TASK 2: Picture Book - Description and Suggestions

TASK 2: Picture Book - Description and Suggestions

You are a children's author. You've recently met Linda Sue Park at a writer's convention and discussed her book When My Name Was Keoko. She 's impressed with your books for young children and has asked you to turn part of her young adult novel into a children's book. You love her book and are delighted to be asked, so you accept. Your editor has given you some basic elements that must be included with your book

1. Illustrations:

Children's book are beautitful to look at and tell a large part of the story through images. Sometimes, characteristics are exaggerated through an element of costume. There is rarely white spaces left on the page.

•  Minimum number of pages: 12 quality pages!(but not limited to 12 pages should you require more pages)
• Story has to be concise so that it can be easily read by children. Select parts of the story you think is significant and these events have to flow!
• Images: Since it's a novel about war so your pictures have to be relevant yet creative and interesting.Pictures have to be colourful to sustain the interest of children.

I found this link on the net which i think may help you with your project - http://www.elmhurst.edu/~susanss/rutgers/illustrations_files/frame.htm Examples of picture books:

NOTE: The Wall is a children's book about a father and his young son's visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. You may want to research on its author, Eve Bunting, who is known for writing about serious subjects in a way that makes them accessible to young children. 

• Think about how you can make your story appealing, interesting and accessible for children. Choice of pictures is important! Since it's a war novel and written from the perspectives of Tae-yu and Sun-hee, you may also want to include pictures that express their feelings/ emotions (eg. facial expressions)
• Language: Simple and concise!

Rhyming text: Children are most engaged by rhyming or rhythmic text which makes it easy to follow and understand. 
  NOTE: You can use a poem or lyric poetry to express personal feelings or emotions of your characters. Research on examples of lyric poems if you need.

2. Plot:

(i) Introduction to setting and characters


(ii) Action leading up to conflict


(iii) Situation where the main character has to overcome an obstacle

 (iv) Moral of the story (lesson learned. has to be clear to children)

3. Final product:

• front cover - title, appropriate and interesting picture or illustration
• dedication and copyright page
• text of your story
• a back cover that includes an "About the Author" section