Revealing ReFoReMo: Jen Garrett Explores the Evolution of Picture Books

Over 400 people followed the first annual Reading for Research Month (ReFoReMo) journey in March.  Participants discovered how mentor texts and research methods could enhance their picture book writing experience.  The goal of the ReFoReMo Blog is to continue supporting your journey with picture books as mentor texts. We will strive to follow this schedule until next February when ReFoReMo kicks into gear again:

1st Tuesday- Revealing ReFoReMo, Featured Participant 
2nd Tuesday- Featured Author-Educators (2)
3rd Tuesday- Writing Challenge Check-In, Monthly PB Recommendations + Ask Carrie
4th Thursday- Ask Carrie Answers, plus bonus picture book links

And now...Revealing ReFoReMo!

by Jen Garrett

ReFoReMo encouraged us to become better writers through reading picture books. We learned great insights from countless blog posters and commenters on how to glean techniques on structure, plot, character, voice, and page turns (plus a boatload more!)

Today, (now that it’s over), I want to play Guest Poster and give you one thing that really struck me as I researched.

Noting Publishing Trends

Picture Books have evolved as publishing trends and readership tastes have changed. Here are some examples:

2nd Person POV  

THEN (1985):
Please Try to Remember the First of Octember

Versus

NOW (2014):
How to Babysit a Grandpa or Grandma

These three books are told in 2nd person POV, and they each have a character illustrating the “you,” but they have a subtle significant difference. The narrator in Dr. Seuss’s book seems to be an adult - or at least someone outside of the book - while in the books by Jean Reagan and Lee Wildish, the narrator seems to be talking directly to the reader, not the character. This demonstrates a trend to engage the reader more in picture books today.

Word Choice

THEN (1996):
The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash

Versus

NOW (2012):
Dragons Love Tacos

I’ve heard a rumor that word count is trending down. That’s why I was surprised to find that Dragons Love Tacos has a HIGHER word count than The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash. How can that be? Jimmy’s Boa seems so much longer. The reason, I think, is word choice. In today’s books, sentence structure tends to be simpler and there are less “filler’ words allowed. Also, illustrations in past books do enhance the story, but today they seem to carry more of the main story weight. Books today tend to invite the young listener to interact with the story more as it is read aloud. 

Fairytale Retellings

THEN (2009):
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs

Versus

NOW (2013):
The Three Ninja Pigs

Fun twists on old fairytales is not new by any stretch of the imagination, but what has changed is the characterization. Even when the main characters are grownups (how else can you spend years learning to be a ninja?), they tend to look and act more youthful in fairytale retellings of today.

Nonfiction Biographies

THEN (1979):
The Value of Believing in Yourself: The Story of Louis Pasteur

Versus

NOW (2012):
Those Rebels, John and Tom

In addition to language, word choice, and illustration differences, these two books demonstrate a shift in how nonfiction biographies are told. Biographies today tend to be less plot-driven, and more character driven. Rather than telling how the character recognizes and solves the problem, picture books today tell how the character developed to be just the right person for the problem.

Thank you to all the ReFoReMo bloggers who introduced me to the NOW books of this post (plus tons more).

Thank you for sharing your revelations, Jen!
 
Did YOU participate in ReFoReMo?  Perhaps you found a particular research method helpful or made significant discoveries? YOU are also eligible to submit an article for the Revealing ReFoReMo series.  Submission guidelines are posted here. 

JEN Garrett writes for, about, and around children all day. But sometimes she finds time to do the dishes at her home in Northern California. She also finds time to participate in SCBWI, facilitate The Writers Bloc at her local library, query agents, and read mountains of books. How? We don’t know.