“Voice is the magical heard quality in writing. Voice is what allows the reader’s eyes to move over the silent print and hear the writer speaking. . . Voice is the music in language.”
(Donald M. Murray, The Craft of Revision)
These books spoke to me. The power of voice found in these books range from poignant and persuasive to sweet and sacred. A strong voice connects writer to reader—heart to heart.
I Talk Like A River by Jordan Scott, illustrated by Sydney Smith.
Voice can make you smile.
Looking for Smile by Ellen Tarlow, illustrated by Lauren Stringer
Voice can be unique.
How to Walk an Ant by Cindy Derby
Voice can be sacred.
We are Water Protectors by Carike Lindstrom, illustrated by Michaela Goade.
Voice can inform.
HoneyBee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Eric Rohmann
Janie Reinart is the ReFoReMo Facebook Group Moderator and a blog contributor. Her picture book, WHEN WATER MAKES MUD: A STORY OF REFUGEE CHILDREN, debuts with Blue Whale Press in Spring 2021. She recently released a retelling of THE UGLY DUCKLING with Wonderbooks Creations. A fellow with the National Writing Project, educator, author, poet and musical storyteller, Janie seeks ways of giving emerging writers of all ages a voice. It is her mission to help others enjoy the sheer joy of writing and she practices this through her posts on the GROG blog. A proud mother of a veteran, Janie had the honor of collecting stories for the anthology, LOVE YOU MORE THAN YOU KNOW: MOTHER'S STORIES ABOUT SENDING THEIR SONS AND DAUGHTERS TO WAR.
I love the quote and your comments for each book. These are all such memorable picture books. Thanks, Janie!
ReplyDeleteA title hooks you to open a book. Voice is what compels you to read it time and time again... Thank you Janie!
ReplyDeleteThanks for these excellent examples of voice, Janie! I had to write down the quote from Donald M. Murray: "Voice is the music in language."
ReplyDeleteI Talk Like a River was magical to me. An excellent example of voice.
ReplyDeleteThis is a fantastic selection of titles and I enjoyed the voice in each of them. I was also blown away by the amazing artwork in 'I Talk Like a River'!
ReplyDeleteI loved I Talk Like A River.
ReplyDeleteThese are all such lovely choices. Voice really is so important to a story and finding the right voice, even more so.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing books that show just how powerful voice is, Janie.
ReplyDeleteGreat variety of voice. The language in Honeybee is so dazzling and evocative. It has the power to expand readers' views of what nonfiction can be.
ReplyDeleteGreat suggestions. I look forward to letting the voice of the books speak to me. Thanks, Janie!
ReplyDeleteI love how the voice in these stories prove how just a few words can move us as readers. These titles definitely give your heart a little workout. I can't wait to dive into the ones I haven't read today!
ReplyDeleteI haven’t yet read any of these books but I’m looking forward to analyzing the different voices used in each one!
ReplyDeleteI haven’t yet read any of these books but I’m looking forward to analyzing the different voices used in each one!
ReplyDeleteI haven’t yet read any of these books but I’m looking forward to analyzing the different voices used in each one!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Janie. The range of ways that voice works in each of these titles is a master class. Listening to the author's use of voice in each of these mentor texts has its own sweet pleasures. I've been smitten over HOW TO WALK AN ANT from the moment I opened it. TALK LIKE A RIVER is absolutely gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the focus as I read these beautiful books. Thanks also for the Donald Murray quote. I love thinking about voice as music.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful examples of voice - thanks!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your mentor texts to capture voice. These are some of my favorite picture books. However, How To Walk an Ant is new to me. Can't wait to read it. What an intriguing title.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing these great examples of voice!
ReplyDeleteJanie, thank you for the reminder about the importance of voice! One of my favorite texts so far from this month has been I Talk Like A River. The voice in the text really makes you empathize with the character.
ReplyDeleteJanie, thanks for your post. Words, musicality, work together to craft a good manuscript. Your prize sound interesting.
ReplyDeleteAh, Janie, you picked some of my very favorite books to illustrate voice! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThese are all such beautiful books.
ReplyDeleteI love this quote, thank you for sharing. I just ordered I TALK LIKE A RIVER and can't wait to get it.
ReplyDeleteI love this definition of voice and the various forms it takes.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminder about voice, Janie. I try to keep it in the front of my mind when writing.
ReplyDeleteI love the ability to connect with young readers through voice. Most really good children's books that stand the test of time, usually have good "voice" allowing the reader to identity with the emotions of the character. "How to Walk an Ant" was hilarious, but I could feel the little girls creativity and her love for bugs. "I Talk Like a River", enabled me to feel the child's frustration and embarrassment, and then smile as his dad swooped in and "saved" him...all the books in this selection were good reads
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful quote. I loved the how unique the voice was in each of your selections. Thank you!
ReplyDelete"poignant and persuasive to sweet and sacred" So true Janie!
ReplyDeleteGreat post on voice! I love that you included NF, too! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI love it would someone in our writer's groups says, "That pieces sounds like you." I can take that and run all day with it.
ReplyDeleteHelpful post. I enjoyed the variety of voices you shared.
ReplyDelete“A strong voice connects writer to reader—heart to heart.”
ReplyDeleteI like this a lot! I may have to print this message out and pin it up in my study.
Great post!
Thanks for the great book suggestions for voice.
ReplyDeleteSo true that books for children are important voices to shape future generations!
ReplyDeleteI love your examples of different kinds of voice in all these beautiful books. Thanks for sharing them.
ReplyDeleteVoice=Distinct and unique personality that comes from the heart.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Janie.
Suzy Leopold
Love all these books for the very reasons you stated! Thanks for the opening quote.
ReplyDeleteLove exploring the range of voice. Great choices!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing these wonderful mentor texts for Voice. We Are Water Protectors and I Talk Like a River blew my socks off.
ReplyDeleteI love reading these new to me books! Thanks for the suggestions. Voice is my strength according to my critique partner, so it is great to read many other voices.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your post. I especially liked LOOKING FOR SMILE!
ReplyDeleteThanks for bringing these books to my attention. Every book speaks in the language that is just right for the subject.
ReplyDeleteStrong voice seems to top every agent's wish list. Thank you for pointing us toward these wonderful titles.
ReplyDeleteThis will break your heart. This comment is from a a former student of mine. He posted it on his Facebook page.
ReplyDelete"A customer made fun of my stutter tonight. It was demoralizing. She tried to catch my stuttering on video, made clear by the flash on her phone.
I’ll take a minute and gather myself and I’ll show up tomorrow ready to face a new day of working with a stutter and go from there."
I wrote a few lines from the book, I Talk like a River and recommend the book as a way to encourage him. Words can heal or hurt. It nice to have a book like this.
Say a prayer for him and for those who are insensitive to others pain. https://brontebrown2.com/ Rhonda Brown
Rhonda, Thank you for sharing the book with your former student❤️ Will hold him in prayer.
DeleteHeartbreaking. He is lucky to have you in his corner.
DeleteJANIE: Such an IMPORTANT topic for today's post. THANK YOU for showing us through these AMAZING mentor books how voice can evoke emotions of ALL kinds. I TRULY agree, most especially with, "I Talk like a River." It seems it has SPOKEN to MANY of our hearts, as it has come up on our reading lists more than a few times this year. A book about voice, the poetry of the language really does convey how a boy draws strength in finding his voice through his connection with the river. SO BEAUTIFUL! THANK YOU for the INSPIRATION!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing this important element of writing and some wonderful mentor texts!
ReplyDeleteVoice is so hard to master, but so very important. Thanks for the great list of books and the insight provide in today's post, Janie!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting to see and hear how voice permeates these picture books. Thought provoking.
ReplyDeleteI have heard so much about I Talk Like a River. Waiting patiently for my turn to read. Thanks for sharing thoughts on voice.
ReplyDeleteI'm inspired and challenged by voice, both the writer's voice and my characters' voices... challenged to not let theirs mingle with mine, yet inspired to create theirs through mine. Thank you for these thoughts!
ReplyDeleteThank you Janie for sharing these wonderful books . Loved the beginning quote. Voice is so important.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for your comments❤️ Metaphors be with you.
ReplyDeleteJanie, you picked great examples on a variety of strong/unique Voices. Each one showcased here is different yet oh so resonating. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks for these beautiful, inspiring examples of Voice!
ReplyDeleteSo many good books for voice. I hear you! Thanks, Janie!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing these wonderful "voice" mentor texts!
ReplyDeleteThank you for showing me these new titles. Interesting new books.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing these! All wonderful examples.
ReplyDeleteGreat collection of books and different voice. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI've read all of these except Looking for Smile which is on my list to find already.
ReplyDeleteThanks Janie for these examples and the voice we hear when we read them. Grateful for your insight.
ReplyDeleteWe have been talking about voice in my critique group recently. I'm excited to have these titles to add to the discussion. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteGreat examples of voice! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteA nice list of varying voices. Some especially moved me. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteChirp by Kate Messner is a great example of voice as a girl struggles to find her voice.
ReplyDeleteNow I know more about the “elusive” voice than I did before! Thanks for the great list of mentor texts and tidbits to look for within them!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteJanie, thank you for these titles. Terrific examples of the power of voice.
ReplyDeleteI read and then reread I TALK LIKE A RIVER yesterday. So poignant! So powerful! Each of the titles you recommend is a stellar example of voice. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteYay for voice!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Janie, for sharing the quote by Donald M. Murray. What a beautiful explanation of the power of voice.
ReplyDeleteI was touched by the voice of each picture book you highlighted. They did connect with me “heart to heart”.
MIRIAM AT THE RIVER by Jane Yolen is another picture book I want to explore. I am intrigued by the voice of Jane Yolen’s picture books.
Perfect examples and explanation. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThe voice in "We are the Water Protectors" was strong and a call to action for the reader. The voice in "The Boy and the Gorilla" was so tender and emotional. And I liked the change in voice in "Swashby and the Sea" from gruff to loving. Thanks for pointing these out to us to help us as we review and analyze others' books as well as our own.
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking recently about the connection between voice and narrative distance. I Talk Like a River is in first person and Honeybee is in third person, but they both create a very close connection between the reader and the speaker/main character. I think the emotional pack they both punch is, in large part, due to how close we as readers get.
ReplyDeleteVoice is a true expression of writing.
ReplyDeleteevafelder@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteThank you for today's list. Voices are powerful.
Looking for Smile is such a special book, it was so wonderful to hear the illustrator describe the whole process step by step in creating the art work.
All about feelings and friendship, opens up a lot of conversation with kids.
Voice really impacts the story in so many ways. Thank you for reminding us to consider this as we write.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great collection of books to wind up week two! I loved the focus on voice because that is such an important tool in writing for kids or writing in general. Voice can be just as important in nonfiction as it is in fiction picture books. Each of these books offered something unique. I Talk Like A River by Jordan Scott, illustrated by Sydney Smith uses the first person voice of a boy who stutters and that gives such an inside look at what it feels like to have a speech impediment. What a great way for students to appreciate the struggles of this boy and apply that to people they meet with speech and other special needs. Excellent book! Looking for Smile by Ellen Tarlow illustrated by Lauren Stringer offers another imaginative model by showing the bear's smile as a separate character that he loses for a while and then finds again with the help of his bird. Again this is such a unique book because it shows what is like to be unhappy without really saying it and has the bear find his smile again with the help of a friend. This is a perfect example of showing not telling. I will definitely try to incorporate that in my writing.How to Walk An Ant by Cindy Derby uses second person point of view to offer this guidebook on how to walk an ant and the result is a humorous, almost absurd look at walking ants. My favorite part was using Grandma's fake nail as a bridge for ants. I am writing a book in the second person right now so this is a very practical mentor text for me. We Are Water Protectors by Carike Lindstrom, illustrated by Michaela Goade is a fascinating look at the importance of water to native americans in a very engaging story with beautiful captivationg illustrations. It also shows rather than tells the reader what is going on. HoneyBee: The busy life of Apis Mellifera by Candace Fleming is an excellent example of how engaging a non-fiction picture book can be. The facts and the way the information is told insures that this will be a book that kids remember. I loved the way it described the 35 days of the honeybee's life in terms of the jos that it does and related incredible statistics that it travelled 500 miles, visited 30,000 flowers and produced a tiny bit of honey. The pictures contributed greatly to making this bee's day unforgettable. I admired the workmanship of each of these authors and illustrators and the books they were able to create. I hope I can do justice to some of these techniques. Thanks so much for this list!
ReplyDeleteJulie, So glad you enjoyed the list. Great news that you can use How to Walk an Ant as a mentor text. What fun! I am sure you will do an excellent job❤️
DeleteOnce again - great mentor text. I especially like the child-like voices in Looking for Smile (I adore Bear.)and How to Walk an Ant.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wide range of voices, love them! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Janie. I love how each mentor text uses voice to evoke a different emotion. I've retyped the text from I TALK LIKE A RIVER and LOOKING FOR SMILE to further study the voice and page breaks. Another book I love for the LOL character voice is ESCARGOT by Dashka Slater (art by Sydney Hanson).
ReplyDeleteJanie,
ReplyDeleteI love your opening quote on voice. Honeybee is one of my favorite books for 2020, a perfect blend of story with nonfiction. i'm working toward that in my own writing.
I agree that voice is so important. Lovely examples! I've read most and am waiting for the ones I haven't read (library queue). Thanks!
ReplyDeleteYes! The voices in these books definitely amplify the author's purpose, from empathy, in I Talk Like a River; empowerment in We Are Water Protectors; to humor in Walk Like an Ant. Enjoyable choices!
ReplyDeleteVoice is so important in writing picture books. Thanks for sharing these titles.
ReplyDeleteI love the voice in all of these, and a previous post recommended listening to the audiobook of I Talk Like the River read by the author. This was a powerful way to truly hear the voice in a way that other books cannot. I want to use the rhythm of The Water Protectors voice in my writing to emulate a piece of nature or feeling. Lots to think about!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Janie. I Talk Like a River must have spoken to me, too–heart to heart. It made me cry.
ReplyDeleteI love this post and am really going to look at my current WIP in light of this post.
ReplyDeleteThanks Janie. I love this - Voice is the music in language - and all the different voices you highlighted.
ReplyDeleteDifferent voices speak to different readers. I especially like Candace Fleming's writing voice.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the diverse kinds of voice!
ReplyDeleteWonderful titles to inspire voice--thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks, terrific examples of how important the right voice is for a picture book!
ReplyDeleteThese are all wonderful examples of how the voice really needs to match the meaning/message of the story as well. Great titles! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the wonderful mentor texts, each characterized by a different kind of voice. I am sure they will prove helpful, as voice can be so elusive sometimes.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fascinating set of picture books, each strong in a different way. I'm glad you included books that are not lyrical because it sometimes seems that voice and lyrical language get conflated.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Janie! These are wonderful examples.
ReplyDeleteLove these books! Thank you for sharing them!
ReplyDeleteThank you for providing us with wonderful mentor texts with a strong voice.
ReplyDeleteNow I made it to the right place to comment.
ReplyDeleteMy pick of the day is; How to walk an Ant. Second person voice was perfect since it was more of how to book. This tickled my funny bone. Cindy Derby had just enough seriousness because of the child's positive attitude that her business will work. And humor of illustrations throughout the story, but the outcome was finding a new friend with the same interest.
The no name is mine Rhonda Kay Gatlin
DeleteRhondaKay1
I really enjoyed Looking For Smile. I just love a story with a good, strong voice to it, and that is something I try to bake into my own manuscripts.
ReplyDeleteWe speak in so many ways. Thank you for the book list.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing these beautiful voices.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how she does it. Candace Fleming's voice is always spot on. Thanks for the other suggestions. I did't know Ellen Tarlow or Cindy Derby!
ReplyDeleteFinding that unique voice is so important for each story. Great study suggestions.
ReplyDeleteEach story had a different kind of voice which added to the journey each story took me on. Enjoyed being introduced to some authors I didn't know.
ReplyDeleteI love how you captured the voice of each book. Wonderful book choices - thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the reminder of the power of voice, and for sharing such a variety of titles.
ReplyDeleteA great exercise in thinking about different voices and how each writer created the voice in their book. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHoney Bee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera by Candace Fleming & Eric Rohmann was a good mentor text for me. I had never read a science themed book where the voice came across as if the insect/bug was a character. Stages of development were presented in a unique voice like I was reading about a child. I'm learning the right Voice unravels the plot.
ReplyDeleteSo many different ways to look at voice. Thanks for giving us a tour of a few them, Janie.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Janie! Voice is captivating. It carries the reader into the hearts of the book's creators! I was unable to get HOW TO WALK AN ANT for today, but look forward to reading it once it arrives.
ReplyDeleteExcellent examples! I hadn't pre-read Honeybee before sharing it aloud with students - it nearly brought me to tears. So powerful.
ReplyDeleteI've been told I have a knack w/ voice. The rest of my stuff...needs work. LOL
ReplyDeleteThank you for these recommendations!
ReplyDeleteI love your comment: "A strong voice connects writer to reader--heart to heart." Thanks for the great list of books that did just that--melded writer and writer in such a variety of ways. I had to buy I TALK LIKE A RIVER. That good!
ReplyDeleteLaurie, Me too! I Talk Like a River is in my personal library❤️
DeleteAll these had a distinct voice. Looking for Smile is a such a cute kid-friendly story.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely will purchase I Talk Like a River! I watched a video whereby the author and illustrator speak about the inspiration for this story; and since I could not get this at my local library, I listened to a reading of if. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteAll these books have such different and unique voices. My favorite of the lot was Honeybee. Candace and Eric create such amazing nonfiction stories!
ReplyDeleteThank you Janie! I have heard so much about I Talk like a River and get wait to get it from my library! How to Walk an Ant cracked me up with its quirkiness/strong voice.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing these wonderful comp books -- voice is important -- and the wonderful prize. Best, Lynne Marie
ReplyDeleteVoice was so intimidating to me when I started. Thanks for the mentors for this aspect of the craft.
ReplyDeleteLove these books to explore for voice. What could be more important than voice? It's what really lets us get to know our characters. Thanks for your share!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this great list of books with different styles of voice. And thanks for the prize...that sounds wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHONEYBEE : THE BUSY LIFE OF APIS MELLIFERA is worthy of close study. The voice is that of the honeybee (if it could talk.) I like the prologue before the title page. I like the repeat question, is it time for her to fly? And I like the ending, the birth of a new honeybee, returning to the beginning of the story.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your compilation. I love discovering the authentic voices of picture books through word choice, illustrations, and the marriage of the two.
ReplyDeleteI Talk Like A River...WOW,
ReplyDeleteThanks for this great variety of voices in children's books- great examples. In many ways, the voice of the story-teller IS the story.
ReplyDeleteHow to walk an ant.... hmmmm......
Thanks Janie - I love reading about voice! Great mentor texts!
ReplyDeleteThanks Janie! What great examples!
ReplyDeleteAll writing has voice. Often the books held up as examples of voice have a poetic, literary voice, but there are many other kinds, as you note.
ReplyDeleteThanks for introducing me to these great titles. I didn't know about I TALK LIKE A RIVER.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
ReplyDeleteVoice is of critical importance!
ReplyDeleteMetaphors be with you❤️
ReplyDeleteHi, Janie! Thanks for the quote and your thoughts on voice. I Talk Like A River is a terrific example of a nervous voice that drew me in from the first sentence.
ReplyDeleteGreat list!
ReplyDeleteTalk Like a River has a voice unlike any other. Also, fascinated by Fleming's Apis voice, so straight forward.
ReplyDeleteSo many wonderful stories with a distinctive voice. 💕
ReplyDeleteFinding your character's voice can be such a challenge, thank you for so many great examples of mentor texts!
ReplyDeleteThank you Janie!
ReplyDeleteHi Janie, thanks for these book titles. How to walk an ant looks fun and quirky, right up my alley. Thanks also for introducing me to the Grog Blog. Just checked it out and will definitely start following!
ReplyDeleteThank you for these mentor texts. Voice is such a big concept.
ReplyDeleteVoice is so important! Thank you for these suggestions!
ReplyDeleteIt is the voice that sings through stories. It is the voice that jumps from the pages and into our hearts. It is the voice of the unknown individuals that tell us about their lives and tells us of their plight and begs us to understand! I can't wait to read your new book. It is mud that connects us! (My 94 year mother is still making pottery on the wheel!) Thank you!
ReplyDeleteVoice is magical, thank you!
ReplyDeleteI cried like a river reading Jordan Scott's I talk like a River. Such a special book that I'll always keep close. I really enjoyed Looking for a Smile Too! All the texts were great examples of Voice. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you - I really enjoyed reading this set of books.
ReplyDeleteVoice is hard to explain. These are great examples. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteAhhhhh, I need to dive into voice, again. Thank you for these Mentor Texts.
ReplyDeleteThese are powerful books. Thanks for sharing, Janie.
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful examples of voice, Janie. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteFinding the right voice is so hard. Thank you for these amazing selection of powerful voices!
ReplyDeleteThank you for these strong examples of voice.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to me that I TALK LIKE A RIVER has turned up numerous times in our mentor text; with good reason - the voice is strong. I wonder, can writing voice or heart into a story be taught, or is it something instinctual?
ReplyDeleteLoved the voice in the book I Talk Like a River, my favorite. Being a true story about Stuttering, it is such a good book for children with speech impediments. Thank you for your choices.
ReplyDeleteGreat suggestions! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Janie, for writing about the many facets of “voice”
ReplyDeleteand the way it connects writer and reader, Rereading through this perspective the profoundly moving “I Talk Like a River”
and exquisitely illustrated “We Are Water Protectors” and am happy to be introduced to the others. “How to Walk an Ant” is such
a singular piece of work, and the illustrations in “Looking for Smile” joyfully elevate the story (the painting of bear frolicking in the waterfall!). So happy my library has so many of these books in its collection!
Thanks for the breakdown. I Talk Like a River is such a moving story. My library also had the electronic version with the author reading the story. It was amazing. I highly recommend it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great evening catching up with these wonderful examples of voice. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThanks for these great examples of voice. Just as in relationships, as in books, connection is key! Voice is what connects. Great post. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Janie, for some excellent examples of "voice" in PBs. I was able to listen to "I Talk Like a River" narrated by the author and such an emotional experience. An incredible way to share the "walk a mile in my shoes" scenario.
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful quotation and a great group of picture books exemplifying different types of voices.
ReplyDeleteI loved the story 'Talk Like a River'. And knowing that it was based on the author's personal story med it all the more special. I am looking forward to reading the other books you mentioned. I have heard so many great things about 'Honeybee' and 'We Are Water Protectors' and I am sure the others you mentioned are wonderful gems of "voice" too.
ReplyDeleteThese are gorgeous examples of voice, and accessibility to the reader of the message. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteMy ITalk Like a River amazed me! I was not captivated by How To Walk an Ant. But voice was predominant in both!
ReplyDeleteAh yes, the elusive, sought-after VOICE! Reading amazing examples like these you've chosen are key to understanding how to achieve it. Thank you for these beautiful choices for us to study!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful examples of voice! I have to admit, I teared up after reading I Talk Like A River
ReplyDeleteWe are the Water Protectors is such a treasure! I love all of the examples, great choices
ReplyDeleteI not only loved the info but the illustrations in Honeybee - so great
ReplyDeleteI think voice is key to creating a unique perspective on every topic, and I love playing around with it to discover the perfect one for each book I write. Great list!
ReplyDeleteLoved these examples of different voices! I'm adding LOOKING FOR SMILE to my list of new favorites.
ReplyDeleteThank you! These are wonderful examples of voice.
ReplyDeleteVoice is one of those mystical attributes of texts—I Talk Like a River may be my new favorite as an example of a riveting voice. Love this list, Janie. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI love these picks. Finding voice is something I strive for in my writing. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThank you for these fine examples of differing voices.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this list - such a broad range of voice here - inspiring.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Janie, for tackling the elusive concept known as 'voice'. These examples are wonderful--diverse and unique--just like voice! :)
ReplyDeleteAh, voice--how difficult it is to find it, use it, then apply it skillfully. Thank you..
ReplyDeleteVoice is such an illusive and important skill. Thank you for sharing these great examples.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing these titles!
ReplyDeleteI listened to an interview with Jordan Scott and his illustrator about his book, TALK LIKE A RIVER, such a great story with his day and excellent metaphor for stuttering.
ReplyDeleteLoved the POV of Apis in Honeybee. I strive to use voice in my stories to connect the writer to the reader and these were great titles to study. Thank you, Janie.
ReplyDeleteHow to Walk an Ant cracks me up. I love it!
ReplyDeleteI’m so excited my library had all but one of your recommended books. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteVoice is personality come to life. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat examples of voice. Loved all of these. Thank you!
ReplyDelete