by Tara Lazar
About once a month I go out on a date. Yes, I’m married, but don’t get the wrong idea. I take myself out on this date….to Barnes and Noble.
Before you get all “support indies” on me…I go TO LOOK. It’s a research trip.
Which books are displayed face out?
What book is B&N’s “Picture Book of the Month”?
About once a month I go out on a date. Yes, I’m married, but don’t get the wrong idea. I take myself out on this date….to Barnes and Noble.
Before you get all “support indies” on me…I go TO LOOK. It’s a research trip.
Which books are displayed face out?
What book is B&N’s “Picture Book of the Month”?
These are the books in which the publishers are invested—the ones they think will do well and deserve such premiere placement. They have paid for the privilege to get their books front and center.
As I stroll through the picture books, I take note of each book’s subject matter. What’s on the cover? How is it drawing my attention?
As I stroll through the picture books, I take note of each book’s subject matter. What’s on the cover? How is it drawing my attention?
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Of interest this trip is Ame Dyckman and Zacharia OHora’s WOLFIE THE BUNNY. Look at how that bright yellow background and those bold black strokes stand out.
What I also notice about this book is that it contains a common theme—a new baby in the family. However, this isn’t about a human baby with a big sister or brother whining about it, which you often see in new writers’ manuscripts…no…
…it’s about a baby wolf being adopted into a bunny family! How brilliant! Ame takes a common theme and completely turns it on its little fluffy tail.
Dot, the big bunny sister, is very concerned with the new family addition: “He’s going to eat us all up!” This is Dot’s repetitive refrain through the book. Little readers will love pretending to be Dot. And the wee ones who aren’t reading yet will hear this line repeatedly and begin to make connections to the words on the page.
WOLFIE THE BUNNY offers a fresh twist on the baby theme. So this is what I want you to look out for as you’re reading this month. All these books take something familiar and transform it into something new.
What I also notice about this book is that it contains a common theme—a new baby in the family. However, this isn’t about a human baby with a big sister or brother whining about it, which you often see in new writers’ manuscripts…no…
…it’s about a baby wolf being adopted into a bunny family! How brilliant! Ame takes a common theme and completely turns it on its little fluffy tail.
Dot, the big bunny sister, is very concerned with the new family addition: “He’s going to eat us all up!” This is Dot’s repetitive refrain through the book. Little readers will love pretending to be Dot. And the wee ones who aren’t reading yet will hear this line repeatedly and begin to make connections to the words on the page.
WOLFIE THE BUNNY offers a fresh twist on the baby theme. So this is what I want you to look out for as you’re reading this month. All these books take something familiar and transform it into something new.
Got a holiday idea? See HERE COMES THE EASTER CAT.
Got a birthday idea? See THE BACKWARDS BIRTHDAY PARTY. (I loved this page. Even the common birthday party game was turned around!)
Got a birthday idea? See THE BACKWARDS BIRTHDAY PARTY. (I loved this page. Even the common birthday party game was turned around!)
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Got a lullaby idea? See GOODNIGHT, GOODNIGHT CONSTRUCTION SITE.
Got a friend idea? See PEANUT BUTTER AND CUPCAKE.
Got a friend idea? See PEANUT BUTTER AND CUPCAKE.
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Got a babysitting idea? See HOW TO BABYSIT A GRANDMA or GRANDPA. (Way to attract the grandparent market! They love buying books!)
Got a bedtime idea? See GOODNIGHT ALREADY.
Got an imaginary friend idea? See UNI THE UNICORN and BEEKLE.
Got an imaginary friend idea? See UNI THE UNICORN and BEEKLE.
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Got a new pet idea? See ME WANT PET or CHILDREN MAKE TERRIBLE PETS.
All these books think “outside the box”. ME WANT PET is set in caveman times and written in caveman language.
Kids love to bring stray pets home to ask “can I keep him?” But what happens when a bear wants to keep a pet boy?
All these books think “outside the box”. ME WANT PET is set in caveman times and written in caveman language.
Kids love to bring stray pets home to ask “can I keep him?” But what happens when a bear wants to keep a pet boy?
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Look at the covers. What pictures will attract children? Construction trucks! Cupcakes! Saber-toothed tigers! Grandparents! Unicorns! These are all things that kids LOVE. They’ll go dashing over, pick these books up and shake them in their parents faces. "Please, oh, Please?!"
Make sure what you’re writing about is equally attractive to a kid’s eyes. Don’t write yet another common story. Read this month to discover what makes each book fresh and special, and then infuse your story with your own dose of magic.
Remember, take yourself out on a date this month. Heck, maybe even treat yourself twice. You deserve it!
Make sure what you’re writing about is equally attractive to a kid’s eyes. Don’t write yet another common story. Read this month to discover what makes each book fresh and special, and then infuse your story with your own dose of magic.
Remember, take yourself out on a date this month. Heck, maybe even treat yourself twice. You deserve it!
 | Street magic performer. Hog-calling champion. Award-winning ice sculptor. These are all things Tara Lazar has never been. Instead, she writes quirky, humorous picture books featuring magical places that adults never find. Her debut picture book, THE MONSTORE, is available now from Aladdin/Simon & Schuster. Her other books coming soon are:
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