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Writing in Picture Books
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From: Ginny Moore Kruse <gmkruse>
Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 04:37:04 -0500
It's interesting to read comments about writing in highly visual books. As a jury member for the 2000 Charlotte Zolotow Award, I was astonished to realize how few of the picture books published during 1999 for children through age seven are well written. Relatively few! Excellence in illustration is important to the Zolotow Award Committee, but it isn't the focus of the award. Think about it. Read some of Charlotte Zolotow's picture books, concentrating only on the writing. Read her newest book for young children, just published: "My Friend John" illustrated by Amanda Harvey (Doubleday, 2000). You'll see all over again why an award for picture book writing is named after Charlotte Zolotow.
It's been helpful to find out why some of you value the writing in books for babies. Reliable studies prove the importance for infants and toddlers of a rich and varied experience with language.
Although apparently most of us have been too busy with end-of-school and beginning-of-summer responsibilities to share our thoughts and suggestions with the CCBC-Net community, we thank each person who took the time this month to make comments. Your messages contain a wealth of book suggestions for everyone interested in expanding personal knowledge of picture books for babies and preschoolers. Thanks to Katy, Lauren, Christine, Lisa, Susan, Laurie, Judy, Linda, Ruth, Maia, Jean, Maggie, John, Lee, Lisa, and Steven - and anyone else who contributed messages so far this month, as well.
There's still time during May to comment on Writing in Picture Books for Young Children and/or on the incomparable books of Molly Bang, such as "Common Ground" (Blue Sky/Scholastic, 1997). Bang's art is also incomparable, so we typically give attention to discovering some of what she's created visually in each of her books. Notice her writing in most of them, too. We could spend time on every single book bearing Molly Bang's name.
Just a reminder: in June we'll talk about the books of Anthony Browne and Ana Maria Machado. You'll probably be able to locate quite a few books illustrated by Mr. Browne in your public library. Look him up as an illustrator of books by others as well as books he wrote. Those of you fortunate in having access to a public library with a large foreign language children's book collection will be able to tell the rest of us about some of Ms. Machado's books published in Brazil. We'll rely on you for this. Although she is prolific, her books have generally not been translated into English up to this time. In June, we'll all become acquainted with her books and newly acquainted with those bearing Anthony Browne's name.
Are you out there? Want to share a comment during these last days of May? Please go ahead... - Ginny
Ginny Moore Kruse (gmkruse at ccbc.education.wisc.edu) Cooperative Children's Book Center (www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/) A Library of the School of Education University of Wisconsin - Madison
Received on Fri 26 May 2000 04:37:04 AM CDT
Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 04:37:04 -0500
It's interesting to read comments about writing in highly visual books. As a jury member for the 2000 Charlotte Zolotow Award, I was astonished to realize how few of the picture books published during 1999 for children through age seven are well written. Relatively few! Excellence in illustration is important to the Zolotow Award Committee, but it isn't the focus of the award. Think about it. Read some of Charlotte Zolotow's picture books, concentrating only on the writing. Read her newest book for young children, just published: "My Friend John" illustrated by Amanda Harvey (Doubleday, 2000). You'll see all over again why an award for picture book writing is named after Charlotte Zolotow.
It's been helpful to find out why some of you value the writing in books for babies. Reliable studies prove the importance for infants and toddlers of a rich and varied experience with language.
Although apparently most of us have been too busy with end-of-school and beginning-of-summer responsibilities to share our thoughts and suggestions with the CCBC-Net community, we thank each person who took the time this month to make comments. Your messages contain a wealth of book suggestions for everyone interested in expanding personal knowledge of picture books for babies and preschoolers. Thanks to Katy, Lauren, Christine, Lisa, Susan, Laurie, Judy, Linda, Ruth, Maia, Jean, Maggie, John, Lee, Lisa, and Steven - and anyone else who contributed messages so far this month, as well.
There's still time during May to comment on Writing in Picture Books for Young Children and/or on the incomparable books of Molly Bang, such as "Common Ground" (Blue Sky/Scholastic, 1997). Bang's art is also incomparable, so we typically give attention to discovering some of what she's created visually in each of her books. Notice her writing in most of them, too. We could spend time on every single book bearing Molly Bang's name.
Just a reminder: in June we'll talk about the books of Anthony Browne and Ana Maria Machado. You'll probably be able to locate quite a few books illustrated by Mr. Browne in your public library. Look him up as an illustrator of books by others as well as books he wrote. Those of you fortunate in having access to a public library with a large foreign language children's book collection will be able to tell the rest of us about some of Ms. Machado's books published in Brazil. We'll rely on you for this. Although she is prolific, her books have generally not been translated into English up to this time. In June, we'll all become acquainted with her books and newly acquainted with those bearing Anthony Browne's name.
Are you out there? Want to share a comment during these last days of May? Please go ahead... - Ginny
Ginny Moore Kruse (gmkruse at ccbc.education.wisc.edu) Cooperative Children's Book Center (www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/) A Library of the School of Education University of Wisconsin - Madison
Received on Fri 26 May 2000 04:37:04 AM CDT
