Polonius: What do you read, my lord?

Hamlet: Words, words, words.

– William Shakespeare, “Hamlet,” Act 2, Scene 2

And so we come to #5 in Jane Yolen’s wonderful list of “10 Words Every Picture Book Author Must Know,” which she shared at the SCBWI Winter Conference a few weeks ago: Words.

Here are the three things Jane said about words – and I shall elaborate a bit on each.

1.  Pick them as carefully as a poet – Language is a fundamental part of children’s literature. Word play, rhythm, alliteration, parallelism, refrain, patterns, echoes, onomatopoeia – it’s all about being imaginative and creative with words.  Personification can be effective too – for instance, instead of “the leaves rustled in the breeze,” you might try, “the leaves whispered,” or “the leaves danced.”  Children’s imaginations are often fired by their senses, so incorporating what can be seen, smelled, tasted, heard, or felt to the touch is a powerful way to engage young readers in descriptive narrative.

Above all, look for juicy verbs.  Verbs are a writer’s best friend. They keep the story moving forward, and help us to show through behavior and action rather than tell through description.  Be as creative as you can be in your use of verbs. Keep a list of favorites – and always keep a Thesaurus handy to find better options for the ones that are common, tired, or overused.  Finally, remember that it’s all about economy with picture books. Three words, artfully chosen, will achieve far more than ten general, rambling ones.

2. Children love big words – don’t ‘dumb down’ your language. While we have to keep the age of our reader in mind in terms of what will engage and be relevant to them, we should never talk down to them.  Their focus may be narrow and their vocabulary limited, but their brains are like sponges, expanding with every drop of information we give them.  Using a sophisticated word here and there invites children to ‘stretch up.’ Whether they infer the meaning through association or context – using the surrounding words to understand the meaning of that one – or whether they pause to ask a grown up what a word means, once that meaning is absorbed it becomes part of the ever-expanding vocabulary and is unlikely to be forgotten.

3.  Words can be made up – just do so with care. Harry Potter, Winnie the Pooh, The Hobbit and virtually every book by Dr. Seuss all contain made-up words unique to their worlds and characters.  Shakespeare, in fact, made up thousands of words and phrases that have since become part of our everyday language. Most education scholars and child development specialists would agree that the creative use of words helps a young reader appreciate the power of expression. In seeing the rules of language being bent or challenged, children learn critical-thinking skills and develop their own imaginations. It’s important, however, to use this tool with care. Don’t overdo it, and make sure that if you are using invented words, their intended meaning can be clearly inferred by the reader.

There’s an acting term originally coined by the great acting teacher Stanislavski called “Circle of Focus.”  During his career as a young actor, Stanislavski often experienced tension on stage. He discovered that he could better focus by concentrating on a small circle – just himself and one other actor or prop.  Once focused on this small circle, he could extend his attention to a medium-sized circle that included more actors or larger props, and then to a larger circle, encompassing the entire stage, ultimately even the audience. This technique, he felt, enabled actors to achieve ‘public solitude.’

Dr. Stephen Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, teaches the concepts of Circle of Concern and Circle of Influence – thus leading to Circle of Focus.  He describes our Circle of Concern as encompassing all that is of concern to us, our Circle of Influence as all that we actually have any direct control over, and our Circle of Focus as where best to direct our energies for maximum effectiveness.

Young reader’s circles of concern are necessarily small, just as their world is. They do not yet have the ability or experience to cope with politics, history, tragedy or economics – items that are usually within the circle of concern of most adults. Young people’s circles of concern and influence are narrower and more immediate – home, family, friends, and school – and their circle of focus is generally trained on the daily challenges of growing up: learning to tie one’s shoes, for instance, or whistle, ride a bike, or apologize.

Picture books are most successful when they maintain the same small Circle of Concern and Focus as that of a child. It’s best to leave epic tales involving multiple characters or tackling large themes to the novels that will be enjoyed in later life.

Nevertheless, within that small circle of concern, we want to keep the focus very sharp. We want to minimize wide angles and zoom in on the important. We want to choose words, images and ideas that are clear, strong, and compelling – and to avoid the blurriness of excess description and unnecessary details. We don’t need to embellish. Too many characters, references or changes within a picture book will confuse at best, and bore at worst.

Keep it simple, keep it small and keep it sharp.

I’ve written about this in previous blog posts, but it bears repeating: the heroes, or protagonists, of children’s books must be characters that young readers can identify with and relate to.  Jane takes this notion one step further.  She says that children’s books must have “emotional resonance” for young readers, and adds that the way to achieve this is by focusing on “The Three F’s,” or thee key areas of concern for children, which are:

1) Family

2) Friendship

3) Frustration

Most – if not all – children’s books have at their heart one of these elements, giving the book that essential child-centeredness with which the young reader can relate to, and be drawn in by, the story. Some have more than one, others a combination of all three.

Here’s one dictionary definition of child centeredness:

“Designed to promote a child’s personal qualities rather than to provide training or information. Humane - marked or motivated by concern with the alleviation of suffering.”

This, I think, ties in well with what Jane is getting at when she talks about writing with emotional resonance.  Writing children’s books well requires more than just writing skill.  It requires compassion for children, and a keen understanding of the frustrations, challenges and concerns they face on a daily basis in the struggle to grow up. Our work needn’t be steeped in pathos – in fact, kids usually prefer humor – but we also shouldn’t get preachy or didactic or try to educate or problem-solve. We need only maintain a compassionate heart and a child-like sensibility, something perhaps best achieved by remembering what it was like to be a child ourselves.

The question I was asked was: What are the particular challenges you think we (meaning children’s book authors, editors, educators, advocates, lovers of children’s literature) face?

This was my response:

“I think one of the challenges is keeping young people’s skill and interest in reading high enough to take advantage of the opportunities that will be waiting for them.

In my book Raising Bookworms: Getting Kids Reading for Pleasure and Empowerment (Beech Tree Books, 2008), I talk about how much reading skills correspond to our ability to be confident, engaged, informed citizens. They affect how well we communicate, succeed in school and in our chosen careers, and ultimately our level of personal fulfillment. In fact, order to participate fully in society and the workplace in 2020 and beyond, we will all need powerful literacy abilities. But with all that competes for our attention these days, from television to the internet to electronic games and social networking, we face the possibility of a serious decline in the reading and writing skills of the next generation.

Our strength as readers and writers is profoundly influenced by how much of it we do – the more we read, the easier it gets. The easier it gets, the more we enjoy it, so the more we read. But we have to start by actually reading – and the key lies in making that activity as attractive as all the other temptations out there. We achieve that by focusing on activities that support the joy in reading (as opposed to reading as chore, or duty)…and by ensuring that what is being read is so good that the reader gets hooked and comes back for more.

That’s why I’m dedicated to supporting children’s book authors in the continued development of their craft. We have a huge responsibility on our hands. It only takes one great book to turn someone on to reading… but those great books need to keep being written and gotten into the hands of children!”

This is why you must write that book. If you have ever felt that nudge… that gentle (or perhaps, at this point, nagging) whisper in your ear to get that idea down on paper, I am here to hold you accountable. We can only keep the next generation (and those after that) reading, and writing – and using creative expression to solve problems and promote awareness, and cultivate compassion, and address the issues before them with artfulness and thought – if we continue to provide them with the tools to do so.  And the first (and best, in my view) is a good book.

So, get writing. Who knows? You may be the next Madeleine L’Engle… but even if your story touches just one child, one heart, that’s reason enough for it to exist.  One might even say you have a responsibility to put it out there.

Dumpy At School

Dumpy at School (Hardcover)
by Julie Andrews Edwards (Author), Emma Walton Hamilton (Author), Tony Watson (Illustrator)

Reading level: Ages 4-8

Charlie, who is nervous about his first day of school, and Dumpy the Dumptruck, who is nervous about his first construction job, gradually adjust to their new settings after making new friends.

Dumpy Saves Christmas

Dumpy Saves Christmas (Hardcover)
by Julie Andrews Edwards (Author), Emma Walton Hamilton (Author)

Reading level: Ages 4-8

It’s Christmas Eve on Merryhill Farm, and Charlie can’t fall asleep. There’s a loud crash on the roof – and who should appear but Santa and a broken-down sleigh. Now how will all of the children in the world receive their presents from Santa? Dumpy comes to the rescue, of course, as Santa and Charlie load up Dumpy’s dumper with presents, hitch up the reindeer, and head off to a glorious star-filled night to travel the globe and spread love and good-will wherever they go.

This third story in the Dumpy( the Dump Truck series will warm readers’ hearts and spread holiday cheer just as it demonstrates the importance of teamwork and cooperation.

Dumpy's Extra Busy Day

Dumpy’s Extra-busy Day (Library Binding)
by Julie Edwards (Author), Tony Walton (Illustrator), Katie Boyd (Illustrator)

Reading level: Ages 4-8

It’s a very busy morning on the farm.

Farmer Barnes is away, so Charlie and Pop-Up have lots more chores to do than usual before the school bus arrives. With a little help from Dumpy and his animal pals, Charlie just might make it to school on time!
Dumpy demonstrates the rewards of cooperation in this lively easy-to-read book.

(PAPERBACK)

(HARDCOVER)

Dumpy To The Rescue

Dumpy to the Rescue (I Can Read Pre Level 1) (Library Binding)
by Julie Edwards (Author)

Many things are missing at Merryhill Farm — the cat’s milk, the baby roses, Pop-Up’s hat, and nuts and apples. Even Baby Goat is missing until Dumpy finds him.

Readers will enjoy finding out how Dumpy solves the mystery in this easy-to-read adventure.

Dumpy's Valentine

Dumpy’s Valentine (My First I Can Read) (Paperback)
by Julie Andrews Edwards (Author), Emma Walton Hamilton (Author), Tony Walton (Illustrator), Ruby Randig (Illustrator)

Reading level: Ages 4-8

It’s Valentine’s Day, and poor Trusty the Mail Truck has broken down. Dumpy offers to lend a hand, and with Charlie and Pop-Up’s help he delivers surprises all over town. But what about Trusty? Will he get a valentine this year?

Dumpy's Applel Shop

Dumpy’s Apple Shop (My First I Can Read) (Hardcover)
by Julie Andrews Edwards (Author), Emma Walton Hamilton (Author), Tony Walton (Illustrator), Cassandra Boyd (Illustrator)

Reading level: Baby-Preschool

It’s Apple Day and time for the Barnes family to set up their annual apple shop. Everyone pitches in, and Dumpy the Dump Truck wishes he could help too. Finally Dumpy finds the perfect way to make Apple Day a success!

Readers will enjoy discovering how special Dumpy is and how he makes each day joyful in this easy-to-read book.