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Every Kid Can (Write a Picture Book!)by

Nancy Stewart

GenresTypes of Books

Once

Upon

A

Time…

MYSTERy

Fiction

Fantasy

Science Fiction

I Need an Idea!Where do I get it?

ReadListen to PeopleWatch the World Around YouJournalBrainstorm

Brainstorm? Why?

Ask Thomas Edison! He said: “To have a great idea, have a lot of

them.”

Only my mind limits me…

What Do I Really Like to Read?

Pirates, Monsters, Action?An Imaginary World?Kids Saving Animals?Kids Saving Environment?Best Friends?Historical Characters?Archaeology?

Who’s in my Book?Characters, that’s

who!People

Or even

Animals

IMAGINARY

ONES

WHERE

IS

YOURS?

The Setting is the place of your story. Mine is in Africa.

Island

Castle

Gold Mine

Outer Space

At Home

The Setting is also the time of your story. Mine is the present day.

WHEN

IS

YOURS?

The Old West

The Future

Age of Dinosaurs

Age of Knights Today

ResearchWait! It can be fun!

My book takes place in Africa.I need to learn more about it.

We are doing group research.It’s fun and we learn, too!

When I researched about Africa, I found out cool stuff.

Namibia is a country in Africa.It has a huge desert called the Namib.Lots of diamond mines are in Namibia.

My book will be a mystery about kids getting lost in the desert!

What is your story about?You need a PLOT.

Your plot has:

A Beginning

A Middle

An End

WHAT

IS

YOURS?

It’s up to you to find a problem and solve it!

Write Your Rough Draft.

(This is your first try at writing your story!)

Some Tips for getting started

Use your research notes.

Write quickly. Get down what you want to say.

Leave lots of room between lines so you can scribble and cross out!

Have fun!

Your Title

It needs to catch your

It needs to let your reader know what’s it about.

It needs to be Interesting.

My Book Title is:Lost on the Skeleton Coast

Does it catch your?

Does it tell your reader about the book?

Is it interesting?

Rough Sketches (Pictures!)

Look at a picture as a guideOr

Sketch something from your mind.

Make light strokes.Don’t press down hard while drawing.

Time to be in an Author’s Group!

Share your story.

How can I make my book more exciting?

Do you like my main character?

I think your story

needs to move

faster.

Why don’t you

include a dog?

Revise My Story

Lost on the Skeleton Coast by Nancy

I would not want to get lost out here. Lions are wouldn’t roam

in this dessert! Some rhinos live here, to. desert! too.

Since we are being archaeologist’s helpers, we have to be careful.need

What Size Do You Want Your Book to Be?FORMAT!

How About Shape?

LayoutWhere Words and Pictures Go

Tips

Write the words by hand to check how much space is needed on page.

Try curving your words around some of the artwork!

One easy way: Put words on one page and pictures on the other.

q1

ArtMake it Pretty—or—Scary—or Weird!

Use heavier paper for watercolors.

Cut paper to the size of your book’s pages.

Lightly sketch words and art with a pencil.Color or paint what’s on your page.When finished, erase any lines that show.

LETTERINGPlain or Fancy or Shaded or Bold or

Any Way You Want

Use fancier letters for the title and plainer ones for the text.

Lightly draw letters with a pencil. Go over them with whatever you’re using for the book.

Put Your Book Together With Your Choice of Binding

Measure and mark each hole. Each page needs at least two.

Tie pages and cover with yarn, ribbon or string.

or

Punch holes with a 3 hole punch. Put book in folder with built-in

paper fasteners. Fasten all together.

orPut front and back covers and book together. Staple in straight row on left.

Open slowly and carefully!

Look at What You’ve Created!

Be Proud!

Be Happy!

You’re an Author!

NCTE/IRA NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.

2. Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.

3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound–letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).

4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.

5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.

12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Nancy Stewart

Author of:The Bella and Britt Series

andKatrina and Winter: Partners in

Courage

Website: http://www.nancystewartbooks.com Blog: http://www.nancystewartbooks.blogspot.com