You are currently browsing the category archive for the ‘Picture Books’ category.
The title of this blog post is a misnomer because no one has a crystal iPhone to see into the future. All I can report upon is what I heard at the NJ-SCBWI conference this past weekend. But I can say with certainty there is good news, not portents of doomsday.
In fact, according to Steven Meltzer, Associate Publisher/ Executive Managing Editor at Penguin Group USA, with every new technology, from the gramophone to the radio to the TV, came a prediction of the book’s demise. But the book continued to thrive and grow despite innovative forms of electronic entertainment. And today, Americans purchase 8 million physical books daily. In the 4th quarter of 2011, Amazon’s sales of physical books rose by double digits. It surprised them, too. But you cannot give an ebook as a holiday gift. Well, you can, but there’s nothing to wrap—and more importantly—unwrap. So physical books won out in the season of giving. Plus e-book sales remain a relatively small percentage of book purchases: 26% of adult fiction and 11% of children’s books.
Moreover, 74% of today’s readers have never even read an e-book, and 14% of those who own an e-reader have never read a book on it. The digital book market, despite what seems to be the e-reader’s ubiquity, is in a nascent stage.
Stacey Williams-Ng, author of the digital book ASTROJAMMIES and founder of Little Bahalia, a book app developer, also demonstrated how poorly imagined some digital books currently are. A swipe of the finger on an iPad screen blew the wind in one book, but the same motion also turned the page. This meant a child playing with the app could be easily frustrated with the next page when they really wanted to manipulate a tornado.
Also problematic, the vertical orientation of most e-readers creates double the page turns of traditional picture books, throwing off the timing of a story. Creating digital horizontal spreads is preferred, but then you’re also dealing with a much smaller version of the original. Sometimes the solution is to make digital books (that do not have a hardcopy counterpart) shorter than the traditional 32-page picture book.
But Williams-Ng learned the hard way it’s difficult to do traditional promotion with a digital book. She has a great relationship with her local bookseller, but when it came time to do an ASTROJAMMIES appearance, she realized she had no physical book for the store to sell. Moreover, there was nothing to sign. Williams-Ng warned, “You need a hardcopy book to sell the digital book.” She self-published the hardcopy version of her digital creation so she didn’t have to wait years to find a traditional publisher.
Right now there are three main forms of e-books: e-pubs, which are similar to PDF files and have re-flowing text (which means you can change text format and size); enhanced e-books, which are e-pub with embedded features like audio and video; and book apps, which can be anything that can be programmed, from a movie to a game and beyond. “The sky’s the limit with book apps,” said Williams-Ng.
However, the Big 6 are picking and choosing which picture books to digitize; one publisher is no longer making e-pubs of their entire list because most e-books do not sell. The ones that are popular now are the classics like Dr. Seuss—books everyone knows. A new picture book has to lend itself to interactivity for a publisher to consider the book app investment, which can run approximately $25,000, according to Williams-Ng. So if you, as an author, WANT to have a digital book, you should think about interactivity at the very start of your creative process.
Digital publishing is about five years behind the music business in terms of figuring out new distribution and pricing models. In 2011, digital music sales surpassed physical music sales for the first time. Album sales were up for the first time since 2004. The industry is adapting. Publishing will adapt as well.
Steven Meltzer believes picture book sales will escalate because parents will buy a hardcopy book for the home, and if their child enjoys it, they’ll purchase the digital version for their mobile device. “Bundling is coming, too,” he said, referring to the practice of selling a hardcopy and digital book together at a discounted price. “It’s good news for picture book authors.” (Insert Snoopy dance.)
So what’s next for digital books? The future could be digital readers with foldable layers, multi-screened with high definition graphics. The future might even be Xenotext: “encoding textual information into genetic nucleotides, thereby creating ‘messages’ made from DNA—messages that we can then implant, like genes, inside cells, where such messages persist, undamaged and unaltered, through myriad cycles of mitosis, all the while preserved for later recovery and decoding.”
“Remember M.T. Anderson’s FEED?” Meltzer asked. “Wouldn’t it be ironic to be fed FEED?”
No matter what the future holds, “people are still writing and reading…ain’t nothing ever going to change that.”
Thanks, Mr. Meltzer, I needed that reassurance.
Well, it’s really part TWO, not BOO…
…because these monsters aren’t all that scary. In fact, some look downright delicious while others give out money. And one is named “Sparkle”. How can anyone named “Sparkle” be scary, right?
So here’s the rest of the monsters Mrs. Mozer’s class wishes they could buy at The Monstore! Be sure to comment and let the students know how much you like their creations!
Alexandra:
Alice:
Hayley:
John:
Jordan:
Jordyn:
Kylie:
Matias:
Sean:
On National Read Across America Day, March 2, I Skyped with Mrs. Mozer’s third grade class—which is sure to become an annual tradition, this being the 2nd year in a row.
After sharing Dr. Seuss’s “Oh, The Places You’ll Go” with the class, we joked about my upcoming book, THE MONSTORE, and I asked them to pretend they were going shopping. “If you could buy a monster at The Monstore, what would it look like? What special monsterly talent would it have?”
Their answers are amazing. I wish I could actually buy their imaginative creations! They hear all secrets, they complete homework, they give gifts, and they shoot cupcakes. They’re as cuddly as a cloud, wiggly as Jell-o, and black as magic. And just like THE MONSTORE story, some of their monsters are used for sibling annoyance.
Thanks again to Mrs. Mozer’s entire 3rd grade class for the special day and the cool monsters!
Now onto to monster parade, part uno! The second installment will post tomorrow.
Enjoy, and be sure to leave a comment for the students of 3-M!
Ana:
David:
Flynn:
Hayden:
Mary:
Matt:
Nicky:
Robby:
Sammy:
Writing is a solitary profession. Sitting on our bed, laptop balanced on a pillow, wearing mismatched jammies all day (well, that’s how I work, anyway), we don’t gab at an office water cooler or take swanky lunches with colleagues. We’re alone with our characters—who can drive us nuts! We’re alone with our ideas, our words, and a vat of java.
Most writers I know are hard on themselves. We are our worst critics. We can spend all day writing and feel as though we’ve accomplished nothing. It’s nice to hear someone say what we’ve written has potential, has vision, has made someone spit all over their keyboard in laughter (the highest compliment, I think).
So today I bring you the story of three kidlit friends who came together with one goal in mind—to take an author’s career to the next step. To provide an encouraging, supportive environment in which she can thrive. Folks, you gotta have friends. Luckily, the kidlit community includes some of the best people around.
Please welcome author Brenda Reeves Sturgis, consulting editor Emma Dryden, and agent Karen Grencik!
TL: Brenda, your debut picture book TEN TURKEYS IN THE ROAD was released by Marshall Cavendish last year and quickly earned both critical and commercial success. Most people think you publish one book and you’ve got it made. But you felt your career needed a boost. How did you come to this conclusion?
BRS: Thank you for this thoughtful blog post, and for interviewing the three of us.
I sold 10 TURKEYS IN THE ROAD in 2008 and at that time I was represented by another agent, but in 2010 we parted ways and I was left trying to navigate the children’s lit world, alone.
I queried for many months and got personal, kind rejections. After a long period of going it alone, I knew that I needed to find out what was holding me back from finding my perfect-for-me agent. I had heard of Emma Dryden for years, and had great respect for her. She was and is knowledgeable in all aspects of publishing. I was confident that by hiring Emma she would know what needed tweaking, and what I needed to do to progress in my quest. I contacted Emma and she agreed to consult, we set up a phone call, and I sent her my manuscripts.
TL: Emma, what was your reaction when you read Brenda’s work? What did you propose as the next step in her career?
ED: When Brenda first contacted me, she explained her situation—she was a new writer with one book under contract; she’d been with an agent and was currently seeking a new agent; she was “trying to do everything right,” but it didn’t seem to be paying off and she was starting to question how she could keep her dream of being a children’s book author alive. There’s nothing that concerns and upsets me more than to hear an author or artist is questioning their dream. Coming up with a strategy to find an agent would be the easy part; helping a distressed author regain their confidence and adjust their outlook was something completely different—and that’s what our consultation was really all about.
Brenda’s ideas and writing are strong and smart. Her nervousness about doing everything right was what was holding her back, blurring her vision. We focused not only on figuring out a calm, focused strategy to query agents with her strongest possible manuscript, but we also talked a lot about how best to conduct oneself in a fickle marketplace, the importance of flexibility, the benefits of patience, and the significance of not giving up.
After several hours of email correspondence and phone conversations, I felt confident in encouraging Brenda to query Karen Grencik, an agent whom for various reasons I felt would not only be delighted by Brenda’s work, but who would have a compatible sensibility and outlook to suit Brenda’s own.
TL: Karen, what made you fall in love with Brenda’s work and make an offer of representation?
KG: First of all, a great big “thank you” to you for taking the time to tell our story. It is a bit unusual, the manner in which we all came together, and I hope your readers will find it to be inspiring!
It is an honor to receive a referral from Emma Dryden, as I know the thought she puts into everything she does. I talked with Emma right away and when she stated that she thought Brenda had an untapped talent similar to two of the best picture book rhymers in today’s children’s book world, I knew I had to look at Brenda’s manuscripts. Brenda and I set up a phone appointment to discuss expectations, as there is always some concern about this when a previously represented author is seeking a new agent. I was worried that I might not be able to meet Brenda’s needs and I knew Brenda was feeling a bit gun-shy to jump back into the fray, but right off the bat we developed a sense of comfort and comraderie that’s made working together quite easy.
Not only did Brenda take proactive steps to jump-start her career again, but she took seriously and applied each and every practice Emma discussed with her, putting aside her considerable worries about what had come before and focusing instead on what she needed to do to accomplish her goals as a picture book author. This laid excellent groundwork for her to secure new representation. Yes, Brenda did need an agent—a strategic partner who shares her goals—but what she needed more was validation and a positive, safe working environment, which I’ve been delighted to be able to help provide. Now it’s my turn to find good homes for her fabulous picture books!
Brenda appeared in my life at just the right time, as Red Fox Literary had recently opened its doors, and I had the kind of time available to service my clients in a way that most agents only dream about. Over the past year that we’ve been working together, Brenda has learned to trust that I will do everything I can as quickly as I can, and that has allowed her to relax during the times that I’m not immediately available. And I’ve learned to trust that Brenda is a very hard worker, a perfectionist about her writing, and will only send me her very best work. Trust is a significant element of the best author/agent relationships, as it is of the best author/editor relationships as well.
For authors out there who feel isolated and alone, we three want to remind you that the universe is preparing for your success. An editor and an agent might be just waiting for you to show up. Be sure to pay attention to the signs. We certainly do!
TL: Karen, thanks! Your story is indeed inspiring!
Now back to Brenda…what are your goals for your career?
BRS: My goal remains the same as it was 8 years ago, and that’s to write the best, most original children’s books that I can. It’s important to me to help and make a difference where doors are opened, I strive to inspire, educate, and work as hard as humanly possible. I feel innately blessed to work with Karen and with Emma, and look forward to all good things coming our way. Thank you for your time with this Tara, I am truly appreciative for this opportunity.
TL: Thank you for sharing your story! I know it will help many writers as they examine their career progress. We should all recognize when it’s time to make a change and be brave enough to take action.
Please visit Brenda Reeves Sturgis, Emma Dryden and Karen Grencik’s websites where you’re sure to receive even more inspiration!
Holy Charlie Buckets, everyone! There were 90 entries in the picture book critique giveaway. What an enthusiastic response!
Random.org picked #57…and that means…
ROSE MARSH
…is the winner!
Rose, be on the lookout for an email from me.
Thanks to everyone who entered! I’ll be sure to host another critique giveaway soon, so be sure to subscribe if you haven’t already.
And now the consolation prize: a little chuckle. I think my daughter drew me so well for her Mother’s Day Gazette—a striking resemblance, don’tchathink? (OK, this is a terrible consolation prize. But since this blog is “Writing for Kids (While Raising Them)” I gotta stuff some kiddo stuff in every once in a while.)
Today is the release day for THE EMOTION THESAURUS, and as part of the launch, Becca and Angela from the Bookshelf Muse are hosting Random Acts of Kindness Towards Writers!
Move over, I’m jumping on the bandwagon! (Yes, it’s a Radio Flyer. And the band is Maroon 5. And I have to smoosh in close to Adam Levine.)
Think about your fellow writers today and how they have helped you to achieve your literary goals. I have critique partners, blog followers, other bloggers, plus published authors and illustrators to thank. All those who have befriended me on the path to publication–people I didn’t know who offered that boost of encouragement when I most needed it. (And boy, do I need it A LOT! Why are we always so hard on ourselves?)
Come on, what other professional community is so awesome?
So as part of the kindapalooza today, I’m giving away a picture book critique. Just comment below to be entered; one entry per person by midnight tonight, but you can claim the prize at any time. It’s my way of giving back today.
And if there were any way I could shove a chocolate lava cake through the ether, you know I’d be giving that away, too. You’re just that incredible, writers!
Time for a new fun little feature called “Feedback Friday”. I’d love to know…
If you were stranded on a desert island, what ONE picture book would you want to have with you? And why?
Here’s my answer:
Why this book?
Because as a young girl, I loved my stuffed animals. I thought they were real. This is exactly how Emily Brown feels about Stanley. I get Emily Brown, I really do. In the story, Stanley accompanies Emily Brown on all her adventures…into the sea, into space…and a silly, naughty Queen takes notice. The Queen begs for her Bunny-Wunny, but Emily Brown won’t budge. She’s a little firecracker, that one.
This story has adventure, mystery, royalty, and a happy ending for all. I’ve read it a hundred times and it’s never gotten old. If I can’t cuddle with a stuffed animal while I’m stranded, I’ll be fine and dandy cuddling with my copy of this book (especially if it’s paperback and not hardcover).
So tell me, what ONE picture book would you want to wash up on the shore?
You’ve been patiently waiting…so here is the winner of the BOY + BOT AFFIRMATIVELY AWESOME PRIZE PACK which includes the BOT clip, stickers, bookmarks, and a copy of the book!
ConBOTulations, KIRSTEN LARSON!
And these folks win a copy of BOY + BOT:
PENNY MORRISON
JEN MASCHARI
Now, onto our PUZZLED BY PINK winner!
ConPINKulatiolns, MARIA GIANFERRARI!
(Maria, your email bounced so please get in touch with me at tarawrites (at) yahoo (dot) com.)
I’ll be emailing everyone shortly to collect your postal addresses.
Stay tuned because I’ll be picking our PUGS IN A BUG winner tomorrow! (You’ve still got until the end of today to enter.)
Ever heard of the picture book THE LOUDS MOVE IN? It’s one of my all-time favorites, with a cast of unique characters like Miss Shushermush, who eats quiet meals of leftover mashed potatoes. When the Loud family moves onto Earmuffle Avenue, the chaos begins and friendships are eventually [noisily] forged.
Ever since I read THE LOUDS I have been a huge fan of author Carolyn Crimi. So when I heard about her newest book PUGS IN A BUG, and then saw the illustrations by Stephanie Buscema, I nearly fell off my chair with an attack of acute cuteness. Punch-buggy green! Gotcha!
PUGS is a “catchy canine counting book” with a jaunty joy-ride rhyme and a groovin’ get-up-and-go beat. It’s so much fun to read aloud with its twists and turns in language—and in the road. Chugging along, the pugs meet up with a pooch parade, so there’s not only pugs in a bug, but bulldogs in a taxi and poodles on skateboards. This book proves that it’s not always about the destination but the journey. Beep, beep! Bow wow! I know you want to win it now!
So Carolyn and Stephanie are both here today to talk about the creation of PUGS…and yes, you can win it!
TL: Carolyn, are pugs your favorite kind of dog? Do you own a pug? Why PUGS?
CC: I actually love all kinds of dogs. I met a Newfoundland yesterday that I was ready to take home with me. Alas, she was a big dog and probably would not have fit in my car. But pugs are probably my favorite. They’re the comedians of the dog world. When I walk down the street with my pug Emerson people laugh. I kind of love that about him—he brings laughter with him wherever he goes.
Not that he cares about that. All he really cares about is food. If he had to choose between me and a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken I’m afraid there would be no contest. KFC would win, paws down.
Not only do I own a pug, I also own a VW Bug. It’s even green, just like the one in the book. I came up with the entire idea for PUGS IN A BUG the very first time I took Emerson for a ride in my car. That was way back in 2001. I still have both the pug and the Bug. I highly recommend both!
I’ve attached a pic of Emerson for your amusement.
TL: Aww, I love Emerson! His tongue is hilarious.
So you had the idea for the book over 10 years ago. How long did it take you to write it?
CC: Boy, I wish I had a timeline for this book, but I don’t have a clear idea of when I wrote the first draft. I don’t think it was submitted until 2003. Of course the whole submission process takes forever and a day. I also probably revised it a bunch of times to no avail. Then I think it took a while to find the right illustrator.
In other words, same ole same ole.
My first drafts don’t usually take long at all. Maybe just a couple of days. It’s the many revisions I do that take years. Yup, years. I’ll put something away for a while if it doesn’t sell right away. I’ll take another look at it years later and will sometimes be able to see the changes that need to be made. Sometimes I can’t see how to change it. I have a lot of unsold manuscripts lurking in my computer just waiting for the day when I can fix them.
I often tell new writers that this is not a microwave career where you stick in a hastily written manuscript and a six figure income pops out thirty seconds later. It takes oodles of revisions and a lot of “thinking time” to polish a manuscript into submission-ready form.
TL: I remember you once said that an illustrator never does what you imagine—they do far better than you ever could have imagined. What did Stephanie do with PUGS that really surprised you?
CC: Lots of things!
She gave them all hats, which I love, especially since I have been known to, um, dress up my pug on occasion. This lends a distinct personality to each pug. Genius!
Something else that surprised me was that two sweet little birds appear on every spread. (TL: Can you find them below?) That’s the kind of thing kids love to follow in a book. Also, toward the end a rascally squirrel jumps onto the back of the Bug, unbeknownst to the pugs riding in it. So fun! Stephanie has added so many details like this. It’s the kind of book that has endless surprises in the illustrations. I’m still finding things in it that I hadn’t noticed before!
TL: Stephanie, what drew you to PUGS IN A BUG?
SB: When I got the manuscript for PUGS, I was thrilled with the subject matter (I love drawing and painting animals) and was immediately drawn to it! The story had so much room for play, color and lots of fun character designs. I’m a big fan of Carolyn’s work, so it was an honor to illustrate one of her books.
TL: What kind of tricks do you use to keep so many similar-looking characters diverse? Did you name the Pugs as you drew them?
SB: I didn’t name them, but I did add in little pug accessories so that the reader would know each pug was different (and so I could keep track, haha)!
TL: LOL! Yes, I love all the little details like the bow ties and hats, although I confess the girl with the flower in her fur is my favorite. Or maybe it’s the cool jazz dude. Or the one with the pink horn-rimmed glasses. Oh, I can’t choose!
What was your favorite spread to illustrate?
SB: I have to say, I enjoyed most of the spreads. I think my most favorite spreads to paint were the pages at the beginning of the book. It was really fun to push myself with the landscapes and scene changes. If I had to chose one? I think the spread with the 3 pugs driving into the city was my favorite to paint. The entire book was painted in gouache and cel-vinyl (animation) paints on watercolor paper.
TL: Do you do any Photoshop or computer work once your paintings are finished?
SB: Nope, I work 100% traditional. Sometimes we’ll have to clean up a little spot here or there, and of course in the proofing stage if something isn’t bright enough we’ll bump it up. But other then that, I don’t use Photoshop in the art stages at all.
TL: How do you hope readers will react to the illustrations?
SB: Like any job I do, I always hope the readers enjoy the visuals and pick up on the sense of joy I get out of painting a book.
TL: I think that is totally obvious with this book—the bright color and playfulness just jumps out and slaps a seatbelt on you. Sit down and enjoy the ride!
Carolyn, you have published so many terrific books—WHERE’S MY MUMMY?, HENRY & THE BUCCANEER BUNNIES, DON’T NEED FRIENDS—and now PUGS is added to that list. Can you even pick a favorite?
CC: Well, I have to say based on the writing alone, I like my book DEAR TABBY the best. I love all my books, but I think DEAR TABBY is the funniest. And while I don’t believe in heavy-handed message books, if you read the last page you’ll know my philosophy of life. More importantly, I had a ton of fun writing it!
TL: And those are the best books–the ones that gave the author the most pleasure often give the audience the most fun. Your joy and enthusiasm shine through.
Thanks, Carolyn and Stephanie! I know everyone will have a blast with PUGS…so let’s give them a chance to win it!
See the pugs on the cover above? Which is your favorite? And just what *is* that pugs name? Name that dog! (Which also happens to be another book illustrated by Stephanie.) I hope you come up with names as creative as Carolyn’s nicknames for Emerson: Sir Scratch and Sniff, Mr. Wiggle Butt, The Mayor and Circus Dog.
You get an extra entry for each share on social media—just mention it in the comments.
Comments close the end of April 30 and a random winner will be chosen shortly thereafter.
Good luck and thanks for stopping by!
Beep, beep! Bow wow!
Visit CarolynCrimi.com and StephanieBuscema.com to learn more about their books!
Thanks to all the children who participated in Ammi-Joan Paquette’s THE TIPTOE GUIDE cover contest! We asked you to draw the cover of what you imagined could be the next book in the series, and we received some very creative entries. Since they were all so good, we randomly selected a winner. So…
Congratulations, Annika, age 9!
Annika wins a signed copy of THE TIPTOE GUIDE TO TRACKING MERMAIDS! And who knows, maybe sometime soon we’ll see a TIPTOE GUIDE TO TRACKING PEGASUSES! (PEGASI? PEGASU? Just what *is* the plural?!)
And here are the runners up…
Grace, age 9!
Katie, age 5! (With my personal favorite, MONSTERS!)
Lili, age 4! (Wow, nice lettering, Lili!)
And Molly, age 9, with a very colorful entry!
Thanks to all the kids who entered! It’s so much fun to see your creativity at work.
I promise to have more cover contests soon, including one for my upcoming book, THE MONSTORE!
Writing for Kids (While Raising Them) 