Tuesday, January 29, 2019

ReFoReMo 2019 Presenters Revealed!




It's raining ReFoReMo blessings again this year as we prepare to kick off our 6th annual ReFoReMo challenge in March! With the reading lists coming your way on February 12 and registration opening on the 19th, we wanted to offer you a sneak peek at something major today!

Introducing the dynamic ReFoReMo 2019 Team of Presenters...


Friday, March 1: (Day 1) Coordinators Carrie Charley Brown and Kirsti Call

March 2/3 Happy Weekend! Gather your books and make final preparations!

Ten Books-a-Day posts:
Monday, March 4 (Day 2) Literacy Advocate Dr. Susannah Richards
Tuesday, March 5 (Day 3) Author Jamie Deenihan
Wednesday, March 6 (Day 4) Author/ Library Media Specialist Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Thursday, March 7 (Day 5) Author Heidi E. Y. Stemple
Friday, March 8 (Day 6) Author/Library Media Specialist Matthew Winner

March 9/10 Happy Weekend! 

Five Books-a-Day posts:
Monday, March 11 (Day 7) Literary Agent Emma Sector
Tuesday, March 12 (Day 8)  Author/Diversity Advocate Mia Wenjen
Wednesday, March 13 (Day 9) Author Christy Mihaly
Thursday, March 14 (Day 10) Author/Illustrator Ryan T. Higgins
Friday, March 15 (Day 11) Author Janie Reinhart

March 16/17 Happy Weekend!

Monday, March 18 (Day 12) Editor Julie Bliven- Charlesbridge
Tuesday, March 19 (Day 13) Author Ruth Spiro
Wednesday, March 20 (Day 14) Author Cindy Williams Schrauben
Thursday, March 21 (Day 15) Editor/Author Emma Walton Hamilton
Friday, March 22 (Day 16) Author Keila Dawson

March 23/24 Happy Weekend! 

Monday, March 25 (Day 17) Editor Charlotte Wenger- Page Street Press
Tuesday, March 26 (Day 18) Author Kim Chaffee
Wednesday, March 27 (Day 19) Author Michelle Houts
Thursday, March 28 (Day 20) Book Marketer/Promotions Deborah Sloan
Friday, March 29 (Day 21) Carrie and Kirsti

And now, we'll let the fabulous Emily Arrow lead us into a month of preparation with...

The ReFoReMo Song!







Tuesday, January 22, 2019

Monthly Challenge--It All Adds Up!

Embed from Getty Images

By Janie Reinart

Can you solve this problem? I'm counting on you. Don't make a miscallulated move. Just try the monthly challenge. Do a number on it--that is write about numbers and math.  Tally these books on the subject.

                                                                  7 Ate 9 by Tara Lazar

     A story written in rhyme with wonderful back matter is The Girl With a Mind for Math: The Story of Raye Montague. The author is Julia Finley Mosca. The book is illustrated by Daniel Rieley.

"A real SUBMARINE!"
Her eyes opened wide.

"Who made it? she asked,  
as they followed the guide.                      

`"ENGINEERS," said the man,
giving Raye's head a pat.

"But my dear, YOU don't need to know all about that."     


                                           



      The heroine of this story was a mathematical genius. Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13 is written by Helaine Becker and illustrated by Dow Phumiruk. The end pages are covered in calculations.

"Katherine yearned to know as much as she could about numbers, about the universe--about everything!"

" Katherine's boundless curiosity turned her into a star student. She was so bright, she skipped three whole grades. She catapulted right past her brother! (He wasn't too happy about that.)"

        


     Another true story of a mathematician is the story of Sophie Germain. Nothing Stopped Sophie:The Story of Unshakable Mathematician Sophie Germain by Cheryl Bardoe and illustrated by Barbara McClintock. Not only do the end pages have calculations on them, but numbers are featured in the art work throughout the book.

"Long ago in Paris, a young girl named Sophie Germain understood that math could do more than measure the lengths of silk and tally accounts in her father's shop.  In those days, people scoffed at girls for thinking about anything more serious than hair ribbons or what music to play on the pianoforte. But nothing stopped Sophie."


                 


Your days are numbered?  I'm counting on you! Write a story about numbers and math. It all adds up!

Tuesday, January 15, 2019

ReFoReMo THINK QUICK

*This originally ran on Writer's Rumpus, here.

The free online education offered during Reading for Research Month (ReFoReMo) challenges writers to read picture books for writing research. Each weekday of March features an educational online guest presenter who discusses mentor texts from a new perspective. Participants read mentor texts and blog posts to learn more about great writing.  As the Reading for Research Month (ReFoReMo) challenge inches closer, we thought it would be fun to do a blog mash up with a THINK QUICK interview right here on Writers’ Rumpus! We challenge you to THINK QUICK with us! Ready? Set? GO!
readingforresearch2019
Illustration by Lori Nawyn

On Mentor Texts: Fiction or Nonfiction?

Carrie Charley Brown: Both! When it comes to ReFoReMo, it’s all about the story and/or the approach. Reading what’s already out there shows us what’s already been done. One may not think that fiction stories provide good fodder for research, but au contraire! For example, if word choice alone is studied intently in a fiction picture book, imagine the focused model that is exemplified when problem-solving the dull language in one of our own personal manuscripts? And how one author tackles a focused element may be completely different than another. Whether reading a stellar model (or not), we can learn how-to, or not-to, approach certain elements by reading both fiction or nonfiction picture books.

On Guest Presenters: Author or Illustrator? Agent or Editor? Book Expert?

Kirsti Call:  All of them! Authors, illustrators, agents, editors and book experts each have perspectives that are helpful for our ReFoReMo mission of reading and learning from stellar mentor texts. I love how individuals with different perspectives and professions help us see books in a whole new way. Speaking of perspectives…

On More Perspectives: Complicated or Mind-Expanding?

Carrie: Mind-Expanding! If two guest presenters coincidentally cover the same element or picture book, we welcome both. Just as everything in this business is subjective, it’s better to have wider exposure to expand our perspectives, too! Looking at the same picture book from two different points of view will allow us to have a greater understanding of writing styles, structures, and the layers needed to create something special.

On Reading: A lot or a little?

Kirsti:  A lot. I believe in reading while walking, waiting, lounging, bathing and “sleeping.” What could be better?

On Note-taking: Any Old Way or One Right Way?

Carrie: Any old way, but why not share your approach to help others? For example, I may read a picture book and write down the title, publisher, year, creators, as well as the structure type, the plot, and the theme. I may add a few sentences about what makes the book stand out as fresh or I may paginate with illustration notes so that I understand the interplay. Each picture book may stand out in different ways, or I may be trying to learn about one element that I lack in my own work and only take notes on that. Another person may use a standard template and never veer from it. By sharing what works in our ReFoReMo Facebook group, we can once again add to the note-taking process. Reviewing books is another great way to highlight stellar elements.
plotconnector

On Reading for Research: Necessity or Privilege?

Kirsti: Both! If we want to write well and read well, we need to read with attention to what makes the book great or mediocre.  And honestly, having the time to really research and ponder on the great books I read is a privilege.

On Visiting the Library: Wagon or Plastic Grocery Sack?

Kirsti: During ReFoReMo month, I’ve actually brought a rolling suitcase to the library… (I have a pic of this somewhere)…
Carrie: A wagon’s not a bad idea! I normally bring several canvas bags with strong handles, but honestly, I have hurt my back doing that!  They get heavy fast! Good thinking with the wheels, Kirsti!

On Sharing: Keep Research to Yourself or Share?

Carrie: While there is no one right way to research, we encourage others to share the discoveries they make. Our Facebook group is the perfect place to do so!

On Getting the Most out of the Month: Reserve Books in Advance or Wait Until the Last Minute?

Kirsti: I love reserving my books in advance and having them ready to read on each day our guest educators recommend them. We will release the reading list on February 12, allowing others to reserve books early.

On ReFoReMo: Do it or DO IT?

Carrie and Kirsti: DO IT! The reason ReFoReMo started was because we read many pictures in a short period of time as CYBILS judges and saw the good, the bad, and the ugly. The more we read, the more we learned about what works and what doesn’t. We wanted others to experience this also. The thing we have heard most from agents and editors in workshops, conferences and seminars is read, read, read! What have you got to lose? We’ll reveal the ReFoReMo presenters on January 29 and registration opens February 19. ReFoReMo begins March 1 and we’d love to learn with you!
kirstinme
Carrie Charley Brown eats, sleeps, and breathes children’s literature as a PK-8 school library media specialist, writer, and critique mentor. Kirsti Call reads, critiques and revises every day as a member of various critique groups, and blogs for several kidlit focused communities. Together, they coordinate ReFoReMo, which will celebrate its 5th annual challenge this year!

Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Mentor Text Author Study: Tim McCanna


Before Tim McCanna became an author, he worked as a graphic designer, wrote songs and musicals, played in several bands, and earned an MFA in Dramatic Writing for Musical Theatre.

McCanna compares writing picture books to a musical theater song, “A musical theater song has to start somewhere and end somewhere different and it needs to be a journey and the character needs to come out on the other end different. That’s how I like to think about crafting a picture book as well.”

That's exactly how Tim McCanna writes his stories. His books are written to be read aloud and performed.

Rhythm, Rhyme, and Meter

Given McCanna’s musical background, choosing to write in verse makes sense. In his stories the words flow, the rhyme is flawless, and he doesn’t miss a beat. In addition to the perfect rhyme, McCanna’s BITTY BOT books, Tad Carpenter (Illustrator) have a well-developed character and story arc.


We get to know the character in the first BITTY BOT book right away and learn what he’s up to.

In a busy robot town
bots begin to power down-

all except for Bitty Bot!
Feeling sleepy? Maybe not! 

All the bots in Botsburg beep: 
“Day is over. Time for sleep!” 

“Kiss your papa. Hug your mamas. 
Activate your bot pajamas.” 

Every bot is tucked and tight?
Peace and quiet?
Well… not quite. 

What's that noise in power three? 
Who in Botsburg could it be? 

Bitty Bot with power tools! 
Breaking all the bedtime rules.

Engaging Your Audience
McCanna invites kids to make some noise in BARNYARD BOOGIE, Alison Black (Illustrator). This story features farm animals that play music in a band together. The problem in this story is finding something for Cow to do. Fun musical sounds and a refrain, “But what can Cow do? Moo?” keeps kids engaged and entertained. This story so much fun to read aloud!



The Barnyard Band is performing today.
All the musicians are coming to play!

Horse brings the tuba.
OOMPA DOOMPA DOO!

Goat swings the sax.
HONKA WONKA WOO!

But what can Cow do?
MOO?


In SO MANY SOUNDS, Andy J. Miller (Illustrator), kids experience everyday sounds the main character hears as he starts his day. Each scene ends using the refrain, Oh, so many sounds to hear! 

Listen! Do you hear a sound? 
Noises come from all around. 
Soft and gentle, loud and clear, Oh 
so many sounds to hear!

The story circles back when the main character returns home and his day's end hearing different sounds.

Covers ruffle.
“Nighty-night.”

Click! The switch
turns off the light.

No more noises.
Not a peep.
Everyone is sound asleep.

FRESH APPROACH

In JACK B. NINJA, Stephen Savage (Illustrator), McCanna takes a fresh approach to retelling an old nursery rhyme classic. In the first two spreads, McCanna hooks the audience. His audience learns Jack is a ninja who's going on a secret mission and they get to go along!


Jack B. Ninja! Jack, be quick!
Jack, jump over the bamboo stick!

Secret mission starts tonight.
Hide in shadow, out of sight.

ONOMATOPOEIA

McCanna is a ninja master of onomatopoeia demonstrated in BOING! A Very Noisy ABC, Jorge Martin (Illustrator). He not only uses onomatopoeia to tell the story using a cumulative structure supported by the illustrations, but he also alphabetized the words. Brilliant! The story starts with a sneeze that sends a boy’s ball bouncing away and sends him on a journey until he finds it. But when he returns home and falls asleep, “ZZZZZ”, the final spread starts the story all over again.


AhAh…Ah…Ah--choo!

BIFF! BOOM!

BOP! BOING!

CLASH CLANK!


WATERSONG, Richard Smythe (Illustrator), uses the perfect combinations of water sounds and illustrations to tell a story about a fox seeking shelter during a rainstorm.  This book is an excellent example of how words and illustrations work together in harmony.



In the opening, Drip drop plip plop pitter patter pat tells us the storm is just starting. McCanna uses POP! Gush Rush! Crash! Whish Wash! Wham! to show tension when the storm intensifies. And Ripple shimmer tumble glimmer to show the calm near the end.

Non-fiction backmatter adds another informational layer to this fictional account.

Why do books by Tim McCanna make good mentor texts? They show us how he develops a character and story arc. He chooses a limited amount of the right words to tell his story. His rhyme is perfect. And he has mastered the literary device of onomatopoeia that is fun and engages his audience.

Each and every one of McCanna's books deserves applause. Encore! Encore!