Category: ReFoReMo 2016

ReFoReMo Day 31: Reading for Research All Year

3/31/2016

Raise your hand if you benefited from ReFoReMo this year! Raise your hand if you made a new friend (books count, too)! Raise your hand if you are ready to be refreshed once a week with featured authors, books, ReFoReMo revelations, and monthly challenges! Ohhhh, goody! We are so excited to support you all year long.

If you followed us over to the new exclusive blog home for ReFoReMo, then you know where we'll "meet" from now on. I hope you subscribed to the new blog...this will deliver the posts right to your inbox. The Facebook group will not be moving, and we'll keep you connected there, as well.

Your very first post from the new blog will be a prize announcement post. However, we cannot guarantee the exact date that the prize post(s) will arrive. We'll do our best, but please understand that it will take us a while to verify our winners. What I can guarantee is an author interview on April 12, a research challenge on the 19th, and a THINK QUICK book-themed interview on April 26.

Thanks again for your support! Our ReFoReMo family means the world to us! See you soon!

Carrie & Kirsti

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ReFoReMo Day 30: Thank You and Rafflecopter Opens!

3/31/2016

187 Comments

By Carrie Charley Brown and Kirsti Call

As mentioned in Monday’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. Let’s have a HUGE group hug!

Time for a curtain call… a bittersweet celebration of everyone that contributed to this great challenge. I can’t imagine what ReFoReMo would be like without our amazing author-educators. Their valuable, varied perspectives and recommendations were priceless! They kept us inspired and energized! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I encourage you to revisit their work and keep a watch on their achievements. Consider doing an author study (or publisher study) on each of them!

Let’s hear it for this amazing team!

Wow! It’s incredible to see everyone here in one place. Encore! Encore!

Please give an extra standing ovation to our sunshiny Facebook group welcome captain, Janie Reinart. She welcomed you into the group, helped share ReFoReMo fever, and spread good discussion vibes. Thank you, Janie!

We would also like to thank you, too! The discussions were on fire this year! You didn’t hold back and you really opened yourselves up to one another in the group. It’s been so much fun getting to know you and we hope to see lots more of you.

ReFoReMo 2017 will be that much better because you are part of the family. We look forward to bringing you weekly posts until then, but we’ll need a bit of a break first. Whew! We’ll use the month of April to sort out prizes and tech issues, so you’ll see very little of us until May. But then! THEN! We'll be coming to you from our new website! YAY! Don't forget to go to www.reforemo.com to subscribe to the new site. And then claim your entries in yesterday's drawing, which is open to everyone. (Even if you are subscribed to this site, you will need to be subscribed to the new site to continue to have ReFoReMo education and support delivered to your inbox.)

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 30 to 12am CST March 31. One day. That’s it. Make sure you take advantage of your entry while you can!

Another thank you goes out to all of our prize donators! The biggest prize of all was the education you received, right? Keep on learning!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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ReFoReMo Day 29: Carrie and Kirsti Celebrate with You! Plus, a Giveaway!

3/29/2016

166 Comments

You’ve done it! You have reached the end! (Go ahead…kiss the ground.) Was that couch beginning to swallow you up? Or were you at your desk most of the time? 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! The official reading period ran between March 7-27. As far as your reading goes, the goal is consistency and developing a new research habit. We are proud of each and every one of you!

Feel free to post your ReFoReMo Winner Badge on your blog, website, and social media profiles. Link the badge back to this address: http://www.reforemo.com/p/reforemo-mission.html
Thanks again to our incredibly talented resident illustrator, Lori Nawyn! The badge is beautiful!

As we mentioned in yesterday's post, ReFoReMo is moving to a new blog home! To celebrate the transition, we are offering this extra prize opportunity to EVERYONE, whether you are registered for ReFoReMo or not! There are two prizes in this drawing (see the little dots and arrows): one picture book critique (from Carrie) and one picture book (Kirsti's The Raindrop that Couldn't Fall). Follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter below to enter. All we ask is that you subscribe to the new site! That will enable you to continue receiving our weekly mentor text posts. You will enter your email in the right hand side bar of the new site (www.reforemo.com.) You will see a captcha box pop up after entering your email address, so please don’t skip that step. A verification email will come to your email inbox. Confirm that email and you will be all set to receive blog posts and enter the drawing. New options for extra entries in the drawing will be revealed in the Rafflecopter after you unlock the first step. This drawing is open between today and April 5. Please help us by spreading the news! (You are entitled to extra entries each day you share!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

We will remain on this blog site until the end of March. All prize announcements and other posts in April and beyond will come from the new site. If you don't want to miss out, make sure you subscribe to posts from the new site at www.reforemo.com.

Please share your ReFoReMo achievements below and consider sending in a submission for our Revealing ReFoReMo series. This series is open to ReFoReMo participants who are interested in sharing the glory of mentor texts, research methods, specific revelations, or anything else related to your ReFoReMo experience. Submission guidelines can be found HERE.

Prize drawings for fully registered ReFoReMo participants will open tomorrow and only be available for one day. I repeat: ONE DAY. One entry will place you in the drawing for all of the prizes. If you enter more than once, you will be disqualified. There is magic in the number one: One Day. One entry. Rafflecopters will open at 12:00am CST March 30 and remain open only until 12:00am CST on March 31. Make sure you take advantage of your entry while you can.

You are eligible to enter the drawings if:

You commented on every ReFoReMo post.
You were properly registered by March 1 (Check the registration post)
You read daily.

Registrations and comments will be verified before announcing prize winners and the process may take us a few weeks.

See you bright and early tomorrow morning! If for some reason you have trouble with your Rafflecopter entry, refresh your browser and try again. Even if you are not eligible to enter, please join us as we celebrate the entire team (and you!) tomorrow.

Congratulations to everyone! Please share your success below.

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ReFoReMo Day 28: Where to Go from Here?

3/28/2016

144 Comments

Yipppeeee! You made it! Does that mean it’s time to stop reading picture books? No way! You still intend to write, don’t you? We hope you will carry your newly established writing and research habits into your daily writing routine. ReFoReMo has given you the chance to dig deeper into mentor texts and improve your writing skills.

As you continue your mentor text journey, Goodreads is an incredible resource where you can find the newest releases, write your own reviews, and read books your friends recommend. You’ll also find many incredible picture book recommendations through other sources, including School Library Journal Lists, Matthew Winner’s Let’s Get Busy Podcast, ICL’s Mentor Text Monday, and of course, there is always our ReFoReMo facebook group!

Although the challenge month is coming to an end, our blog will continue year round! We'll continue to support you once a week with featured authors, “THINK QUICK” interviews, and a monthly challenge where we will continue to look at different elements of mentor texts. We also invite you to share revelations by submitting to our Revealing ReFoReMo series. Submission guidelines can be found HERE. We can’t wait to highlight your experience on the ReFoReMo blog!

ReFoReMo is moving to a new blog home. (Yay for fewer technical glitches!) To celebrate the transition, there will be an extra prize opportunity open to EVERYONE, whether you are registered for ReFoReMo or not! Look for more information and the Rafflecopter tomorrow.

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.

Happy Reading and Researching,

Carrie Charley Brown and Kirsti Call

Carrie Charley Brown is the founder and co-coordinator of ReFoReMo, or Reading for Research Month blog & challenge. She eats, sleeps, and breathes picture books as a writer, professional critique mentor, and contributor on various blogs such as Writer's Rumpus and the Institute of Children's Literature. Carrie contributed as a 2014/2015 CYBILS fiction picture book panelist and donates a large part of her time to SCBWI North Texas as the Regional Advisor. She also produceskidlit videos and provides marketing services for authors and kidlit organizations. She has taught pre-k, kindergarten, first, and third grades. You can follow her writing journey right here on this site.

Kirsti Call reads, critiques and revises every day. She is a member of various critique groups, and blogs for Writer's Rumpus, Children's Book Academy, and the Institute of Children's Literature. As the published author of The Raindrop Who Couldn't Fall and a homeschool mom, Kirsti coaches revision for children ages 5-18. Her school visits involve interactive writing, singing, and of course, reading for research! Kirsti contributed as a 2015 CYBILS YA Fiction panelist and is proud to be the 2016 ReFoReMo co-coordinator. You can follow her journey at www.kirsticall.com.

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ReFoReMo Day 26: Carrie Charley Brown Questions Everything

3/26/2016

288 Comments

ReFoReMo Day 26: Carrie Charley Brown Questions Everything

Is your head spinning? We have certainly put a lot of information and great books in front of you. So, for my reflection today, I want to ask you only one question:

What do YOU need most right now?

If you're me, it's a vacation! (I’m guessing some of you are also raising your hand.) Where should we go?

But seriously, it goes deeper that. I need time to think about my own writing now. I'm willing to bet that you do, too. Therefore, I’ll need to ask you more questions to dig deeper. (This happens to me a lot…one question leads to another.)

What are you working on right now?
Assess which projects call to you most.

If you’ve been reading lots and writing less, maybe you just need to start writing! Go for it!
Not sure where to start? Here's a quick brainstorm activity.

What did you love reading most over this ReFoReMo month?

Were you inspired to try something new?

Did reading reveal any new education or elements that you need to work on?
If so, check out only that type of book and do some focused research to enhance your writing skills.

What would make your manuscript different than everything else out there?
There's a lot more reading to tackle! Start with similar concepts. Research to make sure your idea has not been done and stands out as unique.

This is only the beginning. Hopefully, you have created a new healthy research habit for yourself. But, through it all, take time to reflect. I’ll repeat my initial question again:

What do YOU need most right now?

Carrie Charley Brown is the founder and co-coordinator of ReFoReMo, or Reading for Research Month blog & challenge. She eats, sleeps, and breathes picture books as a writer, professional critique mentor, and contributor on various blogs such as Writer's Rumpus and the Institute of Children's Literature. Carrie contributed as a 2014/2015 CYBILS fiction picture book panelist and donates a large part of her time to SCBWI North Texas as the Regional Advisor. She also produces kidlit videos and provides marketing services for authors and kidlit organizations. She has taught pre-k, kindergarten, first, and third grades. You can follow her writing journey right here on this site.

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ReFoReMo Day 25: Editor Brett Duquette Voices his Viewpoint on Voice

3/25/2016

202 Comments

By Brett Duquette
Editor
Sterling Children's Books
Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.

Voice in writing always seems to be a tough concept to nail down. But strong voice, at its core, is what unifies the point of view of a book and all the other elements (characters, plot, language, art) within. When one of these things is out of sync with the others, that’s when voice falls apart. For example, if a character is totally, completely, overwhelmingly happy with her 4th birthday party, she should be noticing brightly colored balloons, birds chirping in the sky, the mouthwatering smell of her grandmother’s homemade icing. Not, that the balloons are causing too many static shocks, the chirping birds are shrill and too loud, or that the icing is too goopy or wet. That second set of examples would be a girl who is UNHAPPY with her 4th birthday party, and would be a totally different book. That is all probably very obvious, but it illustrates the point. To have strong voice means that the components of a story are selected carefully and aligned with the point of view the book (or character) is trying to get across. Here are some examples:

Last Stop on Market Street
By Matt de La Peña, pictures by Christian Robinson
To witness strong voice, pay attention to what CJ wants. These desires are stated, examined, and then satisfied (in unexpected ways). That refrain is consistent and logical. What he wants, what he sees, how he communicates… it’s all in harmony. This interior logic, or voice, makes the message of the book clear.

Open this Little Book
By Jesse Klausmeier, illustrated by Suzy lee
This beautiful picture book lets the format be very involved in the voice. Could you imagine what this book would be like if the pages themselves didn’t get smaller and smaller? Even if they were outlined in black ink, and the view of image was continuously shrinking, it wouldn’t work nearly the same way or with the same incredible charm. Though there aren’t many words here, this book is a great example of voice. Its interior logic is perfect!

The Snowy Day
By Ezra Jack Keats
The enjoyment of snow is described and illustrated so perfectly and consistently with not a word out of place. The path that takes Peter from one situation to another is clear and logical. Nothing feels forced or pushed.

Good Question: Which Way to Freedom? And Other Questions about the Underground Railroad
By Mary Kay Carson
Voice in non-fiction picture books is also very tricky. What I love about this particular book is that despite the complexity of certain situations, the tone does not shift. Mary Kay Carson expertly maintains a clear and even voice throughout.

The Curious Garden
By Peter Brown
I could have picked anything by Peter Brown, but I will always be in awe of The Curious Garden. Brown is a master of making sure every piece of his work is aligned which makes the voice of his works unwavering.

Brett Duquette is an editor at Sterling Publishing in New York. His list includes middle grade fiction, picture books, and non-fiction. He doesn’t like sweets, but he loves donuts.

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ReFoReMo Day 24: Russ Cox Focuses on Characters

3/24/2016

173 Comments

by Russ Cox

Each book on this list is character driven and from that, I learned the importance of having a strong, but sometimes delightfully flawed, central character. The stories are also very simple and beautifully written but with complex and very deep subplots. From each of them, I learned that less is more and never boring.

Russ is giving away these amazing sketches! The bookmark is perfect for any bookworm! Thank you Russ!

To be eligible, you must be a fully registered participant, comment on this post, read daily, and keep records of your progress.

Russ Cox writes and illustrates children’s books from his studio in Maine. He lives with his wife and 4 very opinionated cats, who serve as art directors and rule the rest of the house while constantly screaming for food. He's represented by Danielle Smith at Red Fox Literary.

173 Comments

ReFoReMo Day 23: Laura Purdie Salas Values Layered Text and Minimal Word Counts

3/23/2016

323 Comments

By Laura Purdie Salas

These (mostly) young picture books cover big topics. They were especially helpful to me in thinking about sharing complex information in focused and poetic/lyrical ways, using layered text, and sharing maximum information in minimal word counts. They influenced my Can Be… books, If You Were the Moon (Millbrook, 2017), and If You Want to Knit Some Mittens (Boyds Mills, forthcoming).

Laura is giving a signed copy of one of her CAN BE...books--winner's choice!

To be eligible, you must be a fully registered participant, comment on this post, read daily, and keep records of your progress.

Laura Purdie Salas has written more than 125 books for kids, including the award-winning CAN BE… series and BOOKSPEAK! She coaches writers through Mentors for Rent and speaks at writing conferences around the country.

323 Comments

ReFoReMo Day 22: Deborah Underwood Corresponds with Opportunities

3/22/2016

210 Comments

By Deborah Underwood

In studying correspondence-based picture books, I found numerous possibilities: one single letter, one-way correspondence, back-and-forth letters between two characters, letters between many different characters, and letters used in combination with a narrative (like my favorite, Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type).

Few picture books use this potentially-tricky format—to me, that indicates an opportunity!

Click Clack Moo, Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin, Illustrated by Betsy Lewin
Meerkat Mail by Emily Gravett
Dear Mrs. LaRue Letters from Obedience School by Mark Teague
The Gardener by Sarah Stewart, Illustrated by David Small
Dear Tabby by Carolyn Crimi, Illustrated by David Roberts

Chronicle Books is giving away a copy of Interstellar Cinderella to one lucky winner at the conclusion of ReFoReMo. Thank you, Chronicle! To be eligible, you must be a fully registered participant, comment on every post, read daily, and keep records of your progress.

Deborah Underwood is the author of numerous picture books, including Interstellar Cinderella, The Quiet Book, Here Comes Valentine Cat, and the forthcoming Good Night, Baddies. Please visit her online at DeborahUnderwoodBooks.com.

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ReFoReMo Day 21: Debbie Ridpath Ohi Considers Reader Experience

3/21/2016

264 Comments

by Debbie Ridpath Ohi

One of the most important things I’ve learned as a picture book writer and illustrator is consider READER EXPERIENCE into account when creating stories.

Here are some examples to show what I mean:

1. WON TON AND CHOPSTICK by Lee Wardlaw and Eugene Yeltsin

This tale of a cat and a dog is told in haiku and enormously fun to read aloud, full of humor, natural-sounding. WHAT I GLEAN: Always read my work out loud to myself.

2. LOCOMOTIVE by Brian Floca

At 64 pages, Locomotive is longer than most picture books but the length is perfect for the combo of rich prose and gorgeously detailed artwork, packed with a ton of fascinating info in both the text and illustrations. WHAT I GLEAN: It’s good to be aware of publishing standards and rules, especially if you are new to the business, but don’t be afraid of experimenting with new reader experiences.

3. THE DARK by Lemony Snicket and Jon Klassen

I was genuinely scared when I read this picture book! WHAT I GLEAN: It’s ok to be dark and edgy in a picture book. It’s also okay to have a young reader feel scared, as long as the ending comforts, and brings them back to a safe place.

4. THIS IS SADIE by Sara O’Leary and Julie Morstad

So inspired by the perfect partnership of text and illustration in this book from beginning to end, showing how Sadie can become anything or anyone she wants to be. WHAT I GLEAN: Think about how I want the reader to feel at the end of my book.

5. FOX AND SQUIRREL MAKE A FRIEND by Ruth Ohi

Yes, Ruth is my sister! But I genuinely admire her writing as well as illustrating, and her FOX AND SQUIRREL MAKE A FRIEND is no exception. I loved how the friendship between Fox and Squirrel evolved in this story. WHAT I GLEAN: Make the readers care about what happens to your characters.

Debbie is giving a signed copy of WHERE ARE MY BOOKS? To be eligible, you must live in North America, be a fully registered participant, comment on this post, read daily, and keep records of your progress.

Debbie Ridpath Ohi is a children’s book writer and illustrator whose illustrations have appeared in books by Judy Blume and Michael Ian Black. She is author/illustrator of WHERE ARE MY BOOKS? (Simon & Schuster BFYR). Find her at DebbieOhi.com and on Twitter at @inkyelbows.