“Variety in our narrative is important. Sometimes we might worry that using a character’s name or even a pronoun over and over again will grow repetitious in readers’ minds. But, frankly, this is not a concern. Character names and pronouns are invisible to readers. They’ll never fault you for overusing them. If you’re struggling with monotonous sentences, the problem is not that you’re using Sienna’s name in every sentence. The problem is that you’re not varying your sentence structures.”
I am going to add that I agree with this statement because the same blogger has also written statements that contradict this one.
Value in Repetition
“Off again! On again! In again! Out again!” -Dr. Suess (The Sneetches and Other Stories)
Picture Books love repetition, and so do readers.
Young readers thrive on predictable sequences because they are easier to read and understand. It also helps maintain a rhythm and, if done right, can add interest to the otherwise boring text. 
What Riley Wore
LeWhile searching for books to read this month, I ran across an article by Olivia Heinbaugh on Romper that recommended a picture book with no pronouns, What Riley Wore.
It is unique because it substitutes “Riley” for pronouns where you would typically expect them. Pronouns are not always useful. So, I have tinkered around with the idea of leaving them out altogether. This example gave me the courage to put it to practice. I did not notice the missing pronouns, at least not in a casual reading. What Riley Wore succeeded because the author varied sentence structure to avoid monotony and carefully applied repetition where it suited the text. The repetition did not grate on my ears; it did the opposite. It added interest to the text. Let's Recap:
You can omit pronouns from picture books with:
xx Cory
This post was proofread by Grammarly
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Grown-Up Themes
Dark Humor
Nostalgia
Re-Read Power
Art Book
Irreverence
Recap:
I hope this helps build your library!
Are there any picture books you think adults will enjoy? Let me know in the comments! xx Cory 
Setting goals is like creating a road map to your destination.
Your journey is from one end of a picture book to the other. Set SMART Goals
In this context, setting SMART goals looks something like below.
Set Your Milestones
Here are mine:
I visualize this process like a funnel. For every 50 ideas, you may fall in love with 20. 10 of those may develop into a story. Of the 10 that are developed enough to write, you may settle into 5. Of those, you may only show 3 to your critique group.
Make each of these goals attainable by preparing the tools you need to complete them before hand. For example, you can use my free Picture Book Writing Cheat Sheet to evaluate your drafts. 
Set a Schedule for Your Milestones
For example, you may participate in Tara Lazar’s Story Storm. You will set a goal to write down 1 idea for every day in January. There is daily inspiration from a collection of creators and if you choose to check in every day then there is added accountability.
Storystorm is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time based. Set Up a Backup Plan
For when things don't go the way you’ve planned, which inevitably they don't.
What happens if you can't come up with an idea on January 15th? Maybe you were stressed, busy with work, or home life. When I am feeling extra hyped or I have spare time, I come up with multiple ideas and put them in the bank. That way I do not feel bad when things happen. Set Yourself Up For Success
When you accomplish a goal: celebrate! When things don't work out, go back and take a closet look at what happened.
When revising your goals look for micro-adjustments that you can make throughout your day to make a goal more attainable. Often, little changes can make a big difference. Recap:
Keep Going!
xx Cory
In Picture Books, the text and illustrations will have varying degrees of responsibility.
Wordless Picture Books rely entirely on the illustrations to carry the story. Other books, like BJ Novak’s The Book With No Pictures, rely entirely on text. Most picture books marry the two extremes and use both vehicles to appeal to all the senses of the adult and child audiences. Often, a writer creates a story with text and then publishers find an illustrator who can tell the same story with pictures.
“I don't think of myself as an illustrator. I think of myself as a cartoonist. I write the story with pictures - I don't illustrate the story with the pictures.” -Chris Ware
But the role of the illustrator is not simply to elaborate.
“When you make illustrations, you're supposed to have a subtext; you're not just communicating words - you're actually adding another story altogether.” -Peggy Rachmaninov
Storytelling is multidisciplinary.
Illustration and text are only two vehicles used to tell a story. There is also:
Exploring different vehicles to tell your story may help you flesh it out completely, or you may land on a vehicle that suits the story you are trying to tell better than others.
Happy creating! xx Cory
A Universal Message
Clarity
For example:
Sequential Illustrations
For example:
Freedom to Tell the Story in Different Ways
For example:
Slow Pacing
All Other Storytelling Guidelines Apply
Recap:
What Makes a Good Wordless Picture Book?
Shawna J. C. Tenney is an author and illustrator with a passion for picture books. Shawna graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Illustration from Brigham Young University and loves telling stories through color, composition, and whimsical characters. She is the author and illustrator of Brunhilda's Backwards Day.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
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“We have an obligation to read aloud to our children. To read them things they enjoy. To read to them stories we are already tired of. To do the voices, to make it interesting, and not to stop reading to them just because they learn to read to themselves. Use reading-aloud time as bonding time…” -Neil Gaiman
One of the best ways to teach a child to read well is to teach them to read expressively. And the best way to teach them is to read expressively is to lead by example.
And it does not stop there. |
The added benefit is that you will learn how to write stories that are "meant to read out loud."
Tips For Reading Out Loud
- Look at the book flaps or read about the author. Ask Predictive Questions such as: What do you think the story will be? What other books have you read by the same author?
- Take moments during the story to ask Attention Questions. These are usually specific to the book but could include counting objects, clarifying pictures, asking your child what might happen, or what has happened.
- Answer questions. Undoubtedly your child will have questions throughout the story too. Pause and answer. Questions should be encouraged!
- Enunciate each word and speak clearly.
- Don't read too quickly. Pause slightly for commas, periods and to add emphasis.
- Read expressively. You can find an outstanding, detailed article on expressive reading and the importance of prosody here.
- Show enthusiasm and exaggerate emotions. People, especially children, respond best to exaggeration.
- Display emotions through facial expressions, actions, and tone; be a good actor/actress.
- Read together. Even if your child can't read, they can usually pick up on patterns and remember parts of stories that you read frequently. They can contribute as little as one word, supplying animal noises or names.
- Follow up with discussion. Talk about what happened, what might happen next, and what stories are similar that you've read together.
Let's Recap:
- Ask Predictive Questions.
- Ask Attention Questions.
- Answer Questions.
- Enunciate.
- Don't Read too Quickly.
- Read Expressively.
- Show Enthusiasm and Exaggerate.
- Display Emotion.
- Read Together.
- Follow Up With Discussion.
"Even in front of nature, one must compose." -Edgar Degas
Marco Bucci expressed a similar sentiment in a talk earlier this week. He said that even when you set out to paint what is in front of you, you must make compositional decisions. Plein Air painting is not simply painting what you see.
Good composition is merely the strongest way of seeing. -Edward Weston
Good composition always has a purpose. That is the definition of composition, essentially to guide the audience towards what you want them to see.
I can think of no better example of composition with a purpose than Lubnaand Pebble by Wendy Meddour, Illustrated by Daniel Egneus. It is truly one of the richest picture books out there. The story is endearing, well-written, and unique.
The illustrations are soft, simple, and engaging. The perspectives, in particular, are diverse and daring. The picture below has had more pins on my Pinterest feed than any other; I think primarily due to composition.
I can think of no better example of composition with a purpose than Lubnaand Pebble by Wendy Meddour, Illustrated by Daniel Egneus. It is truly one of the richest picture books out there. The story is endearing, well-written, and unique.
The illustrations are soft, simple, and engaging. The perspectives, in particular, are diverse and daring. The picture below has had more pins on my Pinterest feed than any other; I think primarily due to composition.
I call these perspectives brave because they are difficult to pull off. Daniel does it masterfully.
The composition in this scene contrasts Lubna’s small world, where a pebble is her friend, and the large world around her that is filled with adult concerns.
The composition in this scene contrasts Lubna’s small world, where a pebble is her friend, and the large world around her that is filled with adult concerns.
In Lubna and Pebble, the composition also helps deliver the ending.
I hope you’ll check out Lubna and Pebble if you haven't already. See if you can spot how Daniel uses color to tell a story.
I hope you’ll check out Lubna and Pebble if you haven't already. See if you can spot how Daniel uses color to tell a story.
Chris Winkle compiled a list of successful companions and their common traits. He said,
“If the animal is small, they can easily tag along and participate in fights without solving the hero’s problems for them. As long as they help out, it’s okay if they cause trouble or need rescuing occasionally. A good animal companion has a distinctive personality that plays well with the hero and creates fun or touching scenes for the audience to enjoy.”
Small likely means that the companion can be utilized more frequently. They can sit on the main character's shoulder like Pikachu (Pokemon) or on their head like Pascal (Disney's Rapunzel). They can even be tucked away like Navi (Zelda: Ocarina of Time), or Baby Yoda (The Mandalorian) in his hover pram.
There is always a risk that writers will underutilize large companions, which means they won't get as many opportunities to fulfill the rest of Chris Winkle's criteria for successful companions. Lion (Steven Universe) is used infrequently despite a lot of effort to give him a distinctive personality and meaning in the series. In an Our Opinions Are Correct Podcast, Lion is mentioned in passing. They argue that Lion is a metaphor for Steven and serves as a connection to his dead mother. Lion also foreshadows the big reveal at the end of the series. The Stark Direwolves (A Game of Thrones) are underutilized particularly in the tv series likely because they are easier to manipulate on paper than on screen.
To get around this, many stories where large companions are used successfully, center the plot around the size or use it for comedic effect. The plot may even feature difficulties hiding the companion. Prominent examples are Baymax (Big Hero 6), the Iron Giant, or Charlie (Sweep: A Girl and Her Monster.)
Other times, large companions are given special properties to make them appear and reappear or exist as a voice when the body can't be present. Some examples are TARS (Interstellar) who communicates with Cooper over intercoms, My Board (Silver Surfer: Anywhere and Everywhere) who is part of the Silver Surfer and has a mind of its own, and the Stark Direwolves (A Game of Thrones), who can act as surrogate bodies for the Stark children.
Small companions are also "underpowered." There is room for small things to grow, to succeed despite terrible odds, and also to fail.
Small companions are also "underpowered." There is room for small things to grow, to succeed despite terrible odds, and also to fail.
"Be a sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them—in order that the reader may see what they are made of."
-Kurt Vonnegut
Large companions need additional flaws that hold them back. Lion (Steven Universe) is quite powerful at face value, but he has one feature that gives Steven some wiggle room to solve problems in his way. Lion is lazy. Baymax (Big Hero Six) is programmed as a Healthcare Companion; not a superhero. The Iron Giant is unaware of his power and acts as a curious child.
"The only purpose of the first line, is to get the reader to the second line."
That sounds right, but what does it mean? One of my favorite writing instructors from college said,
"A writer needs to lead the reader by the hand."
That is because our writing is never as clear as we imagine it is and our “Aha!” moments are never as clever. The opening line is the writer’s opportunity to reach out and offer to take the reader on a journey. Or, in other words, the opening line sets the tone and introduces the destination so that the last line has the desired impact.
In her blog, Rachelle Gardner demystifies the opening line by listing some real ways that they can capture attention without appearing forced or false. She says she discovered these ways by reading her favorite opening lines and thinking about why she liked them.
"[The opening line] might have:
been clever
been thought-provoking
brought an immediate smile (or stab) of recognition
struck me as poignant
painted a really cool word picture
set up an intriguing mystery
introduced a character I want to know better
made me laugh
drawn me into an unfamiliar world
used words in a beautiful way"
That is all there is to crafting an attractive opening line, and any one of these examples offered by Rachelle will get your reader through the door. But only a few of these examples will help drive your ending home.
Let's take a look at some examples that I pulled from my favorite picture books at random (Spoilers Ahead).
Let's take a look at some examples that I pulled from my favorite picture books at random (Spoilers Ahead).
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Ten Ways to Hear Snow
Written by Cathy Camper
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The Opening Line:
"When Lena woke up, everything was quiet."
The Closing Line:
“Quiet is the tenth way to hear snow.”
The opening line raises questions and questions make good page turns. Cathy hits the page turn by isolating the opening line to the first spread. In this case, I want you to notice that it also foreshadows the ending.
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Lubna and Pebble
Written by Wendy Meddour
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The Opening Line:
"Lubna's best friend was a pebble. It was shiny smooth and gray."
This example introduces compelling characters. The page turn stems from the reader’s interest to find out why the pebble is so special to Lubna. The rest of the story is dedicated to answering the reader’s curiosity. In this case, the text alone does not do the story justice. With the assistance of beautiful illustrations by Daniel Engeus, the book ends exactly the way it began, only this time, the reader feels that the pebble is special just as Lubna does.
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The Wolf, The Duck and The Mouse
Written by Mac Barnett
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The Opening Line:
"Early one morning, a mouse met a wolf, and he was quickly gobbled up." - The Wolf, The Duck, and The Mouse, written by Mac Barnett
This short sentence is spread across three pages, like this: "Early one morning, a mouse | met a wolf, | and he was quickly gobbled up." The first separation causes a short pause in reading, which sets the pace and introduces a problem: a mouse and a wolf don't mix. This is the perfect time for a page turn because Mac has already worked up the suspense. Oddly, the second page concludes the problem introduced on the first page and turns our attention to a new one: the mouse is eaten. Normally this would signal the end of a story, but for Mac, it is the beginning. The fact that the story continues at all is a surprise. Mac manages to do a lot in the opening line because it gets right to the point. Of course, the end turns the opening line on its head. Who knew being eaten could be a good thing? As it goes, the mouse finds a home in the wolf's belly and must fight to keep it.
Without introducing the destination, any one of these stories could fall flat. The reader cares about the end only because the opening line asked them to care. Let’s revise the statement above:
"The purpose of the opening line is to get readers to the end."
Author
Hi, my name is Cory Shaw. I am an author and illustrator of books and book covers for children.
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