From KidLit TV team member, Terry Shay, here are two new picture books to help you become a better and more creative writer!
THE PANDA PROBLEM
In THE PANDA PROBLEM by Deborah Underwood and illustrated by Hannah Marks, we meet a Panda “who lived in a beautiful bamboo grove. But the panda had a big problem.”
Well, actually, the panda didn’t have a problem but the unseen narrator is writing a story and to have a good story, the main character needs to have a problem that needs resolving. “That’s how stories work.” A story without a problem is not going to be very interesting to read.
The narrator asks the panda a series of questions trying to find a problem to explore. People who want to write interesting stories will love the journey in this book and the conclusion. The book will help draw out a great idea to explore.
NO BORING STORIES
Once you have identified a problem, NO BORING STORIES by Julie Falatko and illustrated by Charles Santoso will lead you through ways to make the plot interesting. In this book, a mole and a bunny, along with a cast of other characters, work together to create a story. Of course things go very wrong.
There is a list of important story characteristics in the book like, “relatable characters, inciting incident, rising action, climax” and each are illustrated with examples. After all, no one wants to read a boring story!
The best advice for being a better writer is to read as many books as you can. Choose books of all different age levels and interests. It would also be a good idea to carry a writer’s notebook around and keep track of your ideas. Check out this post from last year by author Anika Aldamuy Denise for more creative writing tips.
International Dot Day Links
If you’re interested in celebrating International Dot Day, you can find some great resources on my blog.
On The Horizon
LULA AND THE SEA MONSTER Alex Latimer. Coming from Peachtree Press on August 1, 2019. A fun tale of friendship with a message about how some construction has the potential to hurt animal and human life.
SING A SONG: HOW LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING INSPIRED GENERATIONS by Kelly Starling Lyons illustrated by Keith Mallett. Coming August 6, 2019 from Nancy Paulsen Books. This a beautiful book with an important message about how songs and music are passed down through generations.
Noah’s Favorite Morning Books Ever
Before Noah, the original Morning Book Club member, graduated from high school and book club, I asked him to create a video of all his favorite books from the over five hundred the club had read. Here are his selections:
BUNNY IN THE MIDDLE by Anika Aldamuy Denise and Christopher Denise.
Henry Holt
SNAPPSY THE ALLIGATOR (DID NOT ASK TO BE IN THIS BOOK) by Julie Falatko and illustrated by Tim Miller.
Viking Books for Young Readers
DANDY by Ame Dyckman and illustrations by Charles Santoso.
Little Brown Books for Young Readers
PEDDLES by Elizabeth Rose Stanton.
Simon Schuster/Paula Wiseman
OCEAN MEETS SKY by Eric Fan and Terry Fan.
The Quarto Group
THE WALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BOOK by Jon Agee.
Dial Books
A CRANKENSTEIN VALENTINE by Samantha Berger and illustrated by Dan Santat.
Little Brown Books for Young Readers
SNAIL MAIL by Samantha Berger and Julie Patton.
Running Press Kids
A FRIEND FOR MOLE by Nancy Armo.
Peachtree Publishing
CHEERFUL CHICK by Martha Brockenbrough and illustrated by Brian Won.
Arthur A. Levine
MONSTER TRUCKS by Anika Aldamuy Denise and illustrated by Nate Wragg.
Harper Collins
IDA, ALWAYS by Caron Levis and illustrated by Charles Santoso.
Atheneum
WE DON’T EAT OUR CLASSMATES by Ryan T. Higgins.
Disney Hyperion
PIGS LOVE POTATOES by Anika Aldamuy Denise and Christopher Denise.
Philomel
CRANKENSTEIN by Samantha Berger and illustrated by Dan Santat.
Little, Brown Books
101 REASONS WHY I’M NOT TAKING A BATH by Stacy McAnulty and illustrated by Joy Ang.
Random House Books for Young Readers
THE EPIC ADVENTURES OF HUGGIE AND STICK by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by David Spencer.
Philomel
BRUCE’S BIG MOVE by Ryan T. Higgins.
Disney Hyperion
BIG CAT, LITTLE CAT by Elisha Cooper.
Roaring Book Press
LION’S SHARE: A TALE OF HALVING CAKE AND EATING IT, TOO by Matthew McElligott.
Bloomsbury
DELIVERY BEAR by Laura Gehl and illustrated by Paco Sordo.
Albert Whitman and Company
STARRING CARMEN by Anika Aldamuy Denise and illustrated by Lorena Alvarez.
Abrams
LADY PANCAKE AND SIR FRENCH TOAST by Josh Funk and Brandon Kearney.
Sterling Childrens Books
IT TAKES A VILLAGE by Hillary Rodham Clinton and illustrated by Marlee Frazee.
Simon and Schuster/Paula Wiseman
THE LEGEND OF ROCK PAPER AND SCISSORS by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by Adam Rex.
Balzer and Bray
BEARNARD’S BOOK by Deborah Underwood and illustrated by Misa Saburi.
Henry Holt and Co.
THE RABBIT LISTENED by Cori Doerrfeld.
Dial Books
SANTA BRUCE by Ryan T. Higgins.
Disney Hyperion
WHALE IN MY SWIMMING POOL by Joyce Wan.
Farrar, Strauss and Giroux
THE VERY IMPATIENT CATERPILLAR by Ross Burach.
Scholastic Press
THANK YOU, OMU! by Oge Mora.
Little, Brown Books
CARL AND THE MEANING OF LIFE by Deborah Freedman.
Viking Books
HERE COMES EASTER CAT by Deborah Underwood and illustrated by Claudia Rueda.
Dial Books
PETRA by Marianna Coppo.
Tundra Books
NOAH NOASAURUS by Elaine Kiely Kearns and illustrated by Colin Jack.
Albert Whitman and Co.
BUNNY SLOPES by Claudia Rueda.
Chronicle
DIARY OF A WORM by Doreen Cronin and illustrated by Harry Bliss.
Harper Collins
SNAIL AND WORM AGAIN by Tina Kugler.
HMH Books
THE WATER PRINCESS by Susan Verde, Georgie Badiel and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds.
G. P. Putnam
CROWN: AN ODE TO A FRESH CUT by Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James.
Agate Bolden
MIGHTY, MIGHTY CONSTRUCTION SITE and GOODNIGHT, GOODNIGHT CONSTRUCTION SITE by Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld.
Chronicle Books
THE ROUGH PATCH by Brian Lies.
Greenwillow Books
HOTEL BRUCE by Ryan T. Higgins.
Disney Hyperion
INTERRUPTING CHICKEN by David Ezra Stein.
Candlewick
THE NIGHT GARDENER by The Fan Brothers.
Simon and Schuster
DECK THE WALLS: A WACKY CHRISTMAS CAROL by Erin Dealey and illustrated by Nick Ward.
Sleeping Bear Press
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