Oh goodness. I've been having so much fun in my excitement creating new content and feeling honored about co-teaching with Barbara Bottner and having Mandy with us for the Craft and Business of Writing Children's Picture Books that I decided to have another look at this video that I made years ago of one Barbara's 41 books, Bootsie Barker Bites. Well Bootsie Barker Bites is one of my all time favorite books and is also how I got to know Barbara a little after she saw this review. It also turns out it is still in print, which is awesome because this book, like many of her books, truly is a classic. Then yesterday I went to the bookstore and bought Barbara's latest 2014 book (#41) Miss Brooks' Story Nook (where tales are told and ogres are welcome) that is both a meta narrative (meaning an overarching story within a story about writing books) and a story of imagination and bullying, similar but also very different from this one. Barbara's writing covers a wide gamut of emotions from tender (Flower Girl) to raucously funny (An Annoying ABC). Miss Brooks' Story Nook is also one of Amazon's best books of the month for August if you want to check it out here. I'm very much looking forward to reviewing Miss Brooks and more of Barbara's books, learning from her and the students in this new course that I'm hoping some of you will take the leap of faith and join us in. Here are some of the newer materials that we'll be talking about and teaching that this book embodies - quirky characters and plots, the power of no, and page turning pacing. So anyway, here's the video. I hope you enjoy it and maybe even leave a comment. Oh and look for the rule of 3s that appears a few times. :) Yours in children's book creativity ~ Mira Mira Reisberg is the founder of the Children's Book Academy. She has a Ph.D. in Education and Cultural Studies with a focus on children's literature. She is also a former university professor who has taught children's literature survey courses, art education, and writing and illustrating courses to future teachers and now successful authors and illustrators. Like Barbara, over the years, Mira has mentored many now very successful students. Watch for her in the upcoming Craft and Business of Writing Children's Picture Books interactive e-Course starting September 8th, which she will be co-teaching with Barbara Bottner, assisted by the wonderful Mandy Yates, and in the free webinar this Friday the 22nd right here where she'll be talking lots more about getting quirky.
4 Comments
Mary McClellan
8/21/2014 01:28:09 am
Thanks for posting your video again for Bootsie Barker Bites. Fun story! I'm looking at other books by Barbara now. I want to be familiar with her work when the class starts.
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Ave Maria Cross
8/25/2014 12:24:41 pm
Thanks, Mira. Barbara's book, Bootsie Barker Bites is still resonant. It makes me want to write about the boy who bullied me in junior high school, Trevor C! I'm going to read as many Barbara's books as possible...
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Lori Mozdzizerz
8/28/2014 09:15:20 pm
Appreciate the share, Mira! I agree this book is needed. The rocket ship scene is an excellent twist :D
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8/29/2014 01:30:10 pm
Thank you for sharing these books - can't wait for the course with you, Mira and Barbara!
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We are so excited to be mixing things up at CBA, beginning with some delicious additions to the Blogfish. Meet our awesome bloggers!!
Here's our lineup: 1st Mondays begin with awesome Aussie debut author and former student Amanda Lieber who will be focusing on Aussie kidlit. 2nd Mondays will feature super smart Melissa Stoller whose career is taking off with several new books. 3rd Mondays will feature STEM, STEAM & SEL obsessed author Kourtney LaFavre sharing delightfully dorky, quirky, and fun info. 4th Mondays will be a mystery for right now. And 5th Mondays we'll be taking a break Archives
September 2023
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