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Tips for Creating a Great Children’s Storybook

February 1, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Tips for Creating a Great Children’s Storybook

Everyone believes that they can write a children’s book. There is a common misconception that children’s books are just books filled with lovely little stories that have pretty pictures. However, there is a look that goes into creating and publishing the perfect children’s book. Here is a look at what some of the publisher’s recommend to put in children’s books to make them children friendly.

Pictures. Pictures help move the story along and help children visualize what is happening. While books are supposed to help build children’s imaginations they also need to help guide that child’s imagination along. Pictures do just that.

Larger Type. Children are more attracted to books that have larger font sizes than those with small print. You are better off writing a 300 page book with large print than a small 145 page book with tiny print.

Compelling Story. You need to make sure that the story is compelling and appealing to children. A story about World War II will probably not encourage children to read but a story about toys that come to life and experience WWII will get the points across and appeal to children.

Likeable Characters. Characters are just like people. Some children will like them some won’t. However, you will have to create characters that are appealing to the largest audience. If you are writing try to create a story with a child that is close in age to your audience. The children will love the story and feel a closer bond to the characters. This will make them want to read.

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Choosing Children’s Books

November 9, 2010 by Leave a Comment

When you have a young child, you will quickly learn how important that it is to choose the right books. Young children that are just beginning to learn how to read can benefit from the specific types of books that you buy, but only if you are buying books that promote learning to read in the right ways. There are certain characteristics that you should be looking for in books for young children. Check flyers in the libraries and children’s bookstores for examples of books that you may like to try, but consider as well your own choices based on these characteristics.

First and foremost, you should be choosing books that appear easy to read. The ideal length for such a book is between 10 and 50 pages. Choose books that have both illustrations and text on the same page, and a story that your child will find engaging. If your child is engaged by the story, he or she will be much more likely to learn to read the words to learn more about the story. You should also strive to choose books that have larger text, which will be easy to read and understand by young audiences. Choose books with pictures that give clues about the story so that your child will better understand the words and how they relate to the specific story in question.

There is a variety of characteristics that make young audience books ideal. For example, not only should the text be big, but also the sentences should be short and there should be plenty of white space on the page. The pictures should be as bright and engaging as the story itself is. These books will be ideal for readers that are beyond the realm of picture-only books but that are too young for books that are text only.

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Making the book review the best in the class

November 6, 2010 by Leave a Comment
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Anyone can write a book review, hell it is possible to write a book review without even reading a book by looking at the cover and reading the reviews and criticisms’ of other critics. But to write a great and true book review has to have a few important things included in a structured manner. If you are a professional book reviewer, your single review can ruin a good book or just one single word in your review can bore people from even picking it off the shelves and taking a look at it. Hence the next time you write that important book review worth an A+ grade, remember the following points. Do not delete points from your rough draft; only make modification to make it better.
Every book has its lows and its highs. Every character does things with which you might agree with or disagree with. Only after a thoughtful reading of the book can one begin analyzing and criticizing. This can be done after writing the first rough draft. Look at your draft as it is your worse enemy’s book review and find faults in it. Reanalyze the story and make changes to the draft. Make what you want to say profound and clear so that it does not cause any confusion. After the final draft is done, remember to proofread the article. Make sure no stupid mistake are made and see that all the sections are in proper order. Remember not to copy some one else’s book review since your professor has seen your writing style and he is the one who checks everyone else’s book review. Hence if you have copied anything, you are sure to get caught. Even if it comes to explain why you have the written impressions of the book, you will have trouble explaining them if they are copy pasted from somewhere else.

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Help Your Child Take Books for Granted

October 10, 2010 by Leave a Comment
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When a baby is born, the parents are often inundated with gifts—a plethora of gifts.

It can seem at times that our homes are bursting to the seams with all this baby gear, and our days are bursting to the seams with all the baby care. So where in all of this do we make more room for books? Isn’t introduction to books something we don’t yet need to think of? After all, babies don’t know what a book is. They don’t know what they’re missing.

True—an infant is a long way from understanding the concept of “book,” or being able to follow a story, let alone read it. But from the very beginning they are not too young to look at a book, feel it, enjoy the rhythmic or funny tone of your voice as you read the story. And, a few months in they will use yet another sense with books: taste. As any parent with a baby knows, books often have mashed-up, mushed-up corners for one and only one reason: they’ve spent a tremendous amount of time in a baby’s mouth.

But doesn’t just about everything spend a tremendous amount of time in a baby’s mouth? Don’t they reach out for every toy within their sight? Yes. But the very fact this is the case gives justification to the idea of providing books to babies from the very beginning. By doing so, babies will be used to the sight, sounds, feel and yes; even taste—of books. They will be a familiar part of their environment, and because of this they may be much more likely to embrace books as a natural part of their life.

So make room for books. Read them while you nurse. Let your baby gnaw on their bindings. Because one of the best things you can do for your child is help them take books for granted.

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Magic: When a Child Connects with a Book

October 6, 2010 by Leave a Comment

When children connect with a book, something magical happens. They may read that book with fierce concentration, finish it with a sigh, and immediately run to the computer to see if the author has written more books in the series. If the author has, there is a clamor to get the next book—now. If the next book is not yet published, your child may in a kind of suspended book-anticipation anxiety, asking you again and again, “Is the book out yet?”

This is terrific. This is what we want. And it’s not every author who is able to write books which affect children in this way. When you find such a book (or your child does) soak the situation for all its worth. Listen with true attention while your child tells you the entire story. Ask questions. Get the characters straight, including their names and idiosyncracies. If you sense it will be met with a positive reaction, read the book yourself, then discuss the plot and twists and turns yet again with your child.

Has there been a movie made from the book? If so, pick a night and watch the movie. Suggest a party with each friend dressing like a character. Provide the book’s foods (Pretend fried worms? Butterbeer?)

When the long-awaited sequel is announced, share in your child’s excitement. Wait in line, at midnight or in the dead of winter, to be one of the first to buy the book. Seek out and attend author readings, and rejoice with your child when they show you their author-signed copy.

Work with your child’s school to help the author come for a visit, and mention the book to your school’s librarian to see if he or she can stock up.

There are many ways to foster your child’s love of books; encouraging and sharing in their magical book-connection moments may be one of the best.

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