Stop! Look! Listen!
Three tips for writing interactive picture
books
By Miranda
Paul
Teachers are
always instructing students to stop, look, and listen — to stay safe, to gather
information, to be in tune with their senses. These three actions are also sound
advice to children’s writers.
Some of my favorite
picture books are successful because they invite engagement and interaction.
Parents and teachers love these books. Why? The author has done the hard work
for them, so they can easily hold the attention of youngsters. In essence,
you’ve made your audience the star of the show.
Engagement
was high priority for me while working on WHOSE HANDS ARE THESE?, my new
guessing game book about community helpers. The result? Teachers and students
are interacting with the text and having fun.
If you’re
working on a picture book, I encourage you to “Stop, look, and listen!” These three
tips will help you write more engaging, interactive picture books.
1.
STOP – Is there a place (or places) in your
manuscript where the text stops, pauses, or slows down so that a reader might anticipate what’s coming next?
Punctuation, cliffhangers, and clever page turns can all work together to
engage your reader.
2.
LOOK – Have you left room for visual clues? A
lot of newer writers tend to overwrite. Instead, let illustrations tell half of the story in a picture book. And
once the book comes out, don’t be surprised if children notice things in the
illustrations before grown-ups. (Super kudos to illustrator Luciana Navarro Powell for
sneaking in narrative subplots into the pictures!)
1.
(Caption: In
this image, Luciana has linked four other community occupations to the mechanic
shop. Can you find the connections to the rest of the book?)
2.
LISTEN – Does your story have playful or rhythmic language that’s
easy to memorize or fun to repeat? Picture books certainly don’t have to rhyme,
but as you’re writing, it’s important to read your work aloud again and again,
and have others read it to you.
Stop, look,
and listen for yourself – here’s the lively book trailer for WHOSE HANDS ARETHESE?
Miranda
Paul is the award-winning children's author of Water is Water, One PlasticBag, and Whose Hands Are These? Her
books have been named to several "Best of" lists and are being
translated into multiple languages. Miranda is a frequent presenter at schools
and libraries. One of her bravest moments involved reciting poetry inside a
crocodile pit. (Yikes!) Miranda's forthcoming 2016 titles include Trainbots and 10 Little Ninjas. Learn more at www.mirandapaul.com.
A NOTE FROM LYNNE MARIE: Miranda is one of the fabulous, talented critique group friends I have made on my path to publication. I am excited and pleased to be able to see her achieving the success she has always deserved.
Here's something that's exciting for YOU. To celebrate her February 1st Book Birthday, Miranda will be giving a free copy of Whose Hands Are These? to one of the lucky readers who comments here. A name will be drawn on Monday, February 29, 2016. Good Luck!
Here's something that's exciting for YOU. To celebrate her February 1st Book Birthday, Miranda will be giving a free copy of Whose Hands Are These? to one of the lucky readers who comments here. A name will be drawn on Monday, February 29, 2016. Good Luck!
Great advice, Miranda! It's so much fun to write and read interactive picture books. Thanks for reminding us of the tools to use when creating them and thank you, Lynne Marie, for sharing this :)
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome! It was so fabulous to have Miranda here. We were in a critique group before I stopped writing in 2011 and I must say her success is well-deserved!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing Miranda and her beautiful books with us. I'm looking forward to reading her latest!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Miranda! And thanks for sharing a bit of your process and the giveaway. :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the book release, Miranda! I love Water is Water so much and recommend it constantly to anyone who will listen, so I'm eager to check out this one, too. And I now officially want to go back to my own manuscripts and give 'em the ole STOP / LOOK / LISTEN once over to put your great advice to work. Thanks for this excellent article, Lynne Marie!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I am a big fan of your work,and a grateful recipient of all you do to support your fellow writers-especially those just starting out. This is great advice.
ReplyDeleteLove the title of your Book "Whose hands are these?" What a clever way to introduce the concept to a child of all the people in their neighborhood. Really look forward to reading it. Thank you for the reminder of the element of surprise. I think this may just be what my book draft is needing!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your new book. Your advice for writing interactive picture books is very helpful. Thanks. Looking forward to reading Whose Hands Are These?
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the book release! Great tips!
ReplyDeleteYay! This book is so much fun!!! And I love your tips.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! So happy for you!
ReplyDeleteMiranda's tips are well-received and easy to remember. Her book trailer would make anyone want to get this book. Wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThe book trailer is all thanks to illustrator Luciana Navarro Powell!
DeleteGreat advice-- we have heard it since childhood, but I never thought about applying it to picture book writing,
ReplyDeleteThank you everyone for stopping by to visit Miranda at My Word Playground! Your presence is truly appreciated, as is Miranda's!
ReplyDeleteHappy Book Birthday Miranda!
ReplyDeleteLove all your books Miranda. Thanks for the great advice today!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Miranda!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I can't wait to get my hands on this. Thank you for sharing such great advice.
ReplyDeleteGreat book! I have read and reviewed on our kidlit blog GROG. http://groggorg.blogspot.com/2015/12/whose-hands-are-these-by-miranda-paul.html
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing that link. Everyone—if you haven't yet visited the GROG, please do!
DeleteLooks great! And I can use in storytime.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your newest book, Miranda! And thanks for the great advice!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Miranda :) Thank you for the tips to stop, look, and listen. I'll be applying those to my current mss. I'm going to get my copy of your new book. It's been exciting to see its debut! Thank you, Lynne Marie for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the tips! The book looks amazing.
ReplyDeleteI love the cover, and am really intrigued about the guessing game aspect of this book. My daughters love guessing game books and we will hunt this down and get our guessing game on!
ReplyDeleteTo everyone — thank you for stopping by to leave a comment. I invite you all to read Lynne Marie's wonderful picture book, HEDGEHOG GOES TO KINDERGARTEN. It's a great example of pacing, delightful verbs, and a sweet ending to a relatable problem many kids face. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteHappy Book Birthday, Miranda. I look forward to reading Whose Hands are These soon. And thank you, for the reminder to Stop. Look. Listen. Wonderful advice!
ReplyDeleteThat's amazing! Thanks for sharing. Stop, look, listen IS such sound advice. This is a perfect book for NC - 3rd grade!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great tips! And congrats on the new release!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Miranda! And thank you so much...you gave us a mini workshop in just a couple of paragraphs...that is impressive. I especially love tip #1...must remember to do this in my stories. ;)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Miranda! And happy book birthday! I'm holding Whose Hands Are These, and I can't wait to read it to pieces!!!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your new book, and thanks for the advice!
ReplyDeleteI love Water is Water and Whose Hands are These sounds great, too.
ReplyDeletethanks for the advice :-)
Thank you, Miranda. What a simple, easy to remember lesson-Stop! Look! Listen! Love it. (and your trailer too)
ReplyDeleteGreat things to keep in mind for all my pbs! Can't wait to read Whose Hands...!
ReplyDeleteThanks Miranda! Looking forward to having your book in my school counseling library.
ReplyDeleteMiranda, I enjoyed both 1 Plastic Bag and Water is Water and will read Whose Hands Are These? I'll reread my MS and apply Stop,Look, and Listen.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations and thanks, Miranda! You've done an amazing job with your books. Great blog post, too!
ReplyDeleteStop, look, and listen is a great way to keep the tools at hand when writing. Thank you for this great advice and congratulations on your new book!
ReplyDeleteAwesome book. I just got my library copy but would love to own a copy for my granddaughters!
ReplyDeleteWonderful advice that I need to remember! Thanks, Miranda, and congratulations!
ReplyDeleteGreat advice Miranda! Thanks for hosting Lynne Marie!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! Great advice, always good to be reminded of important tools that can help to make a good picture book great.
ReplyDeleteCongrats! Looks terrific! Can't wait to read WHOSE HANDS ARE THESE.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! Thanks for an engaging post - stop, look, listen - easy to remember!
ReplyDeleteGreat blog and great advice! Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations and thanks for the helpful tips. Looking forward to reading "Whose Hands are These?"
ReplyDeleteRosie Pova is the winner of our Book Giveaway! Rosie Pova, please e-mail me at LiterallyLynneMarie@Gmail.com with your address so that Miranda can send your book! Enjoy and thanks for visiting My Word Playground!
ReplyDelete