4. CONNECT! 

I recently signed up for my first “in-person” conference in over two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a few months, I can’t wait to put on my name badge, meet old pals, make new friends, listen to engaging speakers, and revel in all things kidlit! There’s nothing quite like a conference or workshop to keep you on track to submit existing projects for critique and feedback and push you forward. Why not take a look at the events in your region . . . and send in your registration today!

 

 

So even though I’m not actively working on a project this month, I’m still making progress. I’m reading, exploring, thinking, and soon I will be connecting, too! And yes, that list of commitments which have overtaken my writing time is being whittled down, one by one. Soon, I’ll be back at my desk diving into a few projects that I can’t wait to work on.

 

What do YOU do to further your writing / illustrating work when you’re not able to squeeze in dedicated project time? I’d love to hear your thoughts . . . and add your valuable tips to my toolkit! Please post your ideas in the comments section. Thanks for stopping in.

 

Find me . . .

on Twitter: @Writer_Meyer

on Instagram: EileenMeyerBooks

my website: EileenMeyerBooks.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take a Look Around - What Inspires You?

Most writers and illustrators spend an incredible amount of solitary time in one key  location—whether it's their office, studio space, or a favorite out-of-the-way nook. While lost in thought when we're digging deep—and inevitably searching for a bit of inspiration—what do we look at? What does our gaze settle on?

A piece of beautiful art or a memorable photo? 

A knickknack with an important back-story? 

A meaningful quote?  

What fills us up and nudges us on? Friends in my creative community shared their thoughts with me.

Carmela Martino glances at an opaque blue-gray egg that was a gift during the time she worked on her M.F.A. at Vermont College. At the end of a semester and a period of working closely together, her mentor presented her with the glass egg. She noted it was a symbol of Carmela's yet unborn stories still waiting to be shared. Simply holding or rubbing the smooth, cool glass egg in her hands helps Carmela seek out inspiration.

Looking at a beautiful piece of art and remembering the story associated with the piece plays a central role for many of us. Julie Phend's husband bought her a piece of woodcut art from Costa Rica entitled "El Escribidor," which means The Writer. She noted "it reminds me that I am indeed a writer, and I have a responsibility to develop my skills."  And what a lovely show of support from her husband.

Michelle Schaub studies a postcard she picked up when she signed up for her first Highlights poetry workshop.

At the program, she worked on polishing a manuscript that would later become her first book sale. She didn't know at the time how attending the workshop would boost that project. "I went for the experience, and I met so many amazing people who have become mentors and supporters," she noted. "It reminds me to say 'yes' to opportunities because you don't know where they will lead. And to enjoy the journey as much as the destination."

Dana Easley hangs watercolors in her office so she is surrounded by creativity while she works on her writing projects. (Cool fact—she actually created this art, too, which I think is pretty amazing!) Who wouldn't be energized and inspired looking at beautiful florals as you ponder a first draft or tackle a challenging revision. It's a reminder that our own creativity knows no bounds.

Dana also has a large quote displayed on one of her office walls that says "Books turn Muggles into Wizards." It reminds her of the joy and value of books. (Created from a vinyl adhesive decal  ordered online—you simply rub it on the wall surface.) I love Dana's example of a big quote on the wall of your office. How cool is that?  I'm going  to have to think about how I can use this awesome idea.

Patty Toht has a few favorite quotes that help her move forward. There are two that she keeps taped to her computer . . . "Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere."—Anne Lamont, Bird by Bird. (I need to remember that as I start my awful first drafts . . .) And then there's this one, "Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."—Thomas Edison. I love both of these!

When Christy Mihaly was out for a nature walk, she spotted this hand-painted stone. Who painted it? And who took the time to leave it as a sweet surprise for someone to find and brighten their day? An unsolved mystery. It reminds Christy to take notice, be present—and yes, to take joy! (Plus it makes her smile—and a happy writer is usually a productive writer.)

Suzy Leopold finds inspiration from a beautiful hand-quilted creation made by her mom. Displayed right next to her writing desk, gazing at the lovely quilt reminds Suzy of her mother's love as well as her supportive and encouraging words: read, write and create every day. (Bonus—on a cold winter's day Suzy can also use the quilt for an extra layer of warmth to chase away the chill!)

Sherri Rivers surveys the Word Bird art perched on her bookcase and reflects on the amazing experience she had at a Highlights Nonfiction Workshop. During the conference, attendees bid on items as a small fundraiser and this cute piece caught her eye. After winning the bid, her workshop leader would not let her pay for it and bought it for her! Whenever she looks at this little treasure, she remembers the joy of attending the conference, the kindness and generosity of her workshop leader—and the kidlit community in general. Sherri knows that words count and can change lives!

I have one favorite object that speaks to me.  I keep a heavy, round paperweight in a prominent spot on my desk. It's right next to my computer monitor, so I see it whenever I sit down to work. It reads: "The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra." When I'm done with my umpteenth draft of a picture book project and think it just might be across the finish line . . . this paperweight serves as a nice braking mechanism. It encourages me to have patience and set high standards for this work-in-progress. It reminds me to use my critique groups for input. It sends a message to gather and listen to the feedback from industry professionals at conferences. And most importantly,  it signals to give my project more effort before sharing it with a key decision-maker. (Besides, it looks a lot nicer than a big red STOP sign!)

Take a look around. What inspires YOU in your favorite workspace? 

Readers: The Third Leg of the Picture Book Stool by Julie Phend

 

It might seem obvious: books are made for readers. Yet, as creators of picture books, we are trained to think of the interplay of writer and illustrator. But the stool cannot stand on two legs. It’s not complete without the reader.

The First Two Legs: Writer and Illustrator

Let’s begin by talking about the first two legs of the stool: writer and illustrator. In a joint session at the 2020 SCBWI Annual Summer Conference, writer Mac Barnett and illustrator Jon Klassen spoke about what makes a successful picture book. Using their book Sam and Dave Dig a Hole as an example, they discussed how pictures and text lean on each other to tell a story.

When you’re writing a picture book, they remind us, you are writing an incomplete story. The illustrator is an equal contributor. Illustrations add energy and often humor. They add detail that’s not in the text. The pictures can amplify the text—or they can say something different.

No treasure?

Sam and Dave Dig a Hole falls into the latter category. The story is about two boys digging for treasure. They dig straight down and don’t find any. They split up and go different directions. They still don’t find any. But, as the illustrations show, the treasure is there—they’ve been digging around it all along. There’s no hint in the words of what the pictures clearly reveal.

It takes a reader to see the joke.

 

The Third Leg: The Reader

As Barnett and Klassen point out, Sam and Dave are left out of the joke, but the reader is not. The reader seems to know more than the characters—more than the writer, even. And that’s funny.

Sam and Dave Dig a Hole leaves many things unsaid, including the ending, and invites the reader to figure them out. A good picture book encourages kids to participate. In this way, they become active readers.

I saw this principle in action many times in the past year. When the pandemic shut down school for my grandchildren, then aged 5 and 8, my husband and I started a daily story time with them on FaceTime. Over the course of the year, we read more than 100 books to them, and they read about half that many to us. We quickly learned that they preferred books with illustrations, whether picture books or chapter books, fiction or nonfiction. They loved stories with built-in humor and surprises—and books that gave them an opportunity to predict outcomes.

I noticed how often their predictions were based on the pictures. “I think he’s the bad guy. See how he’s smiling when she falls down?” Or “Look! The shark is coming closer. That diver better turn around.”

Among their favorite read-alouds were the Amelia Bedelia stories by Peggy Parish and Fritz Seibel. Amelia Bedelia takes figures of speech literally, which gets her in all kinds of hilarious trouble, as the illustrations demonstrate. They also loved the Good Crooks series by Mary Amato and Ward Jenkins and the Olivia books by Ian Falconer for their humor and fun illustrations.

 

Another huge hit was Jim Benton’s Franny K. Stein series. Franny, a third-grade mad scientist, gets herself into scrapes and uses scientific principles of observation and experimentation to get out of them. The illustrations say so much about the characters—my grandson was in tears when Franny was mean to her dog Igor because “His face is so sad!”

Poor Sad Igor

These books have humor and surprise at their core, yet each one carries a deeper message: about friendship, resiliency, determination, or creativity. But nowhere does the author say that. It’s left to the reader to figure it out.

Picture Books Promote Literacy

Author Eileen Meyer reads to children

That’s how picture books teach best—by allowing the child reader equal participation in the story. In this way, picture books help children become good readers.

A large body of research into reading shows that good readers engage with text in an active way.

They:

• visualize what they are reading (and pictures help them learn to do it).  
•  use patterns to make predictions (children’s stories are filled with pattern.)
•  adapt their predictions in relation to new information. (Surprise!)
•  use context clues (both text and illustration) to create meaning.
•  connect emotionally with characters.
• compare content to their own experience or prior knowledge. 
• use connections to make inferences. 
• and enjoy reading! 

Early Literacy Favorites

I talked with children’s librarian Michelle Pursel, who says, “Storytime is the perfect introduction to the early literacy skills children need to become lifelong readers. I look for books that have an engaging story with vivid illustrations, elements that play a crucial role in audience participation."

Michelle's storytime favorites include Duck, Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Mama Cat Has Three Kittens by Denise Fleming, Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! by Candace Fleming, and Grumpy Bird by Jeremy Tankard.

Children’s writer Katherine Patterson famously said, “Once a book is published, it no longer belongs to me. My creative task is done. The work now belongs to the creative mind of my readers.”

 So, as you write or illustrate books for children, keep in mind the third leg of your story: your readers. Give them opportunities to figure things out, connect, laugh, and be surprised—and grow into excellent readers. 

They'll enjoy the journey!