October Author: Yvonne Mes Talks Mentor Texts

Interview By Carrie Charley Brown

Photo credit: Ozan Tortop

Welcome to Part Two of Yvonne Mes's author interview. If you have not yet read Part One, you can find it HERE. You won't want to miss the complete look into Yvonne's personal writing world.

Do you utilize picture books as mentor texts?  If so, how? 
 
For about two years I visited two local libraries almost each week and got extra library cards for each of my sons, this allowed me to read about 80 picture books per week. This helped me to understand what worked well, what didn’t and why. I think the writing seeped in my subconscious and studying writing at the same time heightened my awareness.
 
I read a lot of biographical picture books in amongst the fiction picture books at this time. When I was asked to write MEET SIDNEY NOLAN, I closely studied the previous books in the series. I also studied word count and voice. I borrowed many books from the library, bought local ones and ordered some in from overseas (USA). I didn’t call them mentor texts at the time, to me it was research. I have listed some texts that I found particularly interesting and turned into mentor texts on the way.

Were there any particular mentor texts that inspired you in the creation of your two debut picture books, Sidney Nolan and Oliver's Grumbles?
 
There were many, but here are some favorites:

For Meet Sidney Nolan:

• Queen Victoria’s Underpants - Jacqui French illustrated by Bruce Whatley
• Simpson and his Donkey (in the USA known as The Donkey of Gallipoli: A True Story of Courage in World War I) – Mark Greenwood illustrated by Frane Lessac.
• Minette’s Feast – The Delicious Story of Julia Child and Her Cat by Susanna Reich, illustrated by Amy Bates
• On a Beam of Light – A Story of Albert Einstein by Jennifer Berne, illustrated by Vladimir Radunsky 

For Oliver’s Grumbles:

• Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge and Possum Magic- by Mem Fox, illustrated by Julie Vivas
• Tanglewood – Margaret Wild, illustrated by Vivienne Goodman
• Where the Wild Things Are – Maurice Sendak

A BIG thanks to Yvonne for being with us in this two-part interview! If you haven't read Part One yet, slide on over to Carrie On... Together!

Yvonne Mes is a children’s author, illustrator and devourer of books. She writes short stories, picture books and junior novels. Yvonne coordinates Write Links, the Brisbane children's writers and illustrators group, and is vice president of Book Links QLD (Inc.) She reviews for Buzz Words Magazine and occasionally for the CBCA QLD newsletter. You can also follow her journey on her blogsite Picture a Book and on Twitter @YvonneCMes.