MAPLE

Welcome to KidLit Gems, a coffee-style chat about favorite children’s books and the elements that make them shine.

This month’s theme: Planting Seeds

NameplateAnnasGemIMAPLE
Text and Illustrations © 2014, Lori Nichols

MAPLE440Picture
Book

Fiction

Age Range:
3-5 years

Grade Level:
Preschool-Kindergarten

NANCY PAULSEN BOOKS

An imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group

and there was just enough room under the tree for Maple and her little sister . . . Willow. ~ Maple

Maple will charm anyone who loves Kevin Henkes’ Chrysanthemum. Lori Nichol’s début picture book also has the sweet promise of new life; the struggles and rewards of friendship, growth, and self-identity; and a curious female protagonist who loves her name. Nichols skillfully communicates innocence and calm through white and blue space, then embraces her characters and readers with translucent leaves. The pages, with their recurring themes will make you go back to revisit. Was a bird’s nest there before?

Growing up in a family of die-hard tree-lovers, I appreciate how Nichols created special bonds between her human characters and their deciduous namesakes. I’ll admit, I’m relieved my parents didn’t do the same, because my name would be Spruce. And evergreens are harder to hug.

If you enjoyed Maple, you’ll also love Sophie’s Squash written by Pat Zietlow Miller and illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf.
~ Anna
___________________________________________________________________

When she was still a whisper, her parents planted a tiny tree in her honor! ~ Maple

Full disclosure here: Maple and Willow were both on my baby name list in case I had girls. But even without my inherent bias, this endearing story following a little tree-hugger through the seasons definitely holds its own. Sparse text and uncluttered illustrations work in harmony to parallel the growth of trees and families. Maple’s sometimes clumsy attempts to befriend her tree, and later her baby sister, are sweet but not sappy. Pun intended, fir sure!
~ Lou
____________________________________________________________________

Maple Book Trailer by Lori Nichols

GEM Ruby

Watch for Kristi’s pick next!

We want to hear from you!
What children’s books plant seeds in you?

THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER

As KEM’s Christmas gift to you, we recommend The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, a seasonal classic you’re sure to love.

BestChristmasPageantEver6Chapter Book Fiction
Text copyright © 1972
Barbara Robinson
Picture copyright © 1972
Judith Gwyn Brown
Published by HarperCollins

AWARDS

ALA Notable Children’s Book
Georgia Children’s Book Award
Indiana’s Young Hoosier Book Award
Minnesota’s Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award
2012 School Library Journal’s Top Hundred Children’s Novels
Library of Congress Children’s Books


WHY THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER IS A KEM GEM

KKRISTI’S TAKE
Barbara Robinson’s first person story about misfits is outrageously funny. Like all true comedies, that which is tragic is conversely Herdmanlarious. Robinson’s narration accomplishes this edge through the voice of the innocent, yet watchful protagonist’s narration. The unbiased account of the Herdman’s understanding of the birth of Jesus is sweet and provoking. Ask yourself, would you want a bullying Herdman in your classroom? Like Jesus, the narrator embraces the scarcely lovable and interjects wisdom upon her fellow peers’ and parisioners’ judgmental ways. Afterall… isn’t that the point of Christmas, to open our hearts, unto ALL?

Favorite line
But as far as I’m concerned, Mary is always going to look a lot like Imogene Herdman–sort of nervous and bewildered, but ready to clobber anyone who laid a hand on her baby.

KEM Sapphire
E
ELISE’S TAKE
Second only to the Bible, this was the most-read Christmas story in my house growing up. My dad still can’t read it aloud without stopping to gasp for air. Barbara Robinson brilliantly captures the politics of the everybody-knows-everybody small town, and the chaos of the annual Christmas pageant in a small town church. Her characters remind you of your neighbors and the kids you grew up with, her dialogue pokes fun at annual Christmas traditions and expectations, and her Herdmans show us what it must be like to hear the Christmas story for the very first time. Ralph, Imogine, Leroy, Claude, Ollie, and Gladys ask the questions that those of us who grew up in church often fail to ask, and the result is a very sincere and poignant version of the nativity, black eyes and all.

Favorite line
“…Joseph and Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child…”

“Pregnant!” yelled Ralph Herdman.

Well. That stirred things up.

KEM Diamond
MGrayANNA MARRAS’ TAKE
This story brought me from stomach-buckling laughter to pillow-hugging tears. Barbara Robinson shared the true meaning of Christmas without proselytizing or gushing. Through subtle humor from the curious introspection of the young narrator, most of this story touches your heart between the lines. It’s tragic, because many of us know the Herdman’s—that family of practically-orphans lost between the cracks of society. Yet, it’s magic, because Robinson showed us how a rag-tag troop of clueless outcasts can teach an entire community about acceptance, growth, and wonderment. And Robinson accomplished this without adding one iota of pity or condescension.

Favorite line
Mrs. Wendleken didn’t even want cats to have kittens or birds to lay eggs, and she wouldn’t let Alice play with anybody who had two rabbits. 

GEMrub


Please share your The Best Christmas Pageant Ever comments!

PERSEPOLIS: THE STORY OF A CHILDHOOD

 “. . . Since then, (1979, after the Shah fled Iran to escape the Islāmic revolution), this old and great civilization has been discussed mostly in connection with fundamentalism, fanaticism, and terrorism. As an Iranian who has lived more than half of my life in Iran, I know that this image is far from the truth. This is why writing Persepolis was so important to me. I believe that an entire nation should not be judged by the wrongdoings of a few extremists. I also don’t want those Iranians who lost their lives in prison defending freedom, who died in the war against Iraq, who suffered under various repressive regimes, or who were forced to leave their families and flee their homeland to be forgotten.

One can forgive but one should never forget.”

~From the introduction of THE COMPLETE PERSEPOLIS
Marjane Satrapi, Paris, September 2002

PersepolisGraphic Novel, Memoir
by Marjane Satrapi

Copyright © 2000 in French, by L’Association, France
Persepolis
English translation copyright © 2003 by L’Association, France
Published in the United States by Pantheon Books, a division of Random House

Age Range: 11 years-adult
Grade Level: Middle Grade-Adult

Text and illustrations by Marjane Satrapi

 

 

AWARDS

Prix Alph’art Coup de Coeur at Angoulême
Prix du Lion in Belgium
Prix Alph’art du meilleur scénario
The Prix France Info
The Young Adult Library Association Recommendation
Named one of “100 Best Books of the Decade” by The Times (London)
Winner of the 2003 Fernando Buesa Peace Prize (Spain)
A New York Times Notable Book
A Time Magazine “Best Comix of the Year”

WHY PERSEPOLIS:THE STORY OF A CHILDHOOD IS A KEM GEM

KKRISTI’S TAKE
Marjane Satrapi’s autobioGRAPHIC novel is: an art form with comic content, a coming of age narration, illustrative of revolutionary Iran, unique, historical, and provocative! Reading it felt a bit like scanning a box of Satrapi’s neatly organized film negatives. The sparse and purposeful word choice intensifies Satrapi’s high-contrast inking. The wedding of her visual and literary style provides the perfect medium to unveil BOLD commentary about how the Islāmic Revolution tainted childhood innocence.   Although this rebellious first person narration is rendered in black & white, PERSEPOLIS delves into the murky greyness of political conflict; a YA must read!

Click here for chapter summaries.

Favorite line
“The revolution is like a bicycle. When the wheels don’t turn, it falls.”

KEM Sapphire
E
ELISE’S TAKE
Although PERSEPOLIS is heavy with political and social issues, Marjane Satrapi’s childlike perspective is still refreshing and relatable. She gives readers an honest and poignant look at the traditions that suppress many in her distant Iranian culture. Simultaneously, we also read about a girl whose struggle with identity and security is not so different from our own. Marji’s experiences of making friends and understanding political changes, as well as her quest for independence and respect are universal themes to which readers of all ages will relate.

Visually, PERSEPOLIS is a marvelous spin on the traditional memoir. The graphic layout offers a genre for young readers who still crave visual references at an age when other illustrated books may appear childish. The images give a youthful quality to some difficult subjects, yet the novel remains sophisticated in its simple, organized presentation.

Favorite line
“I tell you all this because it’s important that you know. Our family memory must not be lost. Even if it’s not easy for you, even if you don’t understand it all.”

KEM Diamond
MGrayMARRAS’ TAKE
Because this graphic memoir lives up to its genre, PERSEPOLIS: THE STORY OF A CHILDHOOD makes a riveting read for all middle grade through adult readers. In this, Satrapi relives her childhood in a country gone mad. Satrapi explains the complexities of war, politics, Iranian history, and culture through reflective but stark black and white comic strips. The absence of red, the color of gore and bloodshed, mercifully buffers readers from the unspeakable suffering inflicted by the Islāmic Revolution. The absence of censorship thwarts the aggrandizement of war. Satrapi’s humor serves as an unexpected encourager, prodding us forward with hope.

As a child, Marjane Satrapi desired to become a prophet. As a young adult she desired to become a revolutionary. In her own way, she accomplished both.

Favorite line
“It was funny to see how much Marx and God looked like each other. Though Marx’s hair was a bit curlier.”

GEMrub

Did you know that, pre-1979,  Iranian women and girls were free to dress as they chose? THECOMPLETEPERSEPOLISYoung adult and older readers enjoy The Complete Persepolis, which includes Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood and Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return.

If you’ve already read the story, I highly recommend watching The Complete Persepolis motion picture, winner of the Cannes Film Jury Prize in 2007.  Your heart will break for the plight of the Iranian people while you fall in love with Marjane, her colorful grandmother and her courageous family. The artistically exquisite movie provides a perfect summary and refresher after reading the two-part memoir.

INTERVIEW WITH MARJANE SATRAPI

Please share your Persepolis comments, too!

THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN

“One day, a still day when the hot air hummed, the humans came.”
~ Ivan, page 128 in THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN

THEONEANDONLYIVAN600 IVANBACKCOVERMiddle Grade/Chapter Book Fiction
Age Range: 8-12 years
Grade Level: 3-7
HarperCollins Publishers
Text copyright © 2012 by Katherine Applegate
Illustration copyright ©  2012 by Patricia Castelao

AWARDS

2013 Newbery Medal
2012 Christopher Medal
Gold Medal in Juvenile Literature 2012 California Book Award
Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators 2013 Crystal Kite Award Winner
#1 New York Times bestseller
School Library Journal Best of Children’s Books 2012
Kirkus Reviews Best of Children’s Books 2012
Amazon 2012 Best Books of the Year
Middle Grade Chicago Public Library Best of the Best 2012
New York Public Library 100 Books for Reading and Sharing
2012 Cybils shortlist
2012 middle grade fantasy (Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’ Literary Awards)
Texas Bluebonnet Award, 2013-14 Master List

2012 Nerdies Book Award, middle grade fiction
Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews
Starred Review, School Library Journal
Starred Review, Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

WHY THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN IS A KEM GEM

KKRISTI’S TAKE
Grab the box of tissue. THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, inspired by a real gorilla named Ivan, will change your perspective, forever! In this illustrated novel told from the point-of-view of Ivan himself, Katherine Applegate has taken the tried and true, “when a stranger comes to town” plot, and authentically created heartache, humor and heroics. Ivan, in and of himself, is remarkable; he creates art. When Ivan meets Ruby, a needy baby elephant, he confronts his fears in order to help his peers. This reflective story about a silverback gorilla’s humanity has a silver lining that will leave you shining.

Like the novel, Patricia Castelao’s drawings are extraordinary, simple, yet, sophisticatedly rendered.

Favorite line
“Someday, I hope I can draw the way Julia draws, imagining worlds that don’t yet exist.”

KEM Sapphire
E
ELISE’S TAKE
Katherine Applegate of ANIMORPHS fame has a reputation for weaving humans and animals in unique ways. Her latest narrative combines human emotion and dialogue into the lives of a great silverback and his unlikely collection of friends in the Big Top Mall. Applegate incites sympathy for every one of these characters, not just the indicted performers. We learn to see that the stray dog, the janitor and his daughter, and even the animal trainer have both good intentions and their own personal heartbreaks.

Through quiet, bite-sized chapters, we experience these relationships, the losses each individual has suffered, and the hopes he or she clings to. Although each vignette is packed with emotion and sensory detail, each is also concise enough for readers to digest a little or a lot in one sitting, perfect for a reluctant or busy reader.

Favorite line
“Because she remembers everything, Stella knows many stories. I like colorful tales with black beginnings and stormy middles and cloudless blue-sky endings. But any story will do.”

KEM Diamond
MGrayMARRAS’
 TAKE
This fictional treasure, based on the captivity of Ivan, a real-life silverback, evokes compassion and empathy for all creatures, great and small.

The extra white space formatting of Applegate’s thoughtful text and Castelao’s moving illustrations calls readers into a deeper contemplation of Ivan’s lonely and desperate experience. This gorilla memoir made me feel the bankruptcy of the collapsing infrastructure and the human flaws and frailties surrounding Ivan and his companions. I cheered for Ivan while he thrived as a primate art prodigy and again, when he rediscovered his true nature as protector.

I’m a better human for having experienced life through Ivan’s eyes.

Thanks to Katherine Applegate and Patricia Castelao for following their creative natures to assemble this poignant story of love and self-worth.

Favorite line
“Humans always smell odd when a change is in the air.  Like rotten meat, with a hint of papaya.”

GEMrub

The One And Only Ivan Book Trailer by Katherine Applegate

Please share your One and Only Ivan comments, too!

HEN HAD HER HAM

HENHADHERHAMEarly Reader

Age Range:
3-6 years

Reading Level A:
Preschool-Kindergarten

Published by
McGraw-Hill School Division

Text copyright
© 2003 Meish Goldish

Illustration copyright
© 2003 Andy San Diego


WHY HEN HAD HER HAM IS A KEM GEM

KKRISTI’S TAKE
In HEN HAD HER HAM, Meish Goldish constructs a sequentially ordered recipe for learning new words. A simple sentence structure feeds the reader with clear, consistent cues that help build vocabulary, one layer at a time, just like making a sandwich. And like every good recipe, Goldish has the perfect balance of sugar and spice, stacking this leveled book with silly surprises that mix whimsy into what can otherwise be a frustrating experience; learning to read.  Andy San Diego’s illustrations of the only character in the story, the hen, are equally filled with sugar and spice. The hen’s facial expressions encourage a beginning reader as they struggle to make phonetic sounds. The true gem of this book is that it combines consistency with silliness.

Favorite line
“Hot peppers? HOT! HOT! HOT!”

KEM Sapphire


EELISE’S TAKE
This easy reader is a splendid reminder of where we all started. Using one and two-syllable words, Goldish takes us through a simple action done by a simple character. San Diego’s no-nonsense illustrations provide some direction, but they are by no means a crutch for a young reader. The gross factor in Hen’s choice of condiments will keep kids turning pages until the end reveals a slight shift in both text and illustrations. Hen’s final condiment is her undoing as she bites into her meal. Hen and her sandwich are a fun and silly way for new readers to meet milestones in literacy and know the triumph of completing an entire book.

Favorite line
“Hen had her ham with grape jelly.”

KEM Diamond


MGrayMARRAS’ TAKE
In HEN HAD HER HAM, Meish Goldish’s funny word sandwiches stimulate the appetites of new readers. Illustrator Andy San Diego’s  adventurous, googly-eyed  protagonist educates via giggle-inducing entertainment.

HEN HAD HER HAM taught my youngest granddaughter that she can read–and read well. Our early reader’s confidence has grown to the point that she typically re-reads HEN’S story until A) she gets hungry, or B) a grownup hides the book to keep their eyes from glossing over.

I can particularly identify with Hen because her tongue sticks out when she concentrates; like mine, as I write this. And I’m wondering why San Diego didn’t draw her some milk to follow that surprise ending. Water’s not going to help.

Our copy is a little bent, but if you ever want to borrow HEN HAD HER HAM, I know a little girl who would read it to you.

GEMrub

 Please share your HEN HAD HER HAM comments, too!

One More Moment, Please

“We’ll be friends forever, won’t we?” asked Piglet.
“Even longer,” Pooh answered.
~A.A. Milne, WINNIE-THE-POOH

FIXMEUP600Piglet and Pooh’s thoughtful exchange opens the “Fix Me Up” music video featuring Zach Sobiech, Sammy Brown, and Reed Redmond of A Firm Handshake.

The “Fix Me Up” soundtrack sprouted from the trio’s resolve to bring beauty and goodness out of 18-year-old Zach’s terminal diagnosis and impending death from osteosarcoma. In “Fix Me Up” Sammy pleads, “One more moment, please.” The Piglet/Pooh dialog fittingly echoes Sammy and Zach’s heartache, love, dread, and hope. By communicating their conflicting emotions with such urgent truth and transparency, the life-long friends remind us that sooner is better. Their message has hit a universal cord, as proven by Zach’s #1 hit single “Clouds”.

Bestselling children’s book author Kate DiCamillo uses music to create a specific mood in her books. In 2006, a New York Public Library Author Chat participant asked,”Which music would be the best soundtracks to accompany your books?”

DiCamillo answered,  “I wrote Despereaux to Bach, Winn-Dixie to Van Morrison, Edward to Rachmaninoff. Does that help?”

I’ve toiled to find the perfect songs for my work.  For children’s books, I’ve found that Veggietales Radio produces better results than Etta James. For my family memoir, baroque keeps me serious, but too stuffy. Buddy Holly helps me remember, but I find myself dancing instead of writing and regressing to an age nobody else remembers.  Colbie Callait helps me forget, but that’s not good when you’re writing a memoir.

I could waste a lot of time selecting songs and never do the work. My distracted mind needs music of focused urgency. Tuesday, my craft received a defribulating jolt when I won the “Fix Me Up” Deluxe Edition CD and music video DVD in a door prize drawing.

I’d already received a what-are-you-waiting-for kick in the pants while laughing, crying, and crying some more through Zach’s mother Laura Sobiech’s memoir, Fly a Little Higher.

Laura wrote Fly a Little Higher  in only twelve weeks, just months after her son’s death–with no lack of professionalism or clarity. I hadn’t been so inspired by a family story since Atticus raised Scout and Jem in To Kill A Mockingbird. And I’d never experienced such a graceful, life-giving death in someone so young–or old–ever. The Sobiech experience spoke to me. It said, “What are you waiting for?”

I bought extras for gifts. Shhhh.

I bought extras for gifts. Shhhh.

 

Zach (and Laura) raised the bar to billowy heights, but Zach’s short life reminds us to share our talents, not hide or waste them. And now we have his music to encourage and inspire us to reach higher in whatever we’re doing.

Now my favorite ear candy while writing for children: “Sandcastles” and “Star Hopping”. For living, breathing, memoir writing, and everything else: the “Fix Me Up” soundtrack set to repeat.

A Firm Handshake‘s melodies soar; their words stir, yet fill you with hope. By baring and sharing the fruit of their young, wise souls, the trio challenges others to be real, to step into the unknown despite our fears, and to live while dying.

“Because, let’s face it–we’re all dying.” ~ Laura Sobiech.

To experience more of this story, go to Zach Sobiech’s Page on the Children’s Cancer Research Fund website, especially SoulPancake’s  documentaries preceding and one year after Zach’s death.

Other links for you

I’ll leave you with KS95’s Largest Choir’s singing “Clouds” .

Zach Sobiech-RIP
May 3, 1995 – May 20, 2013

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying good-bye so hard.”
~A.A. Milne, WINNIE-THE-POOH

Elise Parsley’s Four Leaf Clover

“. . . I imagine that every now and then a book is picked up by a prestigious New York agent and sold to a prestigious New York publisher, but it is statistically akin to finding a four leaf clover. On the banks of the Dead Sea. In July.”
~Ann PatchettTHIS IS THE STORY OF A HAPPY MARRIAGE

E4Elise Parsley found a four-leaf clover.
On the banks of Medicine Lake.
In November.

Metaphorically speaking.

Her book was picked up by the prestigious New York agency, Writers House, by their prestigious West Coast agent, Steven Malk, and sold to the prestigious New York publisher, Little, Brown and Company.

And, incidentally, Elise lives near Medicine Lake. And this all happened in November

Even better than a four-leaf clover, Elise received a three-book contract. Now she and her work are hot topics for blogger friends like me; literary magazines like Publishers Weekly; and  sweet tweets like Steven Malk’s December 17th and January 15th entries.

However, don’t let this lucky clover analogy give you the wrong impression.  As Elise’s critique partner and friend, I can attest that no one worked harder or possessed more talent and determination to find success.

THE ELUSIVE FOUR LEAF CLOVER
HOW ELISE PARSLEY FOUND HERS AND WHAT SHE’S DOING NOW

1. When you developed your upcoming book, what did your creative process look like? For example, how did you decide what art medium to use? What came first: the protagonist or the plot; the title or the ending; the illustrations or the text?

Elise P“I actually came up with an image of the story’s antagonist first. I drew a classroom scene with a hulking alligator that happens to be dodging blame for tossing a paper airplane. I put the piece together to give my portfolio some fresh work before an SCBWI conference. After I drew that image, I figured I should have a good reason for an alligator hanging out in a classroom full of small children, so I developed the protagonist (the kid taking the blame) and created the story. The title came long before the ending. I love thinking up book titles. They’re so full of promise!

For this book, I’ll be creating the art using a digital tablet and Photoshop. I fell in love with digital painting shortly after graduating college and have been exploring it ever since.

2. What is your favorite part of the process, writing or illustrating? And why?

“My favorite part is when I’ve developed the writing enough to begin work on the images. The images fill in so many blanks and add a lot of punch lines, and it’s always satisfying to see the text and art paired together, rather than just mentally picturing it. I spend a lot of time snickering to myself before I get the pictures hammered out. Once they’re developed, I make my husband and critique group look at them to see if they’ll snicker too. Sometimes they do! And sometimes they give each other side looks and I can hear crickets chirping. That’s when I know my work is falling flat.”

3. How many drafts do you typically write before you feel a manuscript or dummy book is ready for submission?

“I don’t think I have a typical number yet (and probably never will). I kept track of at least 25 drafts for ALLIGATOR. But then there were various drafts of the storyboard and dummy after that, and I didn’t keep track of those numbers.”

4. What advice would you give writers and illustrators who are just starting out on the road toward publication?

Elise

Seriously? Your critique friends give each other side looks, Elise? They sound like losers. Hee. Hee.

“That’s a good one. Hmm. Well, you should definitely read a lot of books in your intended age range (we’re talking several gazillion, including the classics and the stuff hot off the presses). Also, you should make an effort to spend time with kids in that age range.

When it comes down to the work, it’s important to realize that it’s work. I would encourage writers and illustrators to be very intentional about creating time to do that work and set some office hours. Become part of a regular critique group (or two or three) if you can. A good critique group will give you fresh perspectives and ask valuable questions to push your story and characters. It’s also important to be on the lookout for ways to learn more and practice your craft. Continuing education can include (but is not limited to) signing up for an art or writing class (or degree!), attending writing/illustrating conferences (e.g. SCBWI conferences), and self-study (books, tutorials, etc.).”

5. How did you celebrate your three-book contract?

“When it was all said and done, my husband made me a tuna fish sandwich. It was delicious, and probably the only normal thing that happened that week.”

6. When will we see your books on bookstore shelves? And what are you working on now?

“Magnolia and her alligator will hit shelves in the fall of 2015. Stay tuned for more details! Besides Magnolia’s story, I’m working here and there on a new piece that takes place among a lot of snow and ice and cold (thanks, Minnesota winter, for your constant inspiration in that area).”

7. If you could be a children’s book character, which character would it be, and why?

Wouldn't it rock to have Elise Parsley for a mom?

Wouldn’t it rock to have Elise Parsley for a mom?

Shucks, right now I’d have to say I’m aiming to be as awesome as Clementine’s parents in Sara Pennypacker’s series (you know, the CLEMENTINE books.) They seem like such a great pair who know how to set limits for their creative and hilarious kid, but they also know when to let her creativity roam free. I hope I’m half as cool as them when I’m a parent!

 

Thanks, Elise.
And congratulations to a talented and deserving writer  and illustrator. You’re the best!
Anna Marras

2013 IA SCBWI Conference-Part II

Louise650

First Pages practice
On the pitcher’s mound: Louise Aamodt

If you’re a children’s book writer, one of the best ways to hone your craft is to attend your regional Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI) conferences. For instance: the 2013 Iowa SCBWI Conference offered a variety of hands-on manuscript development opportunities:

  • Roundtable Peer Critiques
  • First Page Readings
  • Manuscript Reviews

Roundtable Peer Critiques

Conference peer reviews provide fresh, unbiased feedback for our work-in-progress. Also, they widen our circle of writing friends, broaden our view of the world, and challenge us to write at a higher level.

For the peer critiques Iowa SCBWI Assistant Regional Advisor Lisa Morlock divided the manuscripts by genre, then she organized us into groups of four or five. Lisa emailed the manuscripts to each pertaining group member so we could review and print critiques (or bring them in e-form) before the conference.

Accomplished author Sharelle Byars Moranville facilitated my group, which consisted of three other chapter book and middle grade novelists. To top off the great advice we received from one another, she suggested we give all characters a crucible moment;  deliver the empathy-building essence of our protagonists; and strategically plan for pivotal stepping moments at the quarter point, the mid point, and the three-quarter point of our manuscripts before tying it up with that satisfying ending.

Elevator pitch practice Up to bat: Alicia Schwab

Elevator pitch practice
Up to bat: Alicia Schwab

First Page Readings

Michelle Poploff, Vice President and Executive Director of Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers, led “Finding Your Voice”, a session where First Page participants received a wealth of feedback in minutes. Participant names were randomly drawn. They read the first 500 words of their manuscripts. After each reading, attendees in the audience provided anonymous  comments on notecards.

In our motel room the night before, my roommates and I took turns rehearsing and creating one-line elevator pitch synopses.  Not only did the pitch-writing exercise equip all four of us to create more impactful queries; but the extra preparation paid off in the performances. When my roommates names were drawn, they delivered self-assured readings preceded by convincing pitches.

Elise Hylden Up to bat

Elise Parsley up to bat, critiquing the pitch

Manuscript Critiques

Face-to-face manuscript critiques provided the best opportunity to have our most polished, unpublished manuscript critiqued by an editor, agent, or published author. We submitted our manuscripts three to four weeks prior to the conference to allow ample time for our advisor to review and write comments; then we received a ten-minute appointment for them to tell us what worked, what didn’t, and how to improve our work.

Thanks to Joanna Cardenas, Assistant Editor for Viking Children’s Books, for reviewing my manuscript. She devoted an impressive amount of thoughtful consideration, offering suggestions on character development, plot and structure, language and diction, voice, and marketability. Her advice differed substantially from input I had received from Barry Goldblatt, founder of BG Literary, at the 2013 Minnesota Conference. However, their foundational goals remained the same: to increase my protagonist’s likeability, which would increase the appeal of my manuscript, which would increase its chances of being published. I’m grateful to them both.

Next week I’ll share more 2013 IA Conference wisdom from Michelle Poploff; Allison Remcheck, Assistant Literary Agent of Rosemary Stimola Literary Studio; Joanna Cardenas; and Jennifer Black Reinhardt. See you then!

2013 Iowa SCBWI Conference Photos

2013 IA SCBWI Conference-Part I

Randy Holland, Elise Hylden, Jan Blazanin, Allison Remcheck, me, Alicia Schwab, and Louise Aamodt

Randy Holland, Elise Parsley, Jan Blazanin, Allison Remcheck, me, Alicia Schwab, and Louise Aamodt

There should be an Iowa-nice saying. The Iowa SCBWI Conference organizers welcomed us Minnesota party crashers with open arms as usual. The hospitality of these southern friends has motivated us to make Des Moines an annual road trip destination. And next year we might need a bus.

Once again, they doled out wisdom, encouragement, and inspiration. Here’s some to pay forward:

Lisa Morlock and Debbie LaCroix kicked the conference off with this YouTube parody by Sue Fleiss of Anna Kendrick’s “When I’m Gone” cup song.

EileenBoggess

Eileen Boggess

In their presentations regarding young adult and middle grade novels, Jan Blazanin and Eileen Boggess mentioned so many titles by authors whose names I didn’t recognize, I drooled a little during my open-mouthed stare. I whispered to my writing partner. “I need to read more.” Mercifully, she didn’t zing me with sarcasm. But, we’ve both been on a reading frenzy since.

Blazanin’s book, Fairest of Them All, is on my to-read list. Other young adult novels she recommends include: Bitter End by Jennifer Brown, Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, and The White Bicycle by Beverley Brenna.

Boggess shared her series and trilogies methodology:

  • Every book in a series or trilogy needs to have its own logical arc and structure.
  • Each book should give the reader enough to enjoy what they are reading but hold back enough to leave them wanting more.

Boggess gained this knowledge developing her own successful (and funny) middle grade MIA book series. She urges series and trilogy writers to create and consider the protagonist’s whole world, because readers will know if something isn’t consistent. She also warns writers to be careful which characters we kill off, so we don’t have to resort to another clichéd phew-it-was-only-a-dream scene.

I promise, I’ll share more IA Conference notes next week.

In the meantime, special thanks to the event committee (Connie Heckert, Lisa MorlockDorothia Rohner, and Eileen Boggess) and all speakers and volunteers for putting on another memorable event.

2013 Iowa SCBWI Conference Photos