Nancy I. Sanders's Blog, page 30

Book Review: Baby Wren and the Great Gift

Baby Wren and the Great Gift

by Sally Lloyd-Jones

Art by Jen Corace

Summary

Baby wren peeps out of her nest that is perched high up on a canyon wall. As she sees the world and the other animals, she wishes she could do all the things they can do. She wishes she could fish like the kingfisher. Then she wishes she could do cartwheels like a ring-tailed cat. Then she wishes she could swim and splash like the sunfish and fly high above the stormy sky like the eagles. In the end, little wren looks out over the beautiful canyon glowing in the sunset and sings out a happy song of thanksgiving. She has discovered her talent after all.

What I Like

This is a simple story and the illustrations are very sweet. It will be a nice quiet book to read to little ones and share the simple message that we each have our own unique talents.

-Thanks, BookLook Bloggers for another wonderful free book in exchange for my honest review!

Filed under: Book Review, Uncategorized

Faith Building Fridays: Will

For I have come down from heaven,

not to do my own will,

but the will of Him who sent me.

-John 6;35, NKJV

Even Jesus did not have any agenda except to accomplish God’s will. Let’s set aside all our desires, personal goals, and self-centered plans for our writing. Let’s commit our hearts to only writing for God’s will to be accomplished, whatever that means for our own personal journey.

Dear God, I only want what you want for me and for my writing. I place myself in the center of Your will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Scribes: Devotions for Christian Writers is available at Amazon.

Filed under: Uncategorized

Critique Group

I highly recommend you belong to a critique group.

If you already belong to a critique group…super!

If you don’t, do what I did recently when I decided I wanted to belong to a critique group that mostly focuses on nonfiction picture books.

I contacted a couple of gals and invited them to start up a new group with me. One I already knew in person. The others I only knew from online writing groups I was in like Facebook or a nonfiction yahoo group.

Some writers I contacted couldn’t join, so along with the others who could join, we asked writer friends of friends until we had 4 gals who wanted to be part of the group.

The rules were pretty simple. Each writer submits one manuscript a month. We take turns so on every Monday someone submits a manuscript. The others have until Sunday evening to e-mail back feedback on the manuscript. (We insert comments and track changes in Word.)

I have grown to love this group so much. It’s really helping me be a better nonfiction picture book writer.

And you can do the same!

Just reach out and ask some other children’s authors you see on Facebook writing groups or in yahoo writing groups.

If you don’t belong to any online writing groups for nonfiction children’s writers, let us know and we can give you some links to places you can join. So you can start up a group so when you get the first draft of your manuscript finished (if you’re following along here on this journey to submit to Charlesbridge publishers) you’ll have a group you can share your manuscript with.

And if this all sounds like too much to even think about, then here’s what I recommend:

Sign up and attend Pat Miller’s AMAZING conference called “Nonfiction for New Folks.” It takes place in Texas next September. I’ll be there to teach along with a line-up of AWESOME nonfiction children’s writers. CLICK HERE to register and find out more.

Because one of the amazing benefits at the conference will be that you’ll meet, actually meet, other folks who love writing nonfiction as much as you do. And Pat will take you by the hand and help you gain the confidence you need to really move forward in this whole writing journey. She limits this conference to 36 members so we can really connect with each other and with this market.

And then the idea of starting up an online critique group to focus on nonfiction will seem easy peasy!

 

 

Filed under: Conferences, Networking, Nonfiction, Picture Books

NF PB Journey: Mentor Text

Well, I’ve come to a screeching halt.

You see, there are many more wonderful nonfiction picture books at Charlesbridge that I could continue evaluating and posting rubrics for.

But I’ve decided not to.

Why? Because I found the mentor text I want to use. Yep. It’s DIRTY RATS?

Here’s what so great about this picture book as a mentor text:

It’s a great “breakthrough” format. Meaning it’s a good example of a text that I feel could be a great nonfiction picture book manuscript to experience breakthrough for a first time contract with a publisher I’ve not yet worked with.
It’s got a solid plot structure and (without actually having plotted its structure yet) it looks like it follows the 3-Act structure really well.
It’s a simple and straight-forward approach to a nonfiction topic, so I feel I can experience success using this as a guide to write my own nonfiction picture book.

So if you want to follow along with me in the next few weeks as I use this book as my mentor text and share the journey I’m taking, head on over to your local library and get a copy. Or purchase it at your favorite indie bookstore. Or buy it used or new on Amazon.

And since I’m sharing in real time what I’m doing to try to experience breakthrough with a nonfiction picture book at Charlesbridge publishers, I wanted to explain that right now I have 4 goals for the manuscript I’m planning on writing based on this mentor text.

GOAL #1. Write the first draft of a brand new nonfiction picture book manuscript from beginning to end.

GOAL #2. Take this manuscript to my critique group.

GOAL #3. Submit a polished manuscript to Charlesbridge.

GOAL #4. Simultaneously submit it to 5-10 other nonfiction picture book publishers who are currently taking unsolicited manuscripts. CLICK HERE to see a list of these potential publishers.

If you want to share in these goals, I’d be thrilled to have you join along!

But I can already hear some of you saying, “Wait! I don’t belong to a critique group!”

So just hold on tight…we’ll talk about that in my next post!

 

Filed under: Mentor Text, Nonfiction, Picture Books

Faith Building Fridays: Variety

Be sure to stay busy and plant a variety of crops,

for you never know which will grow–

perhaps they all will.

-Ecclesiastes 11:6, NLT

Write for the no-pay/low-pay market. Submit queries and try to land contracts for manuscripts you haven’t yet written. Work on the manuscript that is near and dear to your heart. Write with purpose and write with a plan. God knows His plans for You as His scribe. He has a purpose and a hope designed just for you.

Dear God, thank You for this word of encouragement. Help me focus my time and energies to keep planting and keep writing. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Scribes: Devotions for Christian Writers is available at Amazon.

Filed under: Faith-building Fridays, Inspiration, Uncategorized

NF PB Journey: Dirty Rats?

Dirty Rats?

By Darrin Lunde

Art by Adam Gustavson

Published by Charlesbridge in 2015

There are many outstanding qualities about this nonfiction picture book. For one thing, it helps open children’s eyes to the world of rats…all over the world. Not all rats eat garbage or live in sewers. Some live out of doors and some even swim in clear mountain streams.

The other quality that really stands out to me is the author’s word choice. Wow. Swarm and scurry. Beady eyes and naked tails. Eek! Aargh! Yikes!

So great! This text is very engaging. And very informative. What a great book for kids and adults to read.

Here’s my rubric of this nonfiction picture book.

 

Filed under: Mentor Text, Nonfiction, Picture Books

NF PB Journey

The House that George Built

by Suzanne Slade

Art by Rebecca Bond

Published by Charlesbridge in 2012

I think this is one of my all-time favorites as a nonfiction picture book. Why? Because I love the combination of the 2 levels of text.

On one level, the information is presented about the details and interesting facts surrounding the building of the White House by George Washington.

At the second level, on many corresponding spreads, the cumulative poem builds, following the format of THIS IS THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT.

It’s clever. It’s unique. It’s a fresh spin on an age-old topic. And that’s what makes this nonfiction picture book a winner in my opinion. Way to go Charlesbridge! Way to go Suzanne Slade and Rebecca Bond!

Here’s my rubric for this text.

 

Filed under: Nonfiction, Picture Books

Faith Building Fridays: Warriors

And now, O Lord, call out Your warriors!

-Joel 3:11b, NLT

The army of darkness is advancing in the publishing world as more and more ungodly books and articles are published each day. But know this! We are on the winning side! God has called us to be His warriors and join in the fight to shine the light of His kingdom into a dark world through the words we write. Do you hear Him calling Your name? Come, warrior! Pick up your pen and fight!

Dear God, thank You for showing us the end of the story. Yours is the victory! Yours is the triumph! I hear you calling my name and I step up to strap on my armor and fight the good fight. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Scribes: Devotions for Christian Writers is available at Amazon.

Filed under: Faith-building Fridays, Inspiration, Uncategorized

Faith Building Fridays: Cheer

When doubts filled my mind,

your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.

-Psalm 94:19, NLT

So often doubts fill our mind. Is our writing good enough? Will we ever get published like another writer? Do we have what it takes? At times like this, take a break from writing. Go somewhere and relax. If you live near a playground, swing on the swings. As you take your break, sing praises to God on high. Praise Him that His power is perfected in our weakness. Your heart will be renewed with hope and cheer.

Dear God, I’m so glad that You don’t call the equipped, but You equip those that you call. You have called me so I will trust that You will equip me. All I have to do is my best and You will do all the rest. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Scribes: Devotions for Christian Writers is available at Amazon.

Filed under: Faith-building Fridays, Inspiration, Uncategorized

Book Review: God Bless Our Country

God Bless Our Country

by Hannah C. Hall

Art by Steve Whitlow

SUMMARY

God Bless Our Country is written in rhyme. This delightful oversized padded board book invites children to celebrate our wonderful country of America. With animal characters illustrated in sweet and soft art, the positive, up-beat text teaches young children about raising the flag, marching in a parade, praying for our nation, and fun ways to celebrate being an American. Combined with apple pie, ice cream, swimming with friends, and camping under star-filled nights, children also learn ways to enjoy the great outdoors that God has give us here in our country.

WHAT I LIKE

This oversized padded board book is the perfect way to teach young children to be thankful for America. I especially like the closing lines that sum up the sweet story:

God showers goodness on this land–

No place I’d rather be.

This home I love, from God above.

God bless our free country!

It’s never too early to teach young ones to take pride in being an American and to thank God for this wonderful country we call home. This book does both. God Bless Our Country is tops!

-Thanks, BookLook Bloggers for another wonderful free book in exchange for my honest review!

Filed under: Book Review, Uncategorized