ReFoReMo Day 1: Founders Carrie Charley Brown and Kirsti Call Round Up Mentor Texts for Personalized Projects

By Carrie Charley Brown and Kirsti Call

During ReFoReMo, we feature a list of books that are recommended by our presenters. The plan is to analyze these from many different perspectives. Does that mean that you should ONLY look at the books from this list? Absolutely not! Our challenge is about learning how to analyze mentor texts from many angles, but most importantly how to learn from them while you research your current works-in-progress. That means personalizing your pile. What are your needs? What are your weaknesses? Where are you stuck? What new elements are you applying to your writing?

How does that look, you say?

A Personal Example from Carrie

The cumulative structure of This is the House that Jack Built is a classic. Knowing that I wanted to fracture a cumulative structure, but still find ways to show repetition, I paid careful attention to how others authors maneuvered the cumulative format. This process began after I had written a a few drafts of my own story and I desired to learn more as I revised.

Some authors used the structure in a straight-forward simple way. This was especially apparent in Simms Taback's version of the tale.

Others utilized intricate, poetic language, but still repeated each line verbatim as the story built.

And as I had hoped, some fractured the structure and wove in a huge dose of heart. I studied where and why that structure was fractured in relation to the plot.









After researching the cumulative approach that many different ‘...built’ books utilized (9 books), I now turn my eyes to other concepts that gradually build with variations of repetition.

Having already read Penny Parker Klostermann’s story, I learned about the importance of read-aloud-ability and reliance on predictability.

This is also true of the original There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly series by Lucille Colandro. But, I also love the way that Penny’s story introduces a fracture of the classic fly concept.

I will continue to study her craft approaches in relation to the cumulative structure itself, and add Jomike Tejido’s story and others to my study pile. Will a fractured concept turn into a fractured structure? I am excited to research additional picture books that inform and teach varied approaches to the cumulative structure.







“Mentor-texting”, or the practice of learning from mentor texts can branch off in many directions. My research also included picture books that feature the same type of character and setting that I have. Being intentional with research is key. What will help your story specifically? Are you always willing to learn more? Are you willing to dig deep into revision by researching?

A Personal Example from Kirsti       

Next spring, my book COW SAYS MEOW comes out with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. The story breaks the 4th wall and has a narrator who uses wordplay and idioms to comment on the mixed up onomatopoeia. Here are several books where the narrator and the characters in the story disagree. Although I wrote COW before any of these books came out, they are stellar mentor texts that helped shape my revisions of the story.



SNAPPSY THE ALLIGATOR DID NOT ASK TO BE IN THIS BOOK, Julie Falatko and Tim Miller

This funny book’s interchange between the narrator and Snappsy is a rollicking read that ends with a surprising yet satisfying twist.

IT’S NOT JACK AND THE BEANSTALK, Josh Funk and Edwardian Talor

In this comical book the narrator and Jack disagree about almost every aspect of the story. In the end, Jack takes charge and completely changes the story in a way that satisfies the narrator and the readers.

NORMAL NORMAN, Tara Lazar and S. Brit

In this book, the little girl narrator has a tough time dealing with Norman and his abnormalities. As she tries to prove how normal he is, Norman proves otherwise. Another book filled with surprises and humor!

CHLOE AND THE LION, Mac Barnett and Adam Rex

This story is a rambunctious meta story of Mac as the narrator and writer, Adam as the illustrator and their main character, Chloe. The conflict begins when Mac says a lion comes out of the forest, but Adam draws a dragon instead. Filled with humor and chaos, this is the kind of story that surprises and delights all ages.

Z IS FOR MOOSE, Kelly Bingham and Paul Zalinsky

“Moose does not start with D. You are on the wrong page.” This hilarious story stars Moose who can not wait for his turn in the alphabet book! He interrupts, ruins and makes a mess of every page until the end when his friend Zebra makes a kind choice.

My mentor-texting always involves two questions:

1. What do I love about this story?

2. How can incorporate what I love into my manuscripts?

How will you personalize your reading list?

Carrie and Kirsti are giving away a 15-minute Google Hangout to one lucky winner. Discuss mentor texts or pick our brains about picture books! To be eligible for prizes throughout the challenge, you must be registered by March 2, comment on each post, consistently read mentor texts, and enter the Rafflecopter drawing at the conclusion of ReFoReMo.

Carrie Charley Brown is the founder and co-coordinator of ReFoReMo. She eats, sleeps, and breathes picture books as a writer, professional critique mentor, and elementary educator. Carrie serves as a 12 x 12 Critique Ninja, and contributed as a 2014/2015 CYBILS fiction picture book panelist and regional advisor for SCBWI North Texas. She enjoys blogging, reviewing books, and spreading mentor text love to students and adult writers. Her publications include ghostwritten projects and teacher resources. Carrie holds a masters of education in School Library Media, with an endorsement in Literacy.

Kirsti Call is the co-coordinator of ReFoReMo. She reads, reviews, revises and critiques every day as a 12x12 elf, a blogger for Writer's Rumpus, and a member of critique groups. She's judged the CYBILS award for fiction picture books since 2015. Kirsti's picture book, MOOTILITA'S BAD MOOD (Little Bee) debuts fall 2020.  COW SAYS MEOW (HMH) and COLD TURKEY (Little Brown) release in 2021. Kirsti is represented by Emma Sector at Prospect Agency.