I'm excited to welcome Lydia to ReFoReMo! Her newest release, NO BEARS ALLOWED, is powerful story of fear growing into friendship.
Hi Lydia! Do
you utilize picture books as mentor texts?
When I started writing for children years
ago, I didn’t study the art of writing at all. I just wrote. I was always an
avid reader and have been writing since I was 6 years old, but I still didn’t
know much about my own craft. In retrospect, I don’t recommend this strategy!
It wasn’t until years later that I read Writing
Picture Books by Ann Whitford Paul and my mind was blown. I started to
become more conscious of the writing process and of the many literary devices.
Then I started following the ReFoReMo blog.
My mind was blown again! The blog helped me understand the importance of
reading and studying mentor texts. To become a strong writer, you need to not
only write, but you need to research. The object is to understand key concepts
like characters, development, story arcs, and tension. It’s one thing to read
about these concepts, but it’s much more helpful to read a book that uses these
writing devices effectively in the story. I buy a ton of books, borrow them
from my library, and read them in classrooms on my breaks when I give writing
workshops. This has shaped my practice.
Were there any particular mentor texts that inspired you in
the creation of NO BEARS ALLOWED?
Yes! In particular, I was
moved by the book Fox and Squirrel by
Ruth Ohi. This was followed up by Fox and
Squirrel Help Out and Fox and
Squirrel Make a Friend. Fox and Squirrel have many differences (Squirrel is
small and Fox is big; Squirrel lives in a nest and Fox in a burrow etc…) but as
their friendship grows, they realize their differences are a good thing, and
that they also have other things in common. I love this series because I wanted
to write a sweet story about friendship, and they provided so much inspiration.
I’m a big fan of Ruth Ohi. What I admire most about her is her ability to pare
down language and still create an emotional resonance. I’m trying to learn this
art myself, because I’m often too wordy. One of the keys is to always keep the
young audience in mind.
How has reading Picture Books helped you discover who you
are as a writer?
Reading mentor picture books has helped me
understand all the key concepts a writer must know. The more you read, the
better writer you become, it’s that simple. I think it’s important to study and
be familiar with the classics, but it’s also important to keep a pulse on
what’s happening with more contemporary books.
I admire my colleagues and look up to many
of them. Here’s a short list of my favorite mentor picture books:
Water Can Be by Laura Purdie Salas.
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
Love by Matt de la Peña
The Diamond and the Boy: The Creation of Diamonds & The Life of
H. Tracy Hall by Hannah Holt
Dreamers by Yuyi Morales
Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's
Most Fearless Scientist by Jess Keating
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson
Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers:
Celebrating Animal Underdogs by Melissa Stewart
Chester (the whole series) by Melanie
Watt
What
do you feel is the BEST way to for picture book writers to utilize mentor
texts?
READ as many books as you can. Buy them,
borrow them, read them at schools, visit libraries- whatever it takes. I try to
keep organized and create folders on my computer with different kinds of
pictures books (from fractured fairy tales to straight nonfiction) to keep
track of them. Not everyone will respond to things in the same way, so when
something moves me, I keep notes of that. I’ve compiled a lot of notes
throughout the years! They provide sparks that light up my inspiration.
I also recommend following blogs like ReFoReMo,
Kidlit 411, Sub it, and for the nonfiction fans, Celebrate Science by Melissa
Stewart and The Nonfiction Detectives are excellent. Find some critique
partners, discuss kidlit, and get involved in online forums. Writing can be a
solitary endeavour but there’s a really generous writing community that
surrounds it. I’m still reading, studying, and learning, and will be for the
rest of my days!
Thank you, Lydia! I'm excited to read more of your work in the future!
Lydia Lukidis is a children's author with a
multi-disciplinary background that spans the fields of literature, science and
theater. So far, she has over 40 books and eBooks published, as well as a dozen
educational books including her STEM books The
Broken Bees’ Nest and The Space Rock
Mystery. Her latest picture book, No Bears
Allowed, was released by Blue Whale Press in July.
Lydia is also passionate about spreading
the love of literacy. She regularly gives writing workshops in elementary
schools across Quebec through the Culture in the Schools Program. Her aim is to
help children cultivate their imagination, sharpen their writing skills and
develop self-confidence.
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