Tuesday, January 29, 2013

And The Winners Are…




Yesterday was a BIG day in the world of kid lit!

The 2013 John Newbery Medal for most outstanding contribution to children's literature was awarded to The One and Only Ivan written by Katherine Applegate.

And the 2013 Randolph Caldecott Medal for most distinguished American picture book went to This Is Not My Hat illustrated and written by Jon Klassen.

Congratulations to these two rock stars!

Is there a Newbery or Caldecott in your future?

I certainly hope so!

Well, if you want to write like a winner, then it’s a good idea to read like one, too.

Pick up a dozen award winners – okay, make it a baker’s dozen just for luck.

Read them the first time just for the thrill of the ride, then read each one again.

The second time around, dissect those metaphorical frogs like you’re back in 7th grade biology class. Poke around their innards, see what makes them tick… and enjoy the fact that you’re not getting all nauseated from the stench of formaldehyde.

What, in your opinion, makes these books The Great Ones?

PROMPT: Whatever your genre of choice, get to know some of the best voices in the business. While you should always write YOUR story and stay true to YOUR voice, you can certainly learn a lot from doing some hang time with the masters.

No comments:

Post a Comment