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• Jane Yolen's generous Mid-List Author Grant, to be awarded annually to an author who writes steadily and well but whose books have not received a lot of media attention. Eligible authors have at least two PAL level books but have not sold a manuscript in at least one year. Nominations for next year's awards will be accepted from June 1 to November 1, and winners will be announced at next year's conference. Watch the SCBWI web site for official details. Thank you, Jane!

• Kathryn Erskine's closing keynote, which used the acronym FOCUS as a guide for keeping our minds on our work. I especially appreciated her advice about blocking out distractions by creating a little waiting room in my mind. She recommended posting a guard at the door. (I wonder where I might find a fire-breathing dragon!)

• Meeting Steve Mooser, Lin Oliver, and the many enthusiastic, hardworking, dedicated, and brilliant author and illustrator volunteers who keep the SCBWI organization and events running smoothly, efficiently, and cheerfully.

By Nicki Richesin, The Children’s Book Review
Published: November 3, 2011

It’s such a pleasure to introduce children to new subjects, such as dance, through literature. Watching them discover a new love for learning about a topic they’ve yet to explore is pure joy. These books will open a ballroom door to the world of dance in its wide variety of forms, from the gypsies who migrated from India to Spain to the prima ballerina who dedicates her life to her craft.

The Barefoot Book of Dance Stories

By Jane Yolen and Heidi E.Y. Stemple

The Barefoot Book of Dance Stories by Jane Yolen and Heidi E.Y. Stemple is an eclectic collection including dance tales from Germany (The Twelve Dancing Princesses) Japan (Robe of Feathers) West Indies (Making the Stone Smoke) Spain (The Shepherd’s Flute) Czech Republic (Dancing with the Birch Fairy) Egypt (When The Goddess Danced) Scotland (Tam O’Shanter) and Mali (The Little Bird Who Went Dancing). Helen Cann’s paintings move and sinuate across the pages with brilliantly colorful strokes. Best of all, this book includes a CD with lively background music and grand dame of stage and screen Juliet Stevenson narrating the stories with her warm and gentle voice. (Ages 8 and up)

Miss Lina’s Ballerinas and the Prince

By Grace Maccarone; illustrated by Christine Davenier

Miss Lina’s Ballerinas and the Prince is an amusing tale of a classroom of little ballerinas who must welcome a new student, a boy. Quelle horreur! Grace Maccarone’s book is somewhat reminiscent of the Madeline and the Bad Hat (although this boy is not nearly as horrid as Pepito) with its rhyming lilt and even Christine Davenier’s illustrations remind me a bit of the little girls in Paris visiting the zoo with dear Miss Clavel. No need to fear, the prince doesn’t upstage the girls and all’s well that ends well for the little ballerinas of Messina. (Ages 3-6)

Ole! Flamenco

By George Ancona

~
Howdy, Campers!

Before you read today's post, be sure to check out JoAnn's interview with Donna Gephart last Friday. You'll want to enter for a chance to win an autographed copy of Donna's acclaimed (and funny!) novel, How to Survive Middle School.  The entry deadline is tonight, August 26th at 11 p.m. Central Standard Time.

The topic rumbling around TeachingAuthors lately is, What Are Your Writing Fears and What Do You Do About Them?

Fears? Who me?

Okay.  I do have a fear.  But only one.  And it's a teeny-tiny, gentle, kindly, whispering voice in my brain:  ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? YOU CAN'T DO THIS!  YOU COULD NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS DO THIS!  YOU ARE A COMPLETELY INCOMPETENT IMBECILE WHO DOESN'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO SPELL THE WORD IMBECILE WITHOUT ASKING GOOGLE "HOW DO YOU SPELL IMBOCILE?"--NEVER MIND WRITE A POEM OR A STORY OR A BLOG POST!                                 

by Jane Yolen   Illustrated by Arnold Roth   Macmillan 1964   At a convention for witches, sweet young Isabel doesn't think she has what it takes to win the Spelling Bee...   I'll be honest, I checked this out from my library because of Arnold Roth. That and the hope that by checking out the one sole remaining copy of this book in my library system that it might survive another year's weeding.

Jane Yolen (center) with theropod of indeterminate genus. Photo by Heidi Stemple at the Scholastic store, NY, ca. 2007-2008.

First up on my new Writers and Dinosaurs series is Jane Yolen!

Jane Yolen is the author of more than 300 books for young readers, including the HOW DO DINOSAURS series of picture books, illustrated by Mark Teague (The newest is HOW DO DINOSAURS LAUGH OUT LOUD, published January 2011). Her books have won a myriad of awards, including a Caldecott Medal, a Caldecott Honor, two Nebula Awards, and a World Fantasy Award.

Jane is also the author of the PIT DRAGON CHRONICLES, which really have nothing to do with dinosaurs. Other than being large and reptilian. :-). (Although, apparently, Chinese apothecaries sell (or used to sell) crushed dinosaur fossils as "dragon bones" for medicinal purposes.).

And so we come to the last of my series of posts based on Jane Yolen’s list of “10 Words Every Picture Book Author Must Know.”  Resolution… a fitting word to end the series with! Thank you, Jane, for providing us with such thought-provoking bounty (and two months worth of fodder for blog posts!)

Resolution shares its root with “resolve,” and in literary terms, it means the point within the story when the central conflict is worked out, or the problem is solved. Perhaps not exactly how the protagonist intended or hoped, but solved nonetheless, and in such a way that the hero has learned something and has changed or grown in the process.

The best resolutions satisfy a need created at the beginning of the book.  This needn’t be happy – but it should feel both earned and inevitable, which is different from predictable.  Rather than anticipating how the book will end, the reader should be pleasantly surprised, yet also feel “But of course it had to end that way!”  And picture book endings must also be clear, as opposed to implied or left open; young readers may have difficulty choosing between possible outcomes.

Let’s look at an example. In the beginning of Where the Wild Things Are, Max’s mother is angry with him, and sends him to bed without any supper.  The resolution occurs when Max decides, after a long ‘journey’ indulging in all his wild fantasies, to return home where “someone loves him best of all,” and discovers his dinner waiting for him. There’s that memorable last line: “And it was still hot.”

From this the reader understands that Max has been forgiven.  The need established at the beginning of the book – for Max to know that he is still loved, and lovable – has been met.  His problem – going to bed without supper – has been solved.  But note that his Mother is not calling him to dinner at the family table.  He has, after all, been naughty.  Yet we worry for a child who goes to bed without any supper, so dinner in his room feels both earned and satisfying (at least, by the parenting standards of Maurice Sendak’s era!)  And the fact that it’s still hot tells us that it wasn’t such a long journey after all. In fact, maybe just as short as a dream.

Picture books tells their stories in two ways: 1) via text, and 2) via illustrations (hence the name “picture book.”)

Occasionally a story will rely more heavily on art than text, or vice-versa – but more often than not, the balance is equal.   Great illustrations do not simply mirror or reflect the story – they further it. They inform and elaborate in ways that the necessary economy of text in a picture book cannot.  They reveal details about character, behavior, setting and plot that enrich and expand upon the narrative, making for a reading experience that engages aurally, visually, cognitively and emotionally.

While many picture books are enjoyed by emerging or independent readers, they are designed to be read aloud, adult to child. The primary intention behind writing and/or publishing a picture book is for the parent, grandparent, caregiver, teacher, librarian or other loving adult to share the storytelling experience with the child.   As the child listens to the adult read, he or she looks at the pictures, thus absorbing as much of the story through the art as through the text.  Therefore it is essential that picture book authors (especially those that are not also illustrators themselves) learn how to write with illustrations in mind.

When Jane Yolen spoke at the SCBWI Winter Conference about the 10 words every picture book author must know, she referred to this concept as “illustratability.”  She described it as “thinking visually” when writing – making sure that there is action on every page that invites illustration, and avoiding talking heads and internal dialogue.

A character’s thoughts and feelings are not inherently illustratable. Nor are extended discussions between characters. The most successful picture books aalmost all involve a story that is active, and that unfolds with a number of different visual events, locations and experiences.  They are visually progressive, as well as being dramatically and/or emotionally progressive.

This, by the way, is one of the reasons I am such an advocate for picture books, and why I don’t buy into the argument that picture books are dying or agree with parents who push their children into chapter books too early at the expense of the picture book experience. Picture books offer the young reader so much more than just a reading experience. The visual stimulation they provide nurtures and develops the imagination in different ways than the decoding of text does. Picture books teach young readers how to absorb story and information visually as well as cognitively – an invaluable skill in later life for everything from understanding and appreciating film, theater and the visual arts to reading body language in negotiations and relationships, interpreting maps and developing a personal aesthetic.

Polonius: What do you read, my lord?

Hamlet: Words, words, words.

– William Shakespeare, “Hamlet,” Act 2, Scene 2

And so we come to #5 in Jane Yolen’s wonderful list of “10 Words Every Picture Book Author Must Know,” which she shared at the SCBWI Winter Conference a few weeks ago: Words.

Here are the three things Jane said about words – and I shall elaborate a bit on each.

1.  Pick them as carefully as a poet – Language is a fundamental part of children’s literature. Word play, rhythm, alliteration, parallelism, refrain, patterns, echoes, onomatopoeia – it’s all about being imaginative and creative with words.  Personification can be effective too – for instance, instead of “the leaves rustled in the breeze,” you might try, “the leaves whispered,” or “the leaves danced.”  Children’s imaginations are often fired by their senses, so incorporating what can be seen, smelled, tasted, heard, or felt to the touch is a powerful way to engage young readers in descriptive narrative.

Above all, look for juicy verbs.  Verbs are a writer’s best friend. They keep the story moving forward, and help us to show through behavior and action rather than tell through description.  Be as creative as you can be in your use of verbs. Keep a list of favorites – and always keep a Thesaurus handy to find better options for the ones that are common, tired, or overused.  Finally, remember that it’s all about economy with picture books. Three words, artfully chosen, will achieve far more than ten general, rambling ones.

2. Children love big words – don’t ‘dumb down’ your language. While we have to keep the age of our reader in mind in terms of what will engage and be relevant to them, we should never talk down to them.  Their focus may be narrow and their vocabulary limited, but their brains are like sponges, expanding with every drop of information we give them.  Using a sophisticated word here and there invites children to ‘stretch up.’ Whether they infer the meaning through association or context – using the surrounding words to understand the meaning of that one – or whether they pause to ask a grown up what a word means, once that meaning is absorbed it becomes part of the ever-expanding vocabulary and is unlikely to be forgotten.

3.  Words can be made up – just do so with care. Harry Potter, Winnie the Pooh, The Hobbit and virtually every book by Dr. Seuss all contain made-up words unique to their worlds and characters.  Shakespeare, in fact, made up thousands of words and phrases that have since become part of our everyday language. Most education scholars and child development specialists would agree that the creative use of words helps a young reader appreciate the power of expression. In seeing the rules of language being bent or challenged, children learn critical-thinking skills and develop their own imaginations. It’s important, however, to use this tool with care. Don’t overdo it, and make sure that if you are using invented words, their intended meaning can be clearly inferred by the reader.

No, I’m not talking about pirate captains, or fishing.  But I am talking about capturing something – and that is the interest of your reader.

As always, with the necessary economy of words in a picture book, the ‘hook’ needs to happen on the first page – ideally in the first sentence or two.  You have only this much time to draw your reader in, to engage them in the story, in the drama unfolding.  Time was, we could begin with “Once upon a time…” (or “Once there was…” or any variation thereof), and weave a world for the reader before establishing the characters, plot and conflict.  Not any more.  Now, we must begin with a bang – with an action that immediately suggests the issue at hand and the character grappling with it. Only in this way can we expect our modern young reader with a thousand and one things competing for his interest to want to read more.

Here are a few examples of what I consider to be great hooks in picture books – great opening lines that establish character and conflict and hook the reader from the get-go. See if you can recognize their source (answers below).

More importantly, see if you can sense why their ‘hook’ is successful:

1. Art class was over, but Vashti sat glued to her chair. Her paper was empty.
2. Oh, good. It’s you.
3. This is my room, before I made it fancy.
4. One day, Lilly’s teacher, Mr. Slinger, announced to the class that he was going to marry Ms. Shotwell, the school nurse.
5. The night Max wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind and another his mother called him “WILD THING!”
6. David’s Mommy always said, “Oh, David!”
7. Amos McGee was an early riser.
8. What do you have there?
9. One day, Olivia was riding a camel in Egypt.
10. Who am I?

Answers:

1. The Dot, Peter H. Reynolds.
2. Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late, Mo Willems
3. Fancy Nancy, Jane O’Connor
4. Lilly’s Big Day, Kevin Henkes
5. Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak
6. Oh, David! David Shannon
7. A Sick Day for Amos McGee, Phillip C. Stead
8. It’s a Book, Lane Smith
9. Olivia and the Missing Toy, Ian Falconer
10. I Stink! Kate McMullan

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By: Martha Brockenbrough, on 1/29/2011
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  picture books, craft, Jane Yolen, Add a tag

Jane Yolen

Jane Yolen is the author of approximately 16 million books. Oh, but I kid. She won't have written that many until next year.

For now, her fans must satisfy themselves with her  three-hundred some titles, which include the Caldecott-winning OWL MOON and the wildly popular DINOSAUR series, illustrated by Mark Teague, sitting next to Jane on stage.

Jane's fans here are many--when Lin called her name, there was much whooping and clapping.


Her advice to picture book writers:

Know that it takes a long time. Picture book people need to be dedicated. There is a particular kind of writing, illustrating and editing that is very demanding. There is also a great deal that you need to know.

There are 10 key words we need to know: Lyricism, compression, child-centeredness, focus, hook, words, illustratability, motion, emotion, and resolution. I'll explain the thoughts behind the first three (keeping the rest for conference-attendees to savor).

On lyricism: She's a fan of Maurice Sendak's line, "Let the wild rumpus begin." It's more lyrical than "Let the wild rumpus start," because that T in start is a final sound, which stops the action.

On compression: In the last five words of WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, Sendak communicates a mother's love, the passage of time according to a child's perspective, and an entire emotional journey.

On child-centeredness: This doesn't mean you need to have a child in the book. Lots of great picture books don't have kids in them. Child-centeredness means the emotional key is something that resonates for kids. (Family, friendship, and frustration are her "three Fs".)

Jane Yolen shares secrets of writing great picture books.

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By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: December 10, 2010

This is our “Horse Lovers” fictional book list, hand selected for young horse enthusiasts.

An excerpt from My Pony by Susan Jeffers:

I want a pony.
I want a pony more than anything in the world.

Dust Devil
by Anne Isaacs (Author), Paul Zelinsky (Illustrator)

Reading level: Ages 5-9

Hardcover: 48 pages

Publisher: Schwartz & Wade (September 14, 2010)

Source of book: Publisher

Publisher’s synopsis: Here is the thrilling, thigh-slapping companion to Swamp Angel, the beloved Caldecott Honor–winning picture book.

Swamp Angel has a reputation as the greatest woodswoman and wildest wildcat in all of Tennessee. But when she grows too big for that state, she moves to Montana, a place so sizeable, even Angel can fit in. It’s there that she wrestles a raging storm to the ground and, at its center, finds herself a sidekick—a horse she names Dust Devil. And when Backward Bart, the orneriest, ugliest outlaw ever known, starts terrorizing the prairie, seems like Angel and Dust Devil may be the only ones strong enough to stop him.

Children will be captivated by the beauty and exaggerated humor of Paul Zelinsky’s American primitive–style paintings and the wit and energy of Anne Isaacs’s unparalleled storytelling. Here is an original folktale starring an extraordinary gal who is as feisty as she is funny and as courageous as she is kind.

Add this book to your collection: Dust Devil

---

Black Beauty

by Sharon Lerner (Author), Susan Jeffers (Illustrator)

Reading level: Ages 6-8

Hardcover: 40 pages

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (September 22, 2009)

Source of book: Publisher

Publisher’s synopsis: A stunning picture-book introduction to the first famous fictional horse!

Anna Sewell’s classic Black Beauty comes vividly to life in this 40-page picture-book adaptation by Sharon Lerner. Follow the famous stallion as he meets many masters, from Squire Gordon, whose wife Black Beauty saves nearly at the cost of his own life; to the cruel Nicholas Skinner, who drives horses to death; and finally to a reunion with Joe, the kind groom he knew as a colt. Caldecott Award winner Susan Jeffers illustrates this beloved tale with lush watercolor drawings guaranteed to delight and enchant children.

Add this book to your collection:

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46. SCBWI TEAM BLOG Pre-conference Interview: Jane Yolen

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By: SCBWI, on 11/3/2010
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Jane Yolen, Martha Brockenbrough, SCBWI TEAM BLOG, NY11, Add a tag

Martha Brockenbrough offers the first in our series of SCBWI TEAM BLOG pre-conference faculty interviews starting us out with the terrific Jane Yolen!

Here's a bit from Martha's interview with Jane (in which, Martha says, "she debuts the new BIC.")

Without the mighty badge of the SCBWI national blog team to hide behind, I'd never have the guts to approach Jane Yolen for an interview.

She's Jane Yolen! Author of more than 300 books! A Caldecott Medalist and Golden Kite winner! Likened unto Hans Christian Anderson! Also, as far as I can tell, she is bionic. There is otherwise no way to explain how she writes so many fabulous books.

You might already know these things about Jane, though.

But did you know that she coined the acronym B.I.C. for "butt in chair"? Did you further know she was the second author ever to join the SCBWI? And that she was the organization's first regional adviser? She founded and for a decade ran the New England region.

Click here to read the full interview with Jane Yolen.

Click here to register for the Annual Winter Conference and see Jane--and a number of other equally wonderful faculty--in person.

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47. Owl Moon by Jane Yolen

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By: Annette, on 6/18/2010
Blog: A Garden of Books (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Jane Yolen, Add a tag

The authors website:
http://janeyolen.com/

Link for the book @ Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Owl-Moon-Jane-Yolen/dp/0399214577

Published by Philomel Books in 1987, 32 pages, A 1988 Caldecott Medal winner

This book was borrowed from the library for the purpose of reading/reviewing.

On a winter night a little girl and her father go looking for owls. The night is cold, snowy, quiet and still.
They walk in to the woods under a full moon that casts shadows. The father calls for an owl and there is no response. Their anticipation is hidden behind silent frigid faces.
I thought this book was splendid! The bond that is strengthened between the girl and her father is moving.
The authors description of the owl outing on a snowy night made me too feel as if I were following a long with them. The illustrations were in soft shades of blue and gray, and milky white. Many of the pictures show animals bedded down in the forest for the night. 
It is in the special times like these between a child and his or her parent that will be remembered for a lifetime.

Blissful Reading!
Annette

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48. Poem of the Day: Coil (by Jane Yolen)

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By: Laura Purdie Salas, on 4/6/2010
Blog: laurasalas (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  poetry, jane yolen, national poetry month, Add a tag

I'm mouseless today (ack!), but hopefully this will all look OK.

Today I'm sharing a poem from Jane Yolen's wonderful Shape Me a Rhyme, a collection of poems about shapes found in nature. The gorgeous photos are by her son, Jason Stemple. Here's one of my very favorites: Coil Tight as a spring, ready, set, load-- the coil is just waiting till it can EXPLODE. --Jane Yolen, all rights reserved This poem goes with the photo that's on the cover of the book. Isn't it just right?

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49. Picture Book Saturday

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By: Amanda, on 3/27/2010
Blog: A Patchwork of Books (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Jane Yolen, Picture Book Saturday, Stephen Krensky, Stepanie Stuve-Bodeen, Add a tag

Some fabulous choices for you this week! Hopefully you'll find something to enjoy with your family!


A Small Brown Dog with a Wet Pink Nose by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen and illustrator Linzie Hunter

Now, you all know my obsession with dog books and I just have to throw this new favorite in there. This girl, Amelia, is absolutely hysterical in the way she gets her hands on just the dog she wants. Seriously, you adults will find yourself chuckling the entire way through, as Amelia gets more clever and daring in her quest for a dog, while you're kids will be cheering her along the entire way through the book.

A fantastic choice for a read aloud with an attention-grabbing story, lots of humor, bold illustrations, and of course, cute dogs!

Overall rating: 5 out of 5
One of my favorite picture books of the year!


A Small Brown Dog with a Wet Pink Nose
Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen
32 pages
Picture Book
Little, Brown
9780316058308
January 2010
Review copy received from publisher


Noah's Bark by Stephen Krensky and illustrator Roge

Another funny one for you! Here we get to look at the challenges Noah faced while building the ark and surviving the flood, including the insanity of noise made by the pigs howling, elephants hissing, the beavers crowing, and snakes quacking. Sounds silly right? Noah gets fed up with the chaotic noise and puts slips of paper with different animal sounds in a kangaroo's pouch and allows each animal to choose their noise. And that's how today we have snakes hissing, pigs oinking, and dogs barking.

So cute! And though this is obviously a Biblical story, this is not a book with religious overtones or messages. It's just a silly story about animals and their zany noises! Another stellar read aloud that will leave your kids giggling.


Overall rating: 4 out of 5

Noah's Bark
Stephen Krensky
32 pages
Picture Book
Carolrhoda Books
9780822576457
April 2010
Review copy received from publisher


My Father Knows the Names of Things by Jane Yolen and illustrator Stephane Jorisch

2 Comments on Picture Book Saturday, last added: 3/28/2010

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Cozy in Texas said, on 3/27/2010 7:52:00 AM

I came across your blog today and gave you the beautiful blog award (see my March 22 post for info.)
Ann
www.cozyintexas.blogspot.com
www.annsummerville.com

Happy Birthday Author said, on 3/28/2010 6:18:00 PM

Just read Small Brown Dog with a Wet Pink Nose to my kids before bed. They loved it. It is a very clever book.

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