How do they do it?
Improve your chances in our new Picture Book Prize with a look at what makes a successful picture book from author Amy Sparkes
WRITING FOR CHILDREN
Amy Sparkes
‘If you want to write, first you need to read.’ You’ve probably heard this advice a lot – it’s the best advice you can get. When you read, you observe, you absorb and you learn. This month is the start of a two-part series, looking at published books by successful children’s authors and working out why the stories work and how you can use that information to develop your own writing. In part one we’re going to look at picture books.
Picture books
Aimed at 0-6 year olds, these are usually under 1,000 words. Although some authors illustrate their books, most are assigned an illustrator by the publisher.
Research
Visit your local library and browse through picture books. Search publisher catalogues online and visit bookshops for new releases – this will demonstrate the kind of books which are currently popular with publishers.
Picture books can have a short shelf-life in bookshops, allowing room for new stock, so check publication dates and note older books which are still stocked – these have stood the test of time. Read picture book reviews by professionals and readers (eg on Amazon) – what do they particularly enjoy or appreciate?
Analysis
Here’s a brief example from each category, taken from a variety of picture books.
Character
In Tracey Corderoy’s Spells-A-Popping Granny’s Shopping, illustrated by Joe Berger, the narrator is a little girl, with a lovable witch for a granny. The opening lines, “My granny’s rather… different”, is accompanied by a picture of granny with a pointy black hat, beetle-buttoned coat and cauldron-shaped handbag containing frogs. Straight away, this spread explains the granny character’s USP (unique selling point). The relationship between the granny and the child is interesting. Sometimes the child helps Granny out, such as when Granny’s magic becomes a bit unruly at the supermarket: