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Carrie Charley Brown, Children's Book Writer
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April Mentor Text Check-In

4/21/2015

19 Comments

 
Now that the ReFoReMo buzz has worn off a bit, how are you doing with your mentor text goals?  Is your new habit sticking with you and helping with your writing goals? I’ve heard a few say that they became rather addicted to having a little library list delivered to their inbox every day.  That’s what the third Thursday of every month is for.  Not only will I offer additional recommendations, but also check to see how you are doing on the current challenge.

Diverse Challenge
At the conclusion of ReFoReMo, I challenged you to write a diverse picture book. (View the challenge and additional recommendations HERE.)   As mentioned in the post, diversity presents itself in many forms.  I would eventually like to write several new diverse picture books.  However, for this challenge, I focused my current efforts toward revising one that I had already written.  Since my main character struggles to overcome a speaking disorder, I am studying The Boy and The Jaguar as my main mentor text. The rest relies on life experiences, disorder research, and continued reading of diverse mentor texts.  I am still transitioning this story to include the just-right words and proper awareness of the disorder.  Therefore, I’d like to extend our diverse writing challenge into next month, as well. 
How are YOU doing on your diverse writing goals?

Additional Picture Book Recommendations

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HENRY’S FREEDOM BOX: A TRUE STORY FROM THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
By Ellen Levine and Kadir Nelson

A DANCE LIKE STARLIGHT: ONE BALLERINA’S DREAM

By Kristy Dempsey and Floyd Cooper

MUMBET’S DAY OF INDEPENDENCE

By Gretchen Woelfle and Alix Delinois

ONE PLASTIC BAG: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of Gambia

By Miranda Paul and Elizabeth Zunon

DEEP IN THE SAHARA
By Kelly Cunnane and Hoda Hadadi

ASK CARRIE
Do you have mentor text questions?  Please leave them in the comment section and I will address a select few in each week's "Ask Carrie" post.

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Carrie Charley Brown is the founder and administrator of ReFoReMo, a research challenge and blog for picture book writers. She is a  professional critique mentor with an editorial eye, a picture book writer, kidlit video producer, writing coach, and guest blogger on various sites such as Writer's Rumpus and Kids Are Writers.  In addition to ReFoReMo, she runs a separate blog, Carrie On...Together, which features THINK QUICK and Mystery Author interviews each month.  She was a 2014 CYBILS fiction picture book panelist and an elementary teacher.  You can follow her writing journey right here on this site.
19 Comments
Laura K Zimmermann link
4/21/2015 12:58:23 am

Still researching... :)

Reply
Carrie Charley Brown
4/21/2015 01:19:29 am

Keep up the awesome efforts, Laura!

Reply
Manju Howard link
4/21/2015 01:02:50 am

Hi Carrie, I've written several picture books about endangered animals. Both this month I finally started writing a story that deals with my Indian heritage.

Reply
Manju Howardlink
4/21/2015 01:05:25 am

"But" not "Both"

Reply
Carrie Charley Brown
4/21/2015 01:20:13 am

Excellent, Manju!

Kirsti Call
4/21/2015 03:00:48 am

Carrie, I wrote a horrible first draft of a diverse book this month...planning to make it shine.

Reply
Carrie Charley Brown
4/21/2015 05:37:03 am

YAY! Great job, Kirsti! I look forward to seeing it!

Reply
Rachel Hamby link
4/21/2015 04:39:43 am

Hi Charley, I've been reading lots of rhyming PB's this month as I participate in RhyPiBoMo. I do have a diversity topic knocking around in my head, but I'm not sure where the story/character are yet, so I'm thankful for another month to hopefully work something out.

Reply
Carrie Charley Brown
4/21/2015 05:39:55 am

I, too, have been following RhyPiBoMo this month, Rachel. Rhymes are swimming in my head! I'm happy to hear you are thinking of a new diversity topic. Best wishes! Sometime ideas don't come on a schedule...take as long as you need, and write when your heart is ready to let the story come out. ~Carrie

Reply
Urania Smith
4/21/2015 04:42:16 am

The habit of researching hasn't worn off. At least not yet. I have exceeded my writing goals, so far this year.

Reply
Carrie Charley Brown
4/21/2015 05:40:34 am

Hooray for rocking those writing goals, Urania! Excellent!

Reply
Gabrielle Snyder
4/21/2015 04:43:59 am

Still researching and thinking about what books need to be written.

I just checked out Firebird (written by Misty Copeland and illustrated by Christopher Myers). Highly recommend for the poetry of the text and for the vivid illustrations.

Reply
Carrie Charley Brown
4/21/2015 05:43:42 am

Best wishes as you percolate, Gabi. Firebird is one I have been trying to get my hands on since last October during the CYBILS. I see it is finally available at my library. YAY!

Reply
Jilanne Hoffmann
4/21/2015 05:18:13 am

I'm doing well with the reading and researching, not as well with the writing. Feeling too scattered. I need to pull in and focus more.

Reply
Carrie Charley Brown
4/21/2015 05:50:27 am

Even if you put "butt in chair" (as Jane Yolen says) to write for 5 minutes each day, it will help kick-start the habit. Just as you set a goal to read more each day, the same can happen by setting writing goals. Maybe a few prompts will help. Flip through one or two of your favorite picture books and choose a supporting character. What alternate story could that character be dealing with? Or visit here for a super fun writing activity that will compliment your recent research favorites: http://kidsarewriters.com/story-scramble/

Reply
Elaine Hillson
4/21/2015 08:08:34 am

Hi Carrie - I'm still researching. The writing is slower but I have a couple of ideas I'm working on. It's good to touch base and see how everyone else is doing :)

Reply
Maria Marshall
4/21/2015 07:56:13 pm

Hi Carrie - Yes thanks for checking back. Been following up the research with RhyPiBoMo and finishing touches on two MS. Started research on two other ideas. We'll see.

Reply
maria gianferrari link
4/22/2015 08:56:37 am

I have a huge stack of PBs to get through still. I love Henry's Freedom Box--that's such a touching book. I also really like Sally Walker's Freedom Song on the same topic. I'm working on a new fractured fairy tale with an Italian twist.

Reply
Mary Worley
5/19/2015 02:31:47 am

I've settled into a routine of checking out a stack of picture books from the library every other week and visiting bookstores on alternate weeks. On days I'm having a hard time getting started, I just start reading. Usually only takes about 10 minutes to feel the urge to work on my own stories. An added bonus is that I'm making the effort to visit different libraries in my area.

Reply



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