PICTURE BOOK KNOWHOW Keep it in the Family!
Recently, many
celebrated Father’s Day. Here are some inspiring stories celebrating dads, mums
and the family as a whole – whatever shape or form it comes in from picture
book experts, Natascha Biebow and Ellie Farmer.
One of the most
important tips we give to picture-book writers is to make sure your theme is
universal – and what could be more encompassing than the family!
One Family by
George Shannon, illustrated by Blanca Gomez, is a simple and unusual counting
book that shows the diverse make-up of lots of different families, whilst
reminding readers that a no matter how many, or how few, people make up a
family they are always one unit joined by love.
 |
| From One Family by Shannon and Gomez |
The narrative moves
from one to ten and powerfully concludes that:
One is one and everyone,one earth, one world, one family.
TOP TIP
Consider the unusual way that the author has woven several concepts into his book to make a conventional theme feel fresh and contemporary.
Similarly
all-encompassing is Everybody’s Welcome by Patricia Hegarty and illustrated by
Greg Abbott. Again, it’s a simple, yet masterful text which demonstrates that
family is not just about your immediate relatives; it’s about community and
social bond. Here, the clever use of novelty elements highlights how the
animals (of every species) come together to build a home and an extended family
founded on love, respect and care.
TOP TIP
Consider how to broaden your central theme to give your story greater reach, depth and heart.
Grizzly Dad by
Joanne Harrison is a beautifully imagined story of how Dad wakes up one morning
a little bit grumpy and a little bit grizzly and before you now it – he’s turned
into a great big grizzly bear! Together Grizzly Dad and his little boy have a
wonderful day zooming round the park, making honey sandwiches and slumping in
front of the telly. It’s a joyful celebration of those classic days with dad.
TOP TIP
Joanne Harrison uses a simple play on words as the basis around which to weave a heartwarming and charming story about parental relationships.
Dad woke up in a grrrizzly mood. All morning he groaned and grizzled and grumped. And then he went back to bed! But when I pulled back the covers to see how he was, it wasn't Dad in bed at all… it was a GREAT BIG GRIZZLY BEAR!
Mamasaurus by
Stephan Lomp is a visually striking picture book about one little dino’s hunt
for his mummy. He meets lots of little dinosaurs along the way – some are
small, some are fast and each one’s mummy is just right for them... but not
for Babysaurus. Will he ever find his mama? The author perfectly shoes how
every parent (and child) is different and special in their own way.
TOP TIP
Consider how the author uses a simple technique to focus on the positive ways to celebrate difference.
The Mummy Shop by
Abie Longstaff and Lauren Beard starts with a brilliantly bold statement:
One day Mummy made me very cross!
 |
| From The Mummy Shop by Longstaff and Beard |
Abie Longstaff
doesn’t shy away from depicting one of those days when family members can feel
frustration with each other. What ensues is a hilarious series of silly
scenarios where our child hero spies an advert for the ‘perfect’ mummy and goes
off in search of her. Will he find her at the Mummy Shop? Or is the perfect
mummy a little closer to home . . .
TOP TIP
Weaving in an added emotional dimension fleshes out the story, adds another layer to the text and provides a springboard for discussion about how to understand and process feelings.
Sometimes families
aren’t founded on biological bonds and Our Twitchy by Kes Gray, illustrated by
Mary McQuillan, is a brilliantly observed and heart-warming book about
adoption.
TOP TIP
Using gentle humour and believable characters helps make subjects more accessible for young children.
And some families
aren’t always meant to be together. Mum and Dad Glue is another brilliant text
by Kes Gray, illustrated by Lee Wildish. The text is perfectly balanced. It’s
honest, kind, and clear; whilst the love your parents have for each other might
be broken, the love they have for you is strong and neverending.
 |
| From Mum and Dad Glue by Gray and Wildish |
TOP TIP
Consider the clever way the author uses a simple and immediate analogy to tackle a complex and heart-breaking subject.
And Tango Makes
Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, illustrated by Henry Cole tells
the true story of two penguins in Central Park Zoo named Roy and Silo, who were
a little bit different from the others – but their wish for a family was the
same. With the help of a kindly zookeeper, Roy and Silo get the chance to welcome
a baby penguin of their very own.
TOP TIP
Consider how the author has used a real-life story and examples from the natural world to illustrate the universal nature of families.
 |
| From And Tango Makes Three by Richardson, Parnell & Cole |
In More People to
Love Me, Mo O'Hara (illustrated by Ada Gray) tackles the subject of extended
families in a poignant, child-centred, fun way. With a step-mum, a step-dad,
four brothers and sisters, and a whole lot of grandparents, this little girl's
family tree is so huge it will never fit on one page – but this just means more
people to love her.
TOP TIP
Sometimes adding a surprise novelty element can give your book a different USP. This book has a novelty fold-out family tree at the back of the book to literally illustrate how a big this girl's family is!
In Todd Parr's The
Family Book, all kinds of families are explored using bold, bright colours, and
funny and often poignant opposites.
 |
| From The Family Book by Parr |
Some families are big/Some families are small… Some families are messy… Some families look alike/Some families look like their pets… Some families have two moms or two dads/Some families have one parent instead of two.
The author presents
differences, but also emphasizes how we are all alike in our human condition:
All families are
sad when they lose someone they love.
But regardless of
your family make-up, the catchy, rhythmical read-aloud text leaves children
with an empowering message:
 |
| From The Family Book by Parr |
We hope you're all
having a lovely weekend with your loved ones and they will inspire you to write
some fabulous stories!
Natascha Biebow is
an experienced editor, mentor and coach, who loves working with authors
and illustrators at all levels to help them to shape their stories. www.blueelephantstoryshaping.com
Check out the Cook Up a Picture Book Coaching Courses.
No comments:
We love comments and really appreciate the time it takes to leave one.
Interesting and pithy reactions to a post are brilliant but we also LOVE it when people just say they've read and enjoyed.
We've made it easy to comment by losing the 'are you human?' test, which means we get a lot of spam. Fortunately, Blogger recognises these, so most, if not all, anonymous comments are deleted without reading.