This volume emphasizes an aspect of children's picture books that has not yet been thoroughly investigated: structure. Both concept books and picture storybooks employ very distinctive structures that, once mastered, can be applied to any picture book you wish to write. When so many of the best picture books employ the same structures, it is important to analyze these structures, understand why they work, and learn how to incorporate them into your own writing. This volume helps you do all that. You will see that no matter how carefully you labor over the tone, word choice, plot, character, setting, theme and style of your picture book, you must have a thorough grasp of its structure if you wish your book to succeed. Indeed, you will find that an expert command of structure is the key to writing a successful children's picture book.
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"...engaging... ground-breaking." -- Dr. Ramzi Salti, Lecturer, Stanford University, Division of Literatures, Cultures and Languages
Authors will look at their own writing with new perspective. -- Judith Ross Enderle and Stephanie Jacob Gordon,
Writers Ink
Authors will look at their own writing with new perspective. -- Judith Ross Enderle and Stephanie Jacob Gordon,
Writers Ink
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
FROM THE INTRODUCTION:
For this exploration into what makes a successful children’s picture book, I wanted to choose the most beloved, time-tested, reader-tested books.
Therefore, I selected books from the list "100 Pictures Books Everyone Should Know" compiled by the New York City Public Library and from a collection entitled The 20th Century Children’s Book Treasury, selected by Janet Schulman.
All of the children’s picture books discussed in this volume are consequently readily available for anyone to acquire and study.
TYPES OF PICTURE BOOKS
In Part I of this volume, we analyze favorite concept books: alphabet books, counting books, naming books, and books that explore an idea, object or activity.
In Parts II and III, we analyze celebrated picture storybooks. These have a simple plot—usually involving a problem that the main character must overcome—and engaging pictures that tell part of the story. STRUCTURE: THE KEY TO WRITING A PICTURE BOOK
There is a lot to consider when writing a children’s picture book: tone, word choice, plot, character, setting, theme, style, and so on. There are many books and articles that discuss these elements of a children’s picture book.
This volume, however, emphasizes an aspect of picture books that, ironically, has not yet been thoroughly investigated: structure.
Both concept books and picture storybooks employ very distinctive structures that, once mastered, can be applied to any picture book you wish to write.
Think of structure as a hanger. It holds and shapes an infinite variety of shirts, blouses, dresses, coats and suits. In the same way, picture book structures can hold and shape an endless variety of concept books and picture storybooks.
It does not matter what the theme is, what the plot is, or who the characters are; these structures give shape to the world’s favorite picture books, and they will help you to write your own successful picture books, as well.
One of the most important structures you will learn about is the Symmetrical Picture Storybook Paradigm. This is the structure which underlies most of the best-loved picture storybooks.
The celebrated authors who wrote these books were certainly not aware of this paradigm and never called it by name. But their intuition led them to create stories with the same underlying structure, which I call the Symmetrical Picture Storybook Paradigm.
When so many of the best picture storybooks employ the same structure, it is important to analyze that structure, understand why it works, and learn how to incorporate it into your own writing. This volume helps you do all that.
You will see that no matter how carefully you labor over the tone, word choice, plot, character, setting, theme and style of your picture book, you must have a thorough grasp of its structure if you wish your book to succeed.
Indeed, you will find that an expert command of structure is the key to writing a successful children’s picture book.
OTHER SALIENT FEATURES OF PICTURE BOOKS
Part I of this volume also explores what the best-loved picture books can teach us about:
- irony
- anthropomorphism
- pacing
- the interplay of text and picture
- cause-and-effect in plots
- the difference in emotional responses to climactic vs. episodic plots
- the effect of using the present tense
- the effect of showing character through action
By learning how the best writers incorporate these features into favorite picture books, you can apply similar successful techniques in your own writing.
PREPARING TO WRITE YOUR OWN PICTURE STORYBOOK
Part IV of this volume guides you step-by-step through the process of preparing to write your own picture storybook.
Like an architect who draws a blueprint before starting to build, a writer should plan his story before sitting down to actually write it.
Part IV holds your hand and guides you through this process, so that you will have the entire plot and structure of your story well thought out before you write even one word of your story.
Follow the steps in Part IV and you will have the "road map" of your story. Secure in the knowledge that you know where your story is going, you will be able to write with confidence.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Constant Companion,
This review is from: How to Write a Children's Picture Book: Learning from The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Corduroy, Where the Wild Things Are, The Carrot Seed, Good Night, Gorilla, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, and Other Favorite Stories (Paperback)
Eve Heidi Bine-Stock's HOW TO WRITE A CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOK (VOLUMES I, II and III)is a constant companion and rich resource in the planning and revision of picture books. The deconstruction of picture books, and the detailed classification of crucial characteristics - using classic picture books to illustrate each detailed point - make these books invaluable. Although I particularly use Volume I and II in the planning stage of a new manuscript, all three volumes are again by my side during each revision, and each step of each revision. There is no question in my mind that these books are the biggest resource in pushing my writing to the next level. The volumes are not read-once-and-put-aside books; they are books you will want on your writing desk for constant reference.
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Anyone who writes for children needs this book!,
By A Customer
This review is from: How to Write a Children's Picture Book: Learning from The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Corduroy, Where the Wild Things Are, The Carrot Seed, Good Night, Gorilla, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, and Other Favorite Stories (Paperback)
Eve Bine-Stock has written a completely useful book. She's gone beyond all the ordinary advise found elsewhere and examined the actual structure of a picture story book. Her method of diagramming a story and reducing it to its essential elements will prove invaluable to those who craft tales for children. In years to come, many writers will be able to look back and attribute their success to the simple and effective methods she outlines here. Highly recommended!
21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Practical, Easy-to-use,
By
This review is from: How to Write a Children's Picture Book: Learning from The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Corduroy, Where the Wild Things Are, The Carrot Seed, Good Night, Gorilla, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, and Other Favorite Stories (Paperback)
As an author of many books for children, I found this book to be one of the most practical and helpful tools to format a picture book during the writing process. I'm already using the techniques to structure new projects to make my picture book manuscripts shine! I plan on recommending it to my critique group as well as buying copies as gifts for my writer friends.
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