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September Author: Josh Funk Talks Mentor Texts

9/8/2015

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Welcome to Part 2 of Josh Funk's author interview. If you have not read Part 1 yet, you can find it HERE. Don't miss out!

Do you utilize mentor texts? If so, were there any that helped you when writing Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast?

I wrote Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast very early on in my picture book writing life. I think it’s the fourth book I ever wrote, so at the time I probably didn’t think of ‘mentor texts’ the way I do now. My favorite picture books at the time were Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty & David Roberts, The Curious Garden by Peter Brown, Vunce Upon a Time by J. Otto Seibold & Siobhan Vivian, and The Gardener by Sarah Stewart & David Small. I’m not sure there are any particular connections between those books and mine, but they were (and still are) some of my favorites.

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What do you feel is the BEST way for picture book writers to utilize mentor texts?

One BEST way, eh? Well, I say read as many picture book texts as you can to ensure that your idea is unique and different and unlike anything you’ve read. Hopefully that will help it stand out and shine when trying to impress an agent, editor, acquisitions team, reviewer, educator, and eventually a child.

I agree, Josh! The Reading for Research Month (ReFoReMo) challenge is the perfect way to kick start this goal. You can find Josh's mini post from our first annual event right HERE!  But you don't have to wait for next March to get started. You can experience this past ReFoReMo at your own pace HERE or utilize THIS POST for additional mentor text recommendations. This blog encourages and recommends great mentor texts year round.

Great mentor text recommendations are everywhere, but I'd like to give a shout-out to Matthew Winner's weekly review series called THE BEST BOOK EVER [THIS WEEK]. You can listen to this series during breakfast at the beginning of the week and then seek the books out to read later in your week. It will help you keep up with the current market!

A BIG thanks to Josh for being with us in this two-part interview! If you haven't read Part 1 yet, slide on over to Carrie On... Together! To read my review of LP & SFT, visit HERE.

Josh Funk lives in New England with his wife and children. He is the author of LADY PANCAKE & SIR FRENCH TOAST (Sterling 2015), and the forthcoming picture books DEAR DRAGON (Viking/Penguin 2016), PIRASAURS! (Scholastic 2017), and JACK! [and the beanstalk] (Two Lions 2017). Find more information about his books at JoshFunkBooks.com and VISIT HERE for the Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast Activity Kit!

Josh is the co-coordinator of the 2016 and 2017 New England Regional SCBWI Conference and is a board member of The Writers' Loft in Sherborn, MA.

Josh is terrible at writing bios, so please help fill in the blanks. Josh enjoys _______ during ________ and has always loved __________. He has played ____________ since age __ and his biggest fear in life is being eaten by a __________.

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June Mentor Text Check In & Rhyming Challenge

6/16/2015

17 Comments

 
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How did you do last month with the interactive mentor text challenge? Did you find anything you’d like to share? Rebecca Gomez’s June THINK QUICK Author Interview got me thinking about great rhyming picture books. We ALL need to be reading them!  Even if you don’t write in rhyme, poetic techniques will subliminally infuse themselves into your writing database by simply reading. Yep, brain power.  Therefore, your new challenge will be to read at least 25 rhyming picture books by July 14. To get you started, I personally recommend anything and everything written by Corey Rosen-Schwartz or Lori Degman. (Bonus: Each of their links has a book trailer to watch!)
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What About Moose? by Corey Rosen Schwartz, Rebecca J. Gomez and Keika Yamaguchi
Ninja Red Riding Hood by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Dan Santat
Goldi Rocks and the Three Bears by  Corey Rosen Schwartz, Beth Coulton and Nate Wragg
The Three Ninja Pigs by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Dan Santat
One Zany Zoo by Lori Degman and Colin Jack 
Cock-a-Doodle-Oops! By Lori Degman and Deborah Zemke


Here are a few more immediate recommendations straight from my rhyming friends. I love the fact that some of their recommendations overlap. That’s the true sign of a good recommendation.

Corey Rosen Schwartz recommends Lori Degman’s books, as well! 
Corey’s other picks:
I AM COW,HEAR ME MOO by Jill Esbaum
BEAR SNORES ON by Karma Wilson. 
(And she has always been a huge Seuss fan!)
In addition, BOTH Corey and Lori chose:
OLLIE AND CLAIRE by Tiffany Strelitz Haber and Matthew Cordell.

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Additional recommendations by Lori Degman:
Hogwash! by Karma Wilson and Jim McMullan
A Fly Went By by Mike McClintock and Fritz Siebel  

And both Lori and Josh Funk recommend:
CIRCUS SHIP by Chris Van Dusen

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You won’t have to wait too much longer for my critique partner Josh Funk’s debut rhyming book, LADY PANCAKE and SIR FRENCH TOAST (Illustrated by Brendan Kearney.) You can already view the book trailer HERE!
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While you're waiting, Josh also recommends his all time fave:
IGGY PECK, ARCHITECT by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts

And his long time love of Seuss:

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

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For my final recommendations, visit Paul Czajak’s fun rhyming Monster & Me series

And anything by Lisa Wheeler, but especially:


The Pet Project: Cute and Cuddly Vicious Verses
Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum
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These recommendations are only the beginning. Have fun exploring rhymers and please share your progress in the comment section or the Facebook group (for 2015 registered participants). And DON’T FORGET the What About Moose? THINK QUICK interview is ready for you HERE.
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ReFoReMo Day 10: Josh Funk Digs Loosely Plotted Concept Books

3/10/2015

122 Comments

 
You are in for a double feature today, ReFoReMoers!   After reading and commenting on Josh's post today, travel over to Carrie On... Together and visit  Mystery Author/Illustrator Salina Yoon! 

by
Josh Funk

All five of these books are creative in concept. None were illustrated by the author. And all of these books are what I call 'Loosely Plotted Concept Books' with cleverly kooky ideas. None of them have grand character arcs or follow the rule of three, but they aren't quite concept books either. Some might describe them as 'one note' at times, but that hasn't stopped them from being Best-Sellers and/or leading to sequels.

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PRIZE ALERT
At the conclusion of ReFoReMo, Josh will be giving away a copy of POWER DOWN, LITTLE ROBOT signed by author Anna Staniszewski. To be eligible for the drawing, leave Josh a comment here, read daily, and keep a record of your progress.
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Josh lives in New England with his wife and many many children. He is the author of the forthcoming picture books LADY PANCAKE AND SIR FRENCH TOAST (Sterling, 2015), DEAR DRAGON (Viking/Penguin, 2016), and PIRASAURS! (Scholastic, 2016). Find out more at www.joshfunkbooks.com.

122 Comments
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    Illustration by Lori Nawyn

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