Drafting Picture Book Stories
I.
The Beginning: try different leads:
a.
Describe the setting using sensory details (Terrible
Things)
b.
Describe the protagonist in an interesting way
(Brave Girl)
c.
Start with an aspect of the conflict (Click
Clack Moo)
d.
Start with vivid language: image or symbol, metaphor, simile (The Lorax
and The Curious Garden)
II.
Variety of meaningful details: use details to
slow down the pacing and emphasize important parts
a.
Repetition and parallelism (And Tango Makes
Three)
b.
Dialogue (Terrible Things)
c.
Humorous and light-hearted language (Mo Willems)
d.
Language rich in sound: alliteration, rhyme,
onomatopoeia (The Lorax, Click Clack Moo)
III.
The Resolution: try different endings:
a.
Show change in the character – what has she/he
learned? How has her/his life changed? (Brave Girl)
b.
Show change in the setting (The Curious Garden)
c.
Connect back to the beginning and show hope for
change (The Lorax)
d.
Leave some mystery – show possibility without
resolving the conflict completely as in Freedom
Summer
e.
Have the protagonist take action against the
conflict/problem (Terrible Things)
f.
Focus on a symbol (the last truffula seed)
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