Children's Book Academy

by Melissa Stoller


​Ideas for children’s books are all around. Sometimes you find and harness them. Other times you may need to kick start the idea avalanche. Being open and receptive to thoughts, visuals, snippets of conversation, children's antics, pets, nature and science, current events, music, art, and just the world around you can often lead to a wonderful idea discovery. 
 
Here’s the genesis of the ideas behind my three children’s books, inspired by my grandparents, a trip to a museum, and an observation on a walk around New York City:
 
 
THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION: RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND:
 
The first book in my chapter book series is based on the story of how my grandparents met on the Coney Island trolley in the 1920s. My grandmother told this story many times and it was part of our family lore. I had wanted to tell the story for many years, and finally took a leap and started to write. Mining your family history can be a wonderful way to discover ideas and to memorialize treasured parts of your family legend.

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SCARLET’S MAGIC PAINTBRUSH: 
 
One day, I was standing in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, gazing at paintings by one of my favorite Impressionists, Monet. I wondered what it would be like to have a magic paintbrush and paint like Monet. From there, a series of “what if” questions entered my imagination. What if I could paint perfect paintings with a magic paintbrush? What if the magic brush was lost? What if it was found again? Ideas swirled around, and now my debut picture book with illustrator Sandie Sonke is out in the world! My love of art history and a little sprinkling of magic helped me catch this idea. 

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​READY, SET, GORILLA!:
 
I happened to be walking along a New York City street and saw a huge billboard overhead that read, “Ready, Set, Go.” For some reason, the words, “Ready, Set, Gorilla” popped into my mind. I imagined a little gorilla racing, and shouting “Ready, Set, GOrilla!” to all his friends. A bit later, I imagined a little GOpher joining in the fun. I love puns and wordplay and enjoyed creating some fun in this story. I’m glad I was receptive and had an open mind when I saw that billboard. I’m so excited that this idea led to my newly releasing picture book with illustrator Sandy Steen Bartholomew!

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As you go about your daily routines, stop and consider that moments from your everyday world can lead to your next great children’s book idea. Happy creating! 

  
MELISSA'S BIO:


Melissa Stoller is the author of the chapter book series The Enchanted Snow Globe Collection - Book One: Return to Coney Island and Book Two: The Liberty Bell Train Ride (Clear Fork Publishing, 2017 and Spring 2019); and the picture books Scarlet’s Magic Paintbrush and Ready, Set, GOrilla!(Clear Fork, Fall 2018). She is also the co-author of The Parent-Child Book Club: Connecting With Your Kids Through Reading (HorizonLine Publishing, 2009). Melissa is an Assistant and Blogger for the Children’s Book Academy, a Regional Ambassador for The Chapter Book Challenge, an Admin for The Debut Picture Book Study Group, and a volunteer with the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators/MetroNY. Melissa has worked as a lawyer, legal writing instructor, freelance writer and editor, and early childhood educator. Additionally, she is a member of the Board of Trustees at The Hewitt School and at Temple Shaaray Tefila. Melissa lives in New York City with her husband, three daughters, and one puppy. When not writing or reading, she can be found exploring NYC with family and friends, traveling, and adding treasures to her collections.


CONNECT:  
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www.MelissaStoller.com
http://www.facebook.com/MelissaStoller
http://www.twitter.com/melissastoller
http://www.instagram.com/Melissa_Stoller
http://www.pinterest.com/melissastoller

As a child, I resonated towards picture books that were scary, and though psychoanalysts might diagnose this is a morbid attraction to fear, I'd say it is pretty normal, (and so, I should clarify, would they). Fear in children's books comes in many guises, but good writers know to stay within certain boundaries. when dealing with young, impressionable minds. Let's take The Gruffalo, for example. Julian Donaldson and Axel Scheffler could not have hit on a more perfect blend of fear, fun and humour, for a generation of small readers. This delightfully lyrical book, relies upon a cycle of fear for its appeal - the mouse is scared of its predators, the predators are scared of the Gruffalo and ultimately, all of them are scared of the victorious trickster, the super crafty mouse. We cannot deny that most horror movies are built on the premise of a lone survivor triumphing over evil, and at a much less sinister level, isn't this what the clever and brave little mouse does? If victory for the underdog equals fun for readers, then this is a classic example.

The Gruffalo jumped instantly to mind when I thought of books for this blog, but what about Australian picture books? How do they shape up to their international cousins in the fear, humour and fun stakes? I am privileged enough to know three Sydney authors who have produced wonderful examples of how to maximize the appeal of fear as a positive construct for readers of picture books. Anyone remember The Dark, Dark, Night or The Berenstein Bears' Bears in the Night? These are the kinds of stories that stay with you as a child because of the thrill we experience with fear. Lelsey Gibbes and Stephen Michael King's Scary Night is a modern Australian classic that models some of these greats, yet turns them on their head with a terrifically unexpected twist, which undermines the concept of fear completely.

​Apologies for the spoiler alert, but the cat, the hare and the pig end their terrifying midnight quest through the woods, with a visit to their friends surprise birthday party, thoughtful parcel in tow as their gift. The build up of scary tension throughout the narrative, is defused masterfully for kindergarten readers, who will be relieved to find out their heroes were really not in any danger at all. Is this not a useful lesson to learn about most of our fears? They are often exaggerated, irrational  and not as real as we first thought.

And what about tackling more serious issues of childhood anxiety, in a way that is more fun than heavy-handed? Children's Book Council of Australia's Notable Book for 2018, The Scared Book, strikes just this careful balance. The true test of any picture book is its read-a-loud-ability and I've seen this one performed by the author, Debra Tidball,  on a number of occasions. Apart from its meta-fictional skillfulness, it draws on the strange allure of monsters (vividly illustrated by Kim Siew), to capture the audience's attention, and then invites them to try a number of strategies for frightening the symptoms of fear away. Through fun, interactivity and laughter, the child reader is entertained and more importantly, educated in ways to confront and deal with negative emotions. The scariness of the monsters is completely undermined by the close of this much in demand bedtime story.

And finally today, I wanted to mention There's a Baddie Running Through this Book, a new release Australian picture book by author and illustrator on the rise, Shelly Unwin and Vivienne To. The illustrations in this book have an animated film quality, and the concept is so universal, that I can see it picking up rights in the USA, hopefully before too long. Again, this book is a performance favourite for kids, focusing on the rascally adventures of the loveable Baddie. Our fear of those on the wrong side of the law is engendered from a young age, but as much as we want to see the good guys win, we can't help being excited by the qualities of daring and rebelliousness exhibited by this particular character; a raccoon who steals snacks (Yogi Bear, anyone?).

Unwin capitalises on the classic construct of a chase. It does not seem like there is any hope for the good guys until the Baddie finally comes unstuck by his own actions. Order is restored as the Baddie is caught, but are we not just that little bit disappointed? The Baddie's pursuits are exciting and while he is not doing anything that is physically harmful to others, who could blame children for being a little relieved when we think there is a chance he'll be back for a sequel? It's all good harmless fun and kids love it.

​And like all the titles I've included today, there is something really important about its use of fear as a narrative construct. If used in a responsible and mindful way by picture book authors and illustrators, it can instill a passion for reading and a healthy appreciation of the excitement we can experience from feeling scared. It is after all, just another one of the spectrum of emotions in life that children will experience, and if we handle it with fun and humour, it can be a useful lesson in building resilience.

Brydie Wright Bio
​Graduate, Craft & Business of Children’s Picture Book Writing Course
​Chief Editor, Sydney Mums Group and Reviewer, WeekendNotes and Just Write For Kids Books on Tour
​Author of Daddy and the World's Longest Poo, IAN Awards 2017 Finalist, & Magic Beans from the Creative Kids Tales Story Collection
Website - Facebook - Twitter - Goodreads - Instagram

by Sarah Momo Romero

Although it still feels like summer in L.A., usually fall means crisp, cool weather, longer nights and the festive holiday of tricks and treats. It’s October and one of my favorite times of the year, Halloween, is coming up soon. This month, I wanted to share a few fun books for the occasion, with creepy, crawly creatures and spooky monsters, each with its own unique style of illustration.

by Bryan Patrick Avery

Most of the magic tricks I perform are quite old. My favorite card trick, popularized by Nate Leipzig, is over a hundred years old. Every once in a while, I grab some new trick and add it to my repertoire. This happened recently when I got my hands on a trick called “Smooth” from Nicholas Lawrence. It’s a great trick where a container of lip balm penetrates a dollar bill without leaving a hole. The trick is awesome, and instantly replaced my very old pen through dollar affect.

This got me thinking about my collection of books. Many of my favorites are older books (from my childhood or even earlier). Recently, though, a few recent releases have made it onto my favorites shelf.
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First up, “Wake Up, Little Bat!”, written and illustrated by Sarah Momo Romero. This recently released picture book tells the story of a little bat who’s different from the other bats. Unlike most bats, Little Bat sleeps at night and is awake all day. Realizing that he may be missing out, he tries his best to stay awake at night, but to no avail. Then, he makes an amazing discovery about the world during the daytime.

Little Bat explores this new world, and makes new friends. When he returns home, it is his family who feel they may be missing out. Sarah’s lovely story is made even more endearing by her illustrations which make the bats look cuddly and sweet. Kids (and adults) will love the subtle touches in the illustrations, and Little Bat’s facial expressions alone make this book worth reading. In all, “Wake Up, Little Bat!” is a wonderful story kids will want to read again and again.
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Another recent release is Sherry Howard’s “Rock & Roll Woods”, illustrated by Anika A. Wolf. A grumpy bear name Kuda is made even grumpier when he discovers that his new neighbors make a lot of noise. As he voices his objections to the noise, he discovers that his friends aren’t bothered by it. In fact, they seem to enjoy it. Before long, Kuda realizes that, if he wants to be with his friends, he may have to get used to the noise.

Sherry’s use of onomatopoeia, and Anika’s clever art work, help tell a story that is even more layered than the reader may original think. As an added bonus, Sherry includes a very helpful author’s note on Sensory Integration and how it may affect those around us. Her touching note adds to the sympathy we feel for Kuda, and helps point out some of the many ways Kuda’s friends helped him throughout the story.
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Released earlier this year, Varian Johnson’s “The Parker Inheritance” has quickly become one my favorite books. Twelve-year-old Candice and her new friend Brandon set off in search of treasure when Candice finds an old letter which seems to have been left behind just for her. The letter promises an inheritance of millions of dollars, both for whoever can unravel clues and solve the mystery, as well as for the town of Lambert, South Carolina.

Candice knows that her grandmother tried and failed years earlier, and she is determined to succeed. Johnson’s story follows her quest, while also going back in time to tell the story of what happened in Lambert so many years ago that affected so many lives, both black and white. By the end of this incredible novel, the past and present intertwine, setting the stage for a hopeful, if uncertain, future.
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Whether you’re a fan of "The Westing Game" or "Native Son" (or, like me, both), “The Parker Inheritance” is for you. This book is destined to become a classic of literature.
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Well, that’s all for this month. Happy writing (and reading)!!!