Giveaway and Interview with Picture Book Writer Kirsti Call ~ by Christy Mihaly

A big GROG welcome to picture book author Kirsti Call. Kirsti is offering a signed ARC (advance copy) of her forthcoming picture book, Mootilda's Bad Mood ... just comment and/or tweet to be entered in our giveaway (details below)! 

   GROG:  Welcome, Kirsti! I know that in addition to writing, you co-host the new Picture Book Look podcast, and you're a Cybils judge and co-coordinator of Reading for Research Month (ReFoReMo). 
    Before we talk about your books, please tell us a little about ReFoReMo. What does it involve, and why should GROG readers participate?

    Kirsti: ReFoReMo was originally Carrie Charley Brown’s idea, and when she asked me to join in on the fun, I was thrilled. We had both judged for the Cybils awards, which helped us understand how reading great books helps us write great books. Paying attention to what I love about a story, and attempting to add those elements into my own stories, is one of my favorite ways to improve my writing. We wanted to share that with others.

Well, thanks to you and ReFoReMo for sharing all those mentor text insights. What more should our readers know about ReFoReMo?

    Kirsti: ReFoReMo is not only for writers, but for librarians, teachers, and kids. Though we post every Tuesday all year long, March is our challenge month. That's when authors, educators, librarians, agents and editors share insights and favorite mentor texts that we can read and learn from. 

ReFoReMo is a great resource for anyone who loves picture books. Now, what can you tell us about judging the Cybils?

A: For the last six years, I’ve read all 300-ish nominated picture books for the Cybils award over a two-month period. This picture book overload totally helps me understand the market, what editors love, and what I love about picture books.

Read, read, read, right? Kirsti, you're also a marriage and family therapist. Does that work give you story ideas or otherwise inform your children's books?

Kirsti: I love using bibliotherapy in my work as a therapist. Reading and discussing books in therapy helps people process and heal. This work definitely influences my stories and what I write. In fact, if you read my forthcoming picture book, Mootilda’s Bad Mood (Sept. 1, 2020, Little Bee), you'll notice a very obvious connection between the story and my work as a therapist. 

Spread from Mootilda: "We're in a bad mooooooood!"

Mootilda's Bad Mood is co-written with Corey Rosen Schwartz and illustrated by Claudia Ranucci. It's about a cow in a bad mood. Where did this fun idea come from?

cover

   Kirsti: Corey and I joke about her being in a bad mood and me being in a good mood all the time.  We thought it would be fun to take that dynamic and explore how a cow in a bad mood would approach life ... and overcome all the cow-tastrophes that make her feel worse and worse. 

Uh-oh, cow-pun alert!! Kirsti, how does the co-writing process work differently from solo writing?

MOOTILDA swag!

   Kirsti: Corey and I have written many manuscripts together. In fact, we have another book coming out in the fall of 2021 with Little Brown. It’s called "Cold Turkey!" Writing together involves lots of texts and messaging in google docs and talking on the phone. It’s a much more social than writing solo.

  Big congratulations on Mootilda, Kirsti (and Corey and Claudia). I'm sorry, though, about the timing.
How have you been promoting your new book in the midst of the covid-19 closures and cancellations?

Book Launch in the Time of Covid (Sept.5)

Kirsti: Little Bee is planning a virtual book tour that we’re excited to participate in. We have a couple of virtual events coming up on Sept. 5 at The Writing Barn, and Sept. 8 at An Unlikely Story. We’re also considering a socially distanced book launch at a farm featuring cows and ice-cream. We’ve created some digital assets that we’ll be offering with pre-sales. In fact ...

** ALERT! GROG Bonus! **  

... if any GROG readers pre-order Mootilda, they can DM me on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to receive a signed bookplate, sticker, and mood-o-meter coloring page. 

We’re trying to be creative in these uncertain times. But one thing I am certain of, "Mootilda's Bad Mood" is something that will resonate with many people given the pandemic.

    These days it takes extra imagination and energy to get our books into readers' hands. Good luck with your launch! What else would you like GROG readers to know about you and your books?

    Kirsti: I’m super excited about another book that’s coming out with HMH in March—Cow Says Meow. I’m not certain why all of my upcoming books feature farm animals, but I do have a pair of cow shoes I can wear for each release date! 

    

Kirsti Call (whose cow shoe [and foot] appears below) is the co-host of the new Picture Book Look podcast and co-coordinator of ReFoReMo. She reads, reviews, revises and critiques every day as an "elf" for the 12x12 Picture Book Challenge, a blogger for Writer's Rumpus, and a critique group member. She's judged the Cybils award for fiction picture books since 2015. Kirsti has a picture book, MOOTILDA'S BAD MOOD (Little Bee) coming in the fall of 2020. COW SAYS MEOW (HMH) and COLD TURKEY (Little Brown) release in 2021. Kirsti is represented by Emma Sector at Prospect Agency.

For the GIVEAWAY: 

Your name will be entered for a chance to win Kirsti's signed ARC if you: 

(1) comment on this post (below) explaining why you'd like to win the ARC.

(2) tweet about this post, mentioning GROG and Kirsti Call, and tag me (@CMwriter4kids). 

Do both to get two chances!

We'll draw the winning name and post it on the GROG post next week. Good luck!

And remember, if you pre-order Mootilda's Bad Mood, contact Kirsti to get your swag. 

Find her here:

www.kirsticall.com

www.writersrumpus.com

www.reforemo.com

@kirsticall (Instagram)

Kirstine Erekson Call (Facebook)

@kirsticall (Twitter)

Thanks for visiting GROG! 
(And don't forget to leave a comment ...) 
Christy Mihaly

Writers Use Mentor Texts ~By Suzy Leopold

Writers know the value of reading mentor texts. 

My students at Lincoln Land Community College, know the value of reading mentor texts. Students in my classroom read for pleasure becoming proficient readers. Through daily reading, freshman learn how to write and make improvements with their writing.

Mentor texts can be used in a variety of ways for all students and writers. Mentor texts become powerful models to inspire students and writers.

There are times when I share direct instruction to guide students and model for them good writing elements and what to look for.

"Let's look at what real writers are doing. Let's see how 

we can learn from these writers." 

Ralph Fletcher, Author

A shorter reading passage can be used as a mentor text to focus students' attention with a mini-lesson.

I picked these flowers for you
from my 2018 garden.
Happy Valentine's Day!

Here's an example of a mini-lesson using direct instruction along with what I might say . . .

Today's lesson includes author's word choice. Let's read, and look for word choices made by the author on these two pages.

Now reread. This time as you read, jot down and write as you answer these questions:

1. Do you note active verbs?

2. What word did the author chose? Think of a synonym that may work.

3. Did you find interesting figurative language, such as a metaphor?

I don't always require students to focus on a particular concept, such as word choice. Some lessons are less structure, allowing students to discover what is working in a piece of writing. As an educator, I must encourage higher order thinking through the six steps of Bloom's Taxonomy [there are several variations of Bloom's Taxonomy--a cognitive development tool]. The highest level of learning takes place is through evaluating. To do so, students are judging the value of the material being read for a given purpose.

Click on the link again and you'll note active verbs used by students for this learning outcome: evaluate, appraise, assess, compare, and so forth.

"Every writer, no matter how skilled you are or how beginning 

you are, encounters and reads something that can 

lift and inform and infuse their own writing."

Ralph Fletcher, Author

Writers and readers use mentor texts to discover why writers are successful. Reading and examining books as model texts encourages readers and writers to become better at the craft of writing.

Mentor texts are powerful tools--books that students and writers can learn from, glean from and eventually affects your writing in positive ways.

There are numerous methods for reading and examining mentor texts to support students and writers.

I'll share a mini-lesson on the Book Head Heart Reading Framework.

The BHH model was developed by Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst. They are the authors of DISRUPTING THINKING WHY HOW WE READ MATTERS.

"What do we mean by Book, Head, and Heart?

This is a simply a short, telegraphic phrase to suggest 

that we need to pay attention to the text, to our thoughts about it, 

and to what we feel and how we might have changed, 

no matter how slightly, as a result of reading."

Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst

BHH Reading

The BHH framework is a great tool for students and writers to stop, notice, and note.

DISRUPTING THINKING
WHY HOW WE READ MATTERS

Reading carefully requires a certain amount of stamina, concentration, and patience. There are moments when a reader needs to slow down and ask what is working and what isn't.

Open up a mentor text and read it. Now read the story for a second time--better yet, read it aloud. Consider using the BHH Reading Framework. Find several ideas that can be used as a take-away to make your own writing polished and satisfying.

Next month as you participate in ReFoReMo, with coordinators and contributors, embrace mentor texts in a way that makes room for your meaning to improve your writing.

Check out these Picture books by Ralph Fletcher

This tab shares books for writing teachers and there are excellent tips for all writers on the teacher hangout tab.

How to Find Picture Book Mentor Texts ~ by Patricia Toht

I recently reached out to my GROG buddies to help me brainstorm about picture book topics for upcoming posts. I had already covered: 

making a picture book dummy 

page turns 

the rule of three

metafiction

wordless spreads

when your picture book wants to rhyme

The GROG hive mind came up with many suggestions, but one buzzed to the top --

How do you find picture book mentor texts?

• The most important thing you can do is to build your own reference guide. Read! Read! Read! When you find elements that are done particularly well in certain books, WRITE THOSE TITLES DOWN! I have a notebook just for this purpose, and it lists a different topic every few pages (e.g. humor, quirky characters, fractured fairy tales, minimal words, lyrical language, etc.) Soon you will have your own amazing reference guide at hand.

A recent stack of rhyming books
that I checked out of my library.

• Enlist the help of your librarian and/or bookseller. These folks are walking, talking versions of the above-mentioned reference guide.

Love your local bookseller!

• Use Google to sleuth for mentor texts. Narrow down the topic you are interested in and type key words into the search box, connecting them with the plus sign (e.g. picture book + cats + humor). You may soon discover that there are several wonderful websites with collected lists of picture books by topic. 

Nerdy Book Club 

(mine the collective minds kids' book nerds)

Pragmatic Mom 
(great lists from Mia Wenjen)

We Are Teachers 

(check the Classroom Ideas Archives)

Reading Rockets 

(select Children's Books and Authors/Themed Booklists)

Marcie Flinchum Atkins 

(Marcie blogs about mentor texts and how to use them.)

• Poke around Pinterest. Many Pinterest pages have collections of picture books by theme.

• Don't forget Twitter! The recent hashtag #nf10for10 on February 10 focused on nonfiction titles. Here is an example from an elementary school librarian outside of Boston.

• Sign yourself up for a month of mentor texts. ReFoReMo, Reading for Research Month happens every March. Throughout the month, guest posters focus on a particular aspect or theme of picture books and provide a handful of recent titles for further research on these aspects/themes. 
I will be joining the fun on March 7th when I look at "How To" picture books. You can find out more about ReFoReMo here.

I hope this helps you get started on the path to finding picture book mentor texts. 

Do you have questions? Tips you'd like to share? Please include them in the comments below.

March Is Blowing Books My Way With ReFoReMo: Tips & Takeaways - by Kathy Halsey

March blew in like a lion here in central Ohio, blustery and chilly. I love March because it's time again to immerse myself in stacks of picture books for the ReFoReMo challenge. This is my third year for reading with my mind tuned towards writing as I read. Today I'll share a few books from week 1 and tips for customizing the reading challenge to work for your needs as a writer. 

Tips for Making the Challenge YOURS

1. I survey the weekly lists before I check them out from the library with my mind on my current WIPs and needs. Last year I had a critique with a Charlesbridge editor in April. I focused on NF books with that imprint in mind and developed a list of commonalities from the mentor texts I read.  I then used the list to see how to tweak my manuscript. 

2. Find themes or genre types that fit your voice, and read those. People tell me that I know "funny," so I focused my reading toward humor this first week of ReFoReMo.

3. Can't find a particular text? Look to youtube for hard-to-find books and hear them read aloud as they were meant to be.

4. Include genres or types of books that you don't usually peruse. I steer clear of rhyming books since I don't rhyme. However, I am reading rhyming texts to see what I can learn.

5. Don't ignore the "classics" or older texts. As a rule, I read titles from the last five years, however I almost passed up JAMBERRY by Bruce Degan, which inspired me to play with words and create my own jam.

6. Lucky you, since it's March here's one last lucky tip! Make your reading do double duty. I'm using mentor texts to write this post, to share in a class I'm teaching with othe librarians, and for my presentation at the Virginia Hamilton Conference on Multicultural Literature. 

Writing Takeaways from Mentor Texts

1. UNICORN THINKS HE'S PRETTY GREAT by Bob Shea, Disney/Hyperion, 2013: Even though as writers we're cautioned not to use "being" verbs, I noticed many of these verbs peppering our lists from week one. From UNICORN, "Things are a lot different around here since that Unicorn moved in. I thought I was pretty cool when I rode my bike to school." (first 2 page spread) The ending also includes such verbs: "You know something, Unicorn? I had a feeling we’d be friends.” My takeaway: do what serves the story.

2. BARK GEORGE! by Jules Feiffer – Harper Collins, 1999: Even though this is an older title, the page turns are great! "George’s mother said: 'Bark, George.' George went: 'Meow.' " Feiffer sets up the conflict in a spread and a half. That is masterful. I also noted the intentional use of repetition that triggers young readers' anticipation. " 'No, George," said George’s mother. 'Cats go meow. Dogs go arf. Now bark, George.' George went: 'Quack-quack.' " Reread this classic for a great set up and hilarious ending, that is implied not stated.  
3. RHYMING DUST BUNNIES by Jan Thomas beach lane books, 2009: Again, the writer finds a simple, repeated concept. We have 4 main characters, three with rhyming names and one that doesn't - Ed, Ned, and Ted, and Bob. The reader know who will and won't rhyme quickly. They also learn that the character that doesn't "fit" actually knows more than the others by the story's end. My other takeaway is that a character arc can be simple (Bob is annoying, then the hero.)

4. VAMPIRINIA BALLERINA by Anne Marie Pace, Disney/Hyperion. 2012: Look for an interesting twist on picture book tropes. Lots of ballerina books, only one vampirina. The story also reads like a "how-to" book. Just the right amount of word play to increase the humor in this book.
5. JAMBERRY by Bruce Degan, HarperCollins, 1983: This title was probably the oldest I've read, but oh the joy to read it aloud! Bruce delivers delicious word play make this book one-of-a-kind. Short rhymes, great rhythm, and made-up words make for fun: " One berry, two  berry, pick me a blueberry. Haberry, shoeberry, in my canoe berry. (Very similar to the fun Mo Willems has in mentor text NANETTE'S BAGETTE.)

What mentor texts are blowing your way these days? What are your writer takeaways? I'd love to hear from you! Happy Reading and Writing! Lucky us, it's March!

Writers Need Models ~By Suzy Leopold

What do you love to do? What do you think you are really good at? All of us recognize our strengths and believe in what we can do. The thing that you are good at is probably something that you enjoy doing often.

Stop for a moment and think about something that you believe you are good at or at least have some level of fluency or mastery. You probably had an excellent model who taught you how to do what you feel you are good at. This individual may have encouraged you, inspired you, and believed in you.  

The first time you tried playing baseball perhaps you were unsure and nervous. When it was your turn to bat, did you hit a homerun or strike out? With practice you improved upon the sport. Your coach shared tips with you and encouraged you. You practiced daily. Soon you became stronger and more confident.

Grandson Lane

Who taught you how to bake a great loaf of bread? Perhaps you watched and learned at first. Then an experienced baker showed you how to measure all of the ingredients needed and how to work with the yeast. You were taught how to kneed the bread, shape the loaf and how long to bake it.

Like many of you, I learned how to ride a bike as a kid. I have a memory of riding a bicycle for the first time without training wheels when I was five years old. I've always enjoyed riding my bike. Sure I knew how to ride a bike. At least I thought I did. However, my husband Perry taught me and inspired me to be a better cyclist.

Suzy Rides

My Pink Marin Portofina

Riding together, Perry modeled for me. The rules of the road were explained to me. Perry taught me the importance of staying hydrated and fueled. Words of encouragement were shared. He helped me to improve my form on a bike. Together we buildt my stamina and over time I have achieved many 50+ mile bike rides with Perry. It's been a journey and continues to be.

Writing is a journey. Becoming a published author is a journey. A writer learns through great models by using mentor texts that model great writing.

Never hesitate to imitate another writer. Imitation is part of the creative process for anyone learning an art or craft. Bach and Picasso didn't spring full-blown as Bach and Picasso; they needed models. This is especially true of writing.

~William Zinsser

Mentor texts have power to help a writer grow. Studying great picture books before writing is what I did during the month of March for Research for Reading Month ReFoReMo with Carrie Charley Brown. Many of you, too, participated in this first annual writing challenge.

I now have a better sense of reading picture books with a purpose and studying them while looking at the entire book page by page from cover to cover. Studying these high quality, currently published picture books as models are encouraging me to be a stronger, better writer. I no longer just read quality picture books I study them.

Here is an example of how I now study picture books:

The Right Word Roget and His Thesaurus

By: Ben Bryant 

Illustrator: Melissa Sweet

42 pages

Ages 7 +

Genre: Creative nonfiction/Biography

Published by: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2014

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Cambridge, UK 

Awards: 

2015 Caldecott Honor Book

2015 Sibert Medal Winner 

2105 Orbis Pictus Honor Book and many more

The Right Word Roget and His Thesaurus

• Beautiful, unique illustrations created with watercolor, collage and mixed media that depict imagery of classification and scientific illustrations. Old botanicals and vintage papers are used throughout the book. 
• A picture of a page from Roget's orginal word book is included.
• Illustrations and page layouts contribute to the story line.
• The Back Matter includes: List of Principal Events [timeline], Author's Note, Illustator's Note, Selected Bibliography, a section For Further Reading and Sources.
• The endpapers list Roget's thousand words with abbreviations.
• The author shares with the reader Peter Mark Roget's childhood, his precocious intellect, his nervous habits and much more through the drama and contradictions and historical details of Roget's fascinating life until his death in 1869.
• Some pages are written as a columns depicting lists that Roget kept in his notebooks.
• Story is written in a lyrical text.
• Speech bubbles are used to support the text.
• Rich vocabulary acquisition for students.

End Papers

Page on right is written as a column.

Consider using great picture books that model great writing. Great picture books are excellent mentors that teach a writer to be a better writer. Do you read picture books to become a better writer? How do you read and study great picture books?

Happy Easter to you and your family.

An Easter Treat for You!

ReFoReMo ~By Suzy Leopold

Calling all picture book writers! Grab your writer's toolbox, a journal to take notes and your favorite pen. It's time for some picture book research. 

ReFoReMo

WHO? Picture Book Writers 

Fiction and Nonfiction

WHAT? Reading For Research Month

A writing challenge to help you reform your writing and learn how to use mentor texts. 

WHEN? March 1st through March 31st 

Registration opens February 15, 2015

To kick off the event prior to registration and be eligible for some prizes consider spreading the news through social media. To find out how to do so and enter for prizes go to ReFoReMo.

WHERE? Your choice for a favorite place to read and write.

WHY? Whether you are an experienced published author or a writer who is honing the craft of writing, you will find that studying and researching the newest picture books on the market is an excellent tool to have in your writer's toolbox.

HOW? Reading and researching mentor texts. Both fiction and nonfiction picture books. Recently published, highly recommended picture books will be studied.

A Tall Stack of Mentor Texts

Authors, educators, and librarians will share daily posts along with recommendations for five quality picture books. Inspiration, tips and excellent book recommendations will be made.

Read more about this upcoming event at ReFoReMo and find out who the twenty-eight guests are. Wow! What a line up!

Mark your calendars for this upcoming event! You won't want to miss it. Thank you, Carrie! 

Carrie Charley Brown