Customer Reviews

Show Me a Story: Writing Your Own Picture Book (Writer's Toolbox)

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I bought "Show Me a Story" in a set of books about writing a book, to see how useful it would be. Let me tell you, teachers and homeschoolers. "Show Me A Story: Writing Your Own Picture Book" is a definite winner. Written for students 9-12, this book will lead potential writers directly down the writer's path. Frankly, I love this book! Actually, what's not to love!

In fact, as I was reading, ideas were bouncing back and forth, clamoring for their active service. As school librarian for a PK3-8 school, I also teach things related to libraries and research skills, books and writers and illustrators. Soon we will embark upon creating a picture book. Not only does "Show Me a Story" tell how, it shows how (thus the title).

For example:
On each double-page spread, there is an actual story showing how the tools are used. Tool 1: Stories can be divided into three parts: the Beginning, the middle, and the ending. Tool 2: Character, Tool 3: Problem. In this book within a book the problem is that Webster, a goose, is tired of the letter V, you know flying in the formation of the letter V. He wants change. (Beginning, setting, character, problem.)

Tool 4 "[I]llustrations will tell part of the story....The words of a story don't tell us [everything]. The illustrations show us."

So the book goes, tool by tool, with illustrations and pages from story to demonstrate techniques.
Wow, I thought, I would love to see what middle school students would create from nothing with explicit instructions to show the way!

The book concludes with a review of all the points detailed in the book. Then "Getting Started Exercises" suggests ways of using all these ideas, followed by very practical "Writing Tips." Example: "Read your work out loud. Do you stumble over certain words or sentences? See what you can change to make your story easier to read."

The last reminder of the gist of the book is the glossary, containing all the key words in writing a picture book. Although the recommended age is 9-12, I also recommend this book to ages 6-8. The first grade teacher in my school has her young ones create an illustrated book each year, whether fiction or nonfiction. Then she has these books duplicated and bound, and a copy presented to each student, the library, and other teachers they may have.

Yes, this is going to be a grand unit! I can hardly wait to begin!