Category: Reading For Research Month

Reading List Revealed!

2/23/2016

If you haven't already registered, go here!

We are thrilled to reveal the 2016 ReFoReMo book list! There are two ways to get to the reading list. The easiest way to get there now, is to click here. Or you can go directly to the ReFoReMo 2016 page by hovering above the ReFoReMo tab on the upper left hand corner of this website, and clicking directly on the ReFoReMo 2016 page.

Now's the time to reserve these books at the library and keep them around so you can re-read as needed! Remember, some of the books will be repeated, but each author/educator has their own perspective, so we can think about the books in different ways. These incredible mentor texts will give us insight and help us hone our writing skills!

MARCH 1-6
Educate:
Read author-educator posts featuring 10 stellar picture book models and how to use the texts to grow. Reserve library books & reflect on your own manuscripts.

MARCH 7-27
Read:
Set a goal to read 5 PBs books each day. Author-educators will offer 5 recommendations with super short edu-posts to allow you more time for reading & researching.
5 books x 21 days = 105 books!

MARCH 1-31
Take notes as you go and join us in our private Facebook Group to discuss revelations and additional recommendations. Team up with others to discuss the books and posts

Here's my 5 year old Sammy singing part of our anthem to keep us pumped!

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2015 ReFoReMo Prize Announcements

4/2/2015

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The very best ReFoReMo prizes are the writing revelations we have gained. Over 400 people followed the ReFoReMo journey. There will definitely be some amazing picture books on the horizon! Congratulations, again, to everyone!

In addition, many of you qualified to enter the Rafflecopter for some amazing extras. I’d like to once again thank our prize donators, who are listed below. Your continued generosity in the kidlit community amazes me! Congratulations to the following very lucky and dedicated writers:

Winner of the fiction picture book critique from Carrie Charley Brown
Mary Warth

Winner of the fiction picture book critique from Penny Parker Klostermann
Maria Laso Elders

Winner of Power Down Little Robot by Anna Staniszewski from Josh Funk
Laurie J. Edwards

Winner of the Mentor Texts for Writers Ebook by and from Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Karen Nordseth Roos

Winner of the picture book critique from Marcie Colleen
Jilanne Hoffmann

Winner of the 20-minute phone consultation from Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen
Elaine Hillson

Winner of Susanna Leonard Hill’s Making Picture Book Magic Course
Laura Jenkins

Winner of the 30 minute SKYPE Consultation from Renee LaTulippe
Ann Magee

Winner of a handmade writing journal from Suzy Leopold
Juliana Lee

Winner of a handmade writing journal from Suzy Leopold
Robin Currie

Winner of Joyce Sweeney’s Fiction Picture Book Essentials On-Demand Course
Heidi Yates

Winner of Mira Reisberg’s Hero’s Art Journey Course Home Edition
Kristi Veitenheimer

Winner of Angie Karcher’s Writing in Rhyme to WOW! Course
Rebecca Colby

Winner of the rhyming picture book critique from Lori Degman
Carrie Finison

Congratulations to all ReFoReMoers! It has been an amazing month!
(And now, I must sleep.) *big grin*

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ReFoReMo Day 31: ReFoReMo Family Cheers for New Mentor Text Habits

3/31/2015

202 Comments

by Carrie Charley Brown

Welcome to our celebration, ReFoReMo Family! I hear our theme song playing loud and clear! A family that reads together, stays together. From the lyrics, you will see it's clear that we need to keep our goals in sight and persevere. (My only alteration is to add "brothers" to the sisters in the lyrics.)

Whether you read one book or five each day, you are a winner! If you increased your reading research habits in any way, you are a winner! Even if one mentor text helped you revise a manuscript, you are a winner! I am proud of each and every one of you! Please leave me a comment below to share your achievements. Then, please post your ReFoReMo Winner Badge on your blog or website, and link it back to this address: http://www.carriecharleybrown.com/what-is-reforemo.html

Thanks, again, to Lori Nawyn for the beautiful artwork!

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, our time together is not yet over. There’s a lot more in store for you! You are part of the ReFoReMo family now and I'm so proud to be your ReFoReMo Mama! (Bring it in for a hug!)

This challenge would not have been possible without lots of support. Please give a standing ovation to the 2015 ReFoReMo Admin team: Kirsti Call, Suzy Leopold, and Tracey M. Cox. They assisted with the Facebook group, shared guest-educator posts in the big wide world of social media, and spread good discussion vibes! They offered mighty fine guest-educator posts of their own, too, wouldn’t you agree? BIG HUGS to these gals!

Stay on your feet for our guest-educators! They offered valuable, varied resourceful posts and recommendations. Thank you, thank you, thank you! There is a bookmark in the ReFoReMo sidebar for each of their posts, and I encourage you to revisit them and keep a watch on their achievements. Hugs and high fives are on the house for all 32 guest-educators!

Okay, okay…Enough of the mushy stuff. It’s time for Rafflecopter directions:

If you consistently read picture books every day between March 8-28, commented on each prize post (including this one), and you are properly registered (following #1 and #2 from the registration post), then you are eligible to enter the Rafflecopter drawing one time. This will place you in the drawing for all of the prizes. You may view the prizes by scrolling through the Rafflecopter (see dots under the first listed prize.) If you enter more than once, you will be disqualified. Registrations and comments will be verified before announcing prize winners. But, as far as your reading goes, we are on the honor system. The Rafflecopter is only open from 12am CST March 31 to 12am CST April 1. One day. That’s it. Make sure you take advantage of your entry while you can.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you for dedicating yourself to the picture book craft. You left a trail of sweat that leads right to the library... and your house… and the bookstore. I can’t wait to see your name in lights!

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.

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ReFoReMo Day 30: Carrie Charley Brown Carries On & Challenges You

3/30/2015

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by Carrie Charley Brown

Woo-hoo! You made it! Does that mean it’s time to stop reading picture books? Heck no! You are not intending to stop writing, are you? I hope you will carry your newly established writing and research habits into your daily writing routine.

ReFoReMo has given you the gift to look deeper at mentor texts and enhance your writing. As you strive to continue the mentor text experience, I will be here to assist you in several ways.

1)   I will continue to feature ReFoReMo posts 2-4 times each month on the blog. Topics will include picture book writing tips, guest bloggers, challenges & accountability, mentor text question events, recommendations, and reviews. If you are subscribed, these will continue to come to your inbox. In addition, you will be the first to know when the second annual ReFoReMo registration approaches.

2)   Your support group will not go away. I will keep the ReFoReMo Facebook Group open to all fully registered participants. (You are fully registered if you completed step #1 and #2 on the registration post between February 15-March 1, 2015.)

It’s been my pleasure to serve you during these last three months and I look forward to serving you again in the future. I work as a full-time writer and hope you will consider my professional services when you need them most.

3)   Professional fiction picture book critiques are my specialty. You will walk away with in-depth, honest inline comments and separate educational comment pages that will take your revisions to new heights. I put 2-4 hours into each critique. Among my clients are many current ReFoReMoers, including author Pat Miller. You will find testimonials and more information HERE.

4)   In addition, I’d be happy to be your fiction picture book Mentor Text Research Assistant. Clients will receive the combined service of a personalized fiction picture book critique, along with focused, in-depth mentor text research. More info HERE.

5)   I also specialize in KidLit videos, including book trailers, and social media marketing assistance. Among my clients are ReFoReMoers Keila Dawson and Jennifer Cole Judd, as well as guest-educator Julie Hedlund.

6)   Although today was not initially included in the reading period, I find it fitting to leave you with this bonus challenge. Feel free to save it for your beginning of April efforts and leave me a comment below if you decide to join me for this cause. I will follow up on the ReFoReMo blog in April to see how you are doing.

Challenge
When I read a picture book that speaks to my heart and sometimes even moves me to tears, I challenge myself to write in that style.   Currently, I’d like to write a powerful, diverse book that delivers compassion and deeper understanding. The following picture books inspired my pursuit. Diversity presents itself in many different forms. We need diverse books!

ALL DIFFERENT NOW: JUNETEENTH, THE FIRST DAY OF FREEDOM By Angela Johnson

KNOCK KNOCK MY DAD’S DREAM FOR ME By Daniel Beaty and Bryan Collier

MADDI'S FRIDGE by Lois Brandt and Vin Vogel

A BOY AND A JAGUAR by Alan Rabinowitz and Catia Chien

JACOB'S NEW DRESS by Sarah and Ian Hoffman, Chris Case

For now, take note of all that you have accomplished during ReFoReMo. How many books did you read? Did you reach your personal and ReFoReMo goals of reading consistently? Did you discover new things about your own writing or writing in general? Do you understand how to use mentor texts better? Did you find a new outlook on a book that you previously did not like? Tomorrow is a day of celebration! We’d love for you to share your accomplishments in the comment section of tomorrow’s post. You will be able to claim your winner’s badge at that time, as well.

If you consistently read picture books every day between March 8-28, commented on each prize post, and you are properly registered (following #1 and #2 from the registration post), then you will also be eligible to enter the Rafflecopter drawings tomorrow. Registrations and comments will be verified before announcing prize winners. But, as far as your reading goes, we are on the honor system. You may only enter the Rafflecopter drawing once. This will place you in the drawing for all of the prizes. If you enter more than once, you will be disqualified. Rafflecopters will open at 12:00am CST March 31 and remain open only until 12:00am CST on April 1. One day. That’s it. Make sure you take advantage of your entry while you can. I am excited to celebrate with you tomorrow!

Final Prize Alert
To sweeten the final pot (as if it wasn’t sweet already), I am donating one fiction picture book critique of 800 words or less. To be eligible, you must be fully registered, comment on this post, read daily, and keep a record of your progress.

If you accept the diversity challenge mentioned above, let me know in the comments. If you want to leave me a hug, I’ll take that, too.

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ReFoReMo Day 29: Angie Karcher Contemplates To Rhyme or Not to Rhyme

3/30/2015

149 Comments

by Angie Karcher

That is the Question. Or…is it?

Shakespeare figured out in the 15th century that rhyme was a very powerful technique when writing comedy, history, tragedy and poetry.

He used rhyme for one character and blank verse for another to emphasize character differences. He used rhyme when two characters were falling in love as the rhyme grew increasingly more present.

Why should we continue to write rhyme today?

Young children need a hefty dose of rhyme in their early language development to help them flourish in verbal and phonemic awareness skills. They learn by repetition and rhythm through a read-it-out-loud quality language that evokes a sense of fun and playfulness yet is very powerful in its impact on their ability to learn to read.

Rhythm: Try reading this excerpt from BEAR SNORES ON without tapping your foot…I can’t do it!

“Two glowing eyes sneak-peak in the den. Mouse cries, “Who’s there and a hare hops in.
“Ho, Mouse!” says hare. Long time, no see!” So they pop white corn. And they brew black tea.”

Rhyming picture books are the absolute perfect genre for pre-readers! They are meant to be read aloud. The illustrations are meant to tell half the story. This gives a new or hesitant reader context clues to help them along as does the rhyme.

Dramatic Effect: BAD BYE, GOOD BYE is a powerful story in only 76 words, in rhyme.

Bad truck Bad guy
Bad wave Bad bye”

and

Good tree Good sky
Good friend Good bye”

Rhyme lends itself to predictability which gives the child a sense of security, confidence and encourages them to try new words. They learn to associate letter recognition with sounds and soon attempt to read sight words. Rhyme is the magic ticket here!!

Predictability: Predictability is what children need to learn language skills. SNORING BEAUTY showcases our example.

“My name is Max,” the prince announced,
his manner prim and snooty.
With shoulders squared,
Prince max declared,
“I’m here for Sleeping ________.”

I could spout countless educational articles to prove that rhyme is essential to learning to read. Over the past 20 years, using Nursery Rhymes to teach language skills has diminished in the curriculum due to time restraints, Common Core, and testing. There is a reason these rhymes of days gone by were so important. The rhyme helped kids memorize the verses and chanting the sing-songy phrases in chorus taught them to read…and they didn’t even know it was happening. Why? Because it was fun!

Character Development: As in SAILOR MOO, Rhyme allows a character to thrive in a clever way that prose can’t. Brilliant!

Then Silver Claw, he licked his jaw and rubbed his trusty hook.
“One brimming pail each day you sail. You’ll be our galley cook.”
Moo loved the way the ocean sang. “Like Moo-sic,” she would utter,
as rocking, rolling ocean waves would churn her milk to butter.

As a writer, I know that adding rhyme and poetic techniques to my writing will give the reader an experience they can’t otherwise get. The playful words, assonance, consonance, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, internal rhyme and repeating phrases all add to the treasure of a spectacular rhyming picture book.

Creating Tension: In THE THREE NINJA PIGS, rhyme increases the tension as the banter goes back and forth.

(ex. polite/fight and kicks/tricks)

“Pig Three faced the wolf and bowed deeply (for Ninjas are very polite).
“Quit huffing and puffing and I am not bluffing. I warn you, I’m willing to fight.”
She then gave a swift demonstration with backflips and butterfly kicks.
The wolf looked quite shaken, but hollered, “Yo Bacon. I’m not at all scared of your tricks.”

Misconceptions About Writing in Rhyme
It’s about the rhyme.
It’s easy.
People who write in rhyme are wanna-be-writers.

Facts
It’s NOT about the rhyme. It’s about the story. Writing quality rhyming picture books is more challenging than writing in prose. Rhyming picture books must follow ALL the same rules as prose picture books and… must have perfect, clever rhyming words, internal rhyme, rhythm, rhyme scheme, poetic techniques, frolicking language and much more! Not easy at all when done well!

So is there really a question of whether to rhyme or not to rhyme?
There is NO question. Rhyme wins every time!

Prize Alert
Angie is donating one scholarship for her brand new rhyming course: Writing in Rhyme to WOW!
To be eligible, you must be a fully registered participant, comment on this post, read daily, and keep records of your progress.

Angie Karcher is a former kindergarten teacher, developmental therapist, and author of WHERE THE RIVER GRINS and THE LEGENDARY R.A.COWBOY JONES. She is represented by Kendra Marcus of BookStop Literary and is the founder of RhyPiBoMo, Rhyming Picture Book Month, held annually in April. Registration is now open and ends April 8.

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ReFoReMo Day 28: Renée M. LaTulippe Illuminates Poetic Techniques in Prose

3/29/2015

126 Comments

As we round the corner to our last ReFoReMo weekend together, we are very lucky to have two valuable lessons on poetic techniques. Monday, you will learn where ReFoReMo goes from here, and finish strong will celebration and giveaways on Tuesday. The giveaways will only be open for one day: 12 am CST March 31 to 12am CST on April 1, so be sure to follow these last few days carefully for instruction and qualification. Enjoy the remaining lessons and feel free to revisit them often.

by Renee M. LaTulippe

Those who write rhyming picture books already know how important poetic techniques are to their stories, but prose writers have just as much to gain from closely examining how poetic techniques can enhance the readability of their manuscripts.

SOUND DEVICES make music of your words, rendering them more fun to read aloud. Listen to how the simple assonance and alliteration — never overdone — enhance the beauty of these lines from COME ON, RAIN! by Karen Hesse:

Mamma lifts a listless vine and sighs.
***
…fling off their shoes,
skim off their hose,
tossing streamers of stockings over their shoulders.

IMAGERY creates concrete pictures in your readers’ heads. The more specific the image, the more effective it is. Consider the exquisite opening line of BARN by Debby Atwell:

I was raised in coastal fog so thick the crows had to walk to the cornfield that morning.

REPETITION and REFRAINS make your story interactive, giving children the chance to participate and “read” along. They also help escalate the drama, as in CLICK, CLACK, MOO: COWS THAT TYPE by Doreen Cronin:

Farmer brown has a problem.
His cows like to type.
All day long he hears
Click, clack, moo.
Click, clack, moo.
Clickety, clack, moo.

RHYTHM carries your reader from word to word and page to page, giving your prose a forward momentum that makes your book impossible to put down. Consider the rhythm (and the repetition of the color word, gray) in this passage from YESTERDAY I HAD THE BLUES by Jeron Ashford Frame:
Daddy says he got the grays.
The straight shoelaces,
coffee in the car grays.
The lines between his eyes,
lookin’ at his watch grays.
The don’t ask for a new skateboard
till tomorrow grays.
Poor Daddy.

DICTION — the exact right word in the exact right spot — while particularly essential in poetry, is of course important in any type of writing. In prose, diction isn’t just about finding the best verbs; it’s about finding the words that support and enhance your plot, setting, tone, and characters. Consider this excerpt from THIS MOOSE BELONGS TO ME by Oliver Jeffers:

Wilfred was dumbstruck.
This moose was Marcel, not Rodrigo.
The old lady was mistaken and
Wilfred thought it only proper
that he correct her.

The names, adjectives, and verbs in this passage do double duty to underscore the book’s humor and tone, and are authentic to the character of Wilfred, who is no ordinary boy.

Prize Alert
Renée is offering a 30-minute Skype consultation/critique on a prose or rhyming picture book or a poetry collection. To be eligible, you must be a fully registered participant, comment on this post, read daily, and keep records of your progress.

Renée M. LaTulippe is a poet and editor who has co-authored nine award-winning leveled readers and a collection of poetry. She has poems published in several anthologies, including the forthcoming National Geographic Book of Nature Poetry (ed. J. Patrick Lewis) and One Minute Till Bedtime (ed. Kenn Nesbitt; Little, Brown). Renée teaches the five-week online course The Lyrical Language Lab: Punching Up Prose with Poetry and blogs on children’s poetry at No Water River.

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ReFoReMo Day 27: Julie Hedlund Delves into the Dark Side

3/27/2015

119 Comments

by Julie Hedlund

I think it’s important for kids to explore the darker parts of their inner nature in the safest place possible—books. I’ve been trying my hand at these subversive-style stories, but with a heavy dose of comic relief. The combination of danger and humor is irresistible to kids, as evidenced by the popularity of today’s featured books. Another element these books have in common is misbehavior on the part of the “victim(s)” in each story. So who is really the bad guy(s)?

The two “must-study” masters are, of course I WANT MY HAT BACK and THIS IS NOT MY HAT, both written and illustrated by Jon Klassen.

A few others that have inspired my work:

CARNIVORES written by Aaron Reynolds and illustrated by Dan Santat
MONSTERS EAT WHINY CHILDREN by Bruce Eric Kaplan
GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE DINOSAURS by Mo Willems

Julie Hedlund is an award-winning children's book author, founder of the 12 x 12 Picture Book Writing Challenge, blogger, and a regular speaker at SCBWI and other industry events. Julie contributes to Katie Davis' Brain Burps About Books and Children's Book Insider.

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ReFoReMo Day 26: Lori Degman Hunts for Humor, Word Play, & the Unexpected

3/26/2015

172 Comments

by Lori Degman

When choosing mentor texts, I look for: creative storylines, word play (I’m a pun junkie), unexpected plot twists and humor! I also pay attention to what the author didn’t write, to allow the illustrator more freedom. For me, the perfect mentor book is one that, after reading it, I ask myself, with both awe and envy, “Why didn’t I write that?!”.

Caveman A B.C. Story by Janee Trasler
A Dog is a Dog by Stephen Shaskan
Don’t Turn the Page by Rachelle Burk and illustrated by Julie Downing
Ninja Red Riding Hood by Corey Rosen Schwartz and illustrated by Dan Santat
Ollie and Claire by Tiffany Strelitz Haber and illustrated by Matthew Cordell

Prize Alert
Lori is offering a rhyming picture book critique to one lucky rhymer. To be eligible, you must be a fully registered participant, comment on this post, read daily, and keep records of your progress.

Lori Degman is a teacher of Deaf/Hard of Hearing students by day and a writer of picture books by night, weekend and school holiday. She has two published books, 1 Zany Zoo, (Simon & Schuster) and Cock-a-Doodle Oops! (Creston Books).

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ReFoReMo Day 25: Suzy Leopold Presents Fresh, Engaging Nonfiction

3/26/2015

199 Comments

by Suzy Leopold

Many nonfiction books are written with facts and information. The nonfiction books that guide my writing are fresh and engaging. Sometimes referred to as creative nonfiction, these books capture and hook the reader telling a story. Back matter is a special feature: Author Notes, Resources, Facts, and Bibliographies. This fresh look is based on education reforms known as Common Core.

On a Beam of Light A Story of Albert Einstein by Jennifer Berne Pictures by Vladimir Radunsky
The Tree Lady: The True Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed a City Forever by H Joseph Hopkins Illustrated by Jill Mc Elmurry
Looking at Lincoln By Maira Kalman Design by Marikka Tamura
Beneath the Sun By Melissa Stewart Illustrated by Constance R. Bergum
As an Oak Tree Grows Author and Illustrator G. Brian Karas

Prize Alert
Suzy is offering two handmade writing journals at the conclusion of ReFoReMo! To be eligible, you must be a fully registered participant, comment on this post, read daily, and keep records of your progress.

Suzy Leopold is a wife to Perry, a Momma to five boys and Oma Sue to seven grands. Suzy is a reader, a writer, a creator of acrylic and watercolor paintings, an educator, and a cyclist on a pink Marin Portofina. Find more from Suzy at the GROG.

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ReFoReMo Day 24: Matthew Winner Reads & Reflects

3/24/2015

136 Comments

by Matthew Winner

Congratulations on reaching the home stretch of ReFoReMo! You've done lots of reading already this month and I'm sure you've read a ton of superb picture books. Here are five more you may not have seen yet. Each of these books has taken up home in my subconscious for the very best reasons.

1. Shh! We Have a Plan by Chris Haughton

This is a perfect picture book as evidenced by how well it reads aloud and how readily young listeners take up the book's refrain of "Ready one. Ready two. Ready three. GO!" I think: Does my manuscript entice my readers to join in telling the story?

2. Nana in the City by Lauren Castillo

Lauren's story mirrors itself, repeating the same structure in the first and second half of the arch, but viewing the setting from a new perspective. I think: Have I given myself permission to revisit scenes so that my characters can see them from a new light?

3. Hug Machine by Scott Campbell

"My hugs can make the biggest feel small, and the smallest feel big!" Sentiments like this, so simply stated, speak to the universality of the human experience. They also put adult and child readers on the same level, which is great at just-the-right time. I think: Do my words reach beyond the manuscript?

4. Gaston by Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by Christian Robinson

Kelly's title character doesn't fit in with the rest of his family, but rather than telling the reader why, this story shows the reader twice, explicitly inviting a second and closer look. I think: Am I leaving room in my manuscript for the illustrations to do some of the heavy lifting?

5. Please, Mr. Panda by Steve Antony

A character doesn't have to be likable on the surface for a reader to connect with him or her. And this story's payoff transcends punchline to become something of a truth barometer to the reader. I think: Am I allowing my character to tell me who he or she wants to be?

Happy reading and best of luck in your time spent with mentor texts. I hope these selections keep you good company as you continue writing great stories for our readers!

Matthew Winner is an elementary school teacher librarian in Elkridge, MD. He is the author of the Busy Librarian blog and host of Let's Get Busy, a weekly podcast with authors, illustrators, kidlit notables, and everyone in between. Follow Matthew on Twitter at @MatthewWinner or visit www.busylibrarian.com.

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<<Previous

Reading List Revealed!

2015 ReFoReMo Prize Announcements

ReFoReMo Day 31: ReFoReMo Family Cheers for New Mentor Text Habits

ReFoReMo Day 30: Carrie Charley Brown Carries On & Challenges You

ReFoReMo Day 29: Angie Karcher Contemplates To Rhyme or Not to Rhyme

ReFoReMo Day 28: Renée M. LaTulippe Illuminates Poetic Techniques in Prose

ReFoReMo Day 27: Julie Hedlund Delves into the Dark Side

ReFoReMo Day 26: Lori Degman Hunts for Humor, Word Play, & the Unexpected

ReFoReMo Day 25: Suzy Leopold Presents Fresh, Engaging Nonfiction

ReFoReMo Day 24: Matthew Winner Reads & Reflects

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