November is Picture Book Month, an annual international literacy event founded by Dianne de Las Casas. Each day a kid lit creator shares their thoughts on picture books. We found author Ann Whitford Paul’s entry to be especially touching. The author and mother’s favorite words are “read it again.” Why? Paul realizes the importance of sharing stories and time with children, and helping them develop into eager readers.
Obviously it isn’t just the story that matters. How that story is told is critical. If sentences are flat and language dull, the parent will grow bored and the child will close the book and build block towers instead. That’s why picture book writers struggle to craft phrases that sing. We spend hours wondering if run is a better word than race. There’s a reason for all this work. If picture books are written well, in addition to telling a compelling story, listeners will ask to hear more and more books.
Get the full story at Picture Book Month.
Loved this. Thank you. I have a new picture book, “The Cat Doesn’t Travel the Usual Path.” Check it out here. http://thecatdoesnttravel.weebly.com/
Hi Linda, that’s a lovely book. We loved the use of the slider on your About page as a storytelling tool.
That’s why I created http://www.facebook.com/promotingpicturebooks to help other picture books get the plug/push they need!
Thank you for posting Gia! I’ll check it out :-)