PB Book Club Anyone?

escritora · Sep 9, 2011

Is anyone interested in a PB Book Club? Where we choose a book per month and discuss the mechanics of it? We'd learn a lot about our writing, I think.

Any takers?

sissybaby · Sep 9, 2011

sure - if I can find the books. I have time for that, and I need all the help I can get!

escritora · Sep 9, 2011

Cool. Here are my initial thoughts:

1) Everyone interested submits a suggestion or two.

2) If we have many suggestions, we'll put up a poll and vote on the list.

Having a solid list through December will benefit participants. those on a tight budget can borrow the books from their local library. Also, if there are birthdays coming up participants can ask for the book(s) as a gift. If others have a suggestion on how to keep expenses low, I'm open to hearing it.

Any other suggestions?

Smish · Sep 9, 2011

I think it's a great idea! I probably won't be able to participate, but I look forward to seeing your thoughts/comments.

MsJudy · Sep 9, 2011

I will chime in when I can, since I read hundreds of PBs, but since I don't write them I probably won't commit to participating every month.

Polenth · Sep 9, 2011

I'd be interested, though don't guarantee I'll take part each month. I like the idea of getting the book list ready in advance. I know I'd be likely to do the library in one hit and read all of them for the next few months.

Two suggestions I have...

* Suggestions should note if it's poetry or prose, so there's a mixture of types on the list.

* Have some discussion-starter questions about the pictures, rather than just the writing. I've seen both directions in SYW... not letting the pictures do enough or asking the pictures to do too much.

MsJudy · Sep 10, 2011

I'd suggest using recent award-winners or top sellers as one of the criteria for choosing books, and also focusing on debut authors. The PB market is so tight, it would be good to look at what is selling right now.

escritora · Sep 10, 2011

Here are three books for consideration.

Goodnight, Goodnight Construction site by Sherri Duskey Rinker. Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0811877825/?tag=absowrit-20

Charlie the Ranch Dog by Ree Drummond
Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0061996556/?tag=absowrit-20

Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown
Link:http://www.amazon.com/dp/0316015482/?tag=absowrit-20

Please add your suggestions and we can choose from there.

Polenth · Sep 10, 2011

These appeared to explode and get sequels where I am:

Aliens Love Underpants (Claire Freedman / Ben Cort) [Poetry, 2007]
Barry the Fish with Fingers (Sue Hendra) [Prose, 2009]
How to Catch a Star (Oliver Jeffers) [Prose, 2004] (This was a debut)

Caldecott Medal winners for the last few years:

A Sick Day for Amos McGee (Philip C. Stead / Erin Stead) [2010] (Looks like it has an adult main character)
The Lion & the Mouse (Jerry Pinkney) [2009]
The House in the Night (Susan Marie Swanson / Beth Krommes) [2008]

(I've not seen these three in the bookstore, so it might be they didn't take off in the UK in the same way.)

escritora · Sep 12, 2011

Anyone else have suggestions?

If not, any of the suggestions so far pique your interest. I'd like to select the three books by the end of the week.

Polenth · Sep 12, 2011

escritora said:
If not, any of the suggestions so far pique your interest. I'd like to select the three books by the end of the week.

From your suggestions, Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site and Children Make Terrible Pets looked interesting. From mine, How to Catch a Star would be my first choice.

I'm assuming you'll just pick a few for the list this time, as there aren't enough of us to hold a meaningful vote. Hopefully we'll start picking up more people once it gets going.

sissybaby · Sep 12, 2011

I'm not too choosy, as long as it's something I can find in a library. I am at least an hour's drive from any type of bookstore that might have kids books. (sigh) country life isn't always that special, but I don't have to listen to my neighbor's barking dogs all night.

escritora · Sep 12, 2011

Sissybaby, does your library have online access? Can you check to see which books they have? Or maybe choose a book you know they carry. This way we can have one selection from me, you, and Polenth.

sissybaby · Sep 13, 2011

How about some Ezra Jack Keats suggestions?

Only a Witch Can Fly - Alison McGee/Taeeun Yoo
Most Loved in All the World - Tanya Cherie Hageman/Cozbi Cabrera
I know Here - Laurel Croza/Matt James
Bunny Days - Tao Nyeu

Some of those names may be spelled wrong - I can't even read my own writing this morning.

Polenth · Sep 13, 2011

sissybaby said:
How about some Ezra Jack Keats suggestions?

Only a Witch Can Fly - Alison McGee/Taeeun Yoo
Most Loved in All the World - Tanya Cherie Hageman/Cozbi Cabrera
I know Here - Laurel Croza/Matt James
Bunny Days - Tao Nyeu

They look a lot more fun than the Caldecott winners! (Which is probably sacrilege or something, but none of the recent three really jumped out at me).

I tried out my library's online thing yesterday, only to discover it says they have no books of any description. Broken online things aside, I'll be heading down that way on Friday, so I'll pop in if we're decided by then.

escritora · Sep 13, 2011

How does this list sound?

October: Only a Witch Can Fly - Alison McGee/Taeeun Yoo (a fun read for Halloween)
November: How to Catch a Star - Oliver Jeffers
Decemeber: Children Make Terrible Pets - Peter Brown

Polenth · Sep 13, 2011

Sounds good to me.

sissybaby · Sep 14, 2011

Sounds fine to me, too.

It also seems a bit serendipitous (I probably didn't spell that right) but the books seem uncannily appropriate for the months you've assigned them.

escritora · Sep 14, 2011

Perfect. We have our list. To provide a full month of reading and analyzing for each book, I'll start a thread on the 15th of each month. Does that sound reasonable?

This book club is my idea and I'm embarrassed to say I really don't know what to look for when analyzing a picture book. I put together some questions.

What is the main character’s problem?
Did the text stand on its own or were illustrations required to understand the story?
Is the book preachy? (for books with an underlying message)
How is the rhyme and meter of the story? (for rhyming books)
How did the author maximize word choice to say a lot in a few words?
When you read the story out loud, did the sentences flow with ease?

Am I on the right track? Any other ideas for what to look for?

sissybaby · Sep 14, 2011

Hmmm, I know nothing about this process, either.

But some things I'd like to know are:

What is it about the book that makes it a favorite? Character development? Word choices? Theme? etc.

What is it about the illustrations that make the book remarkable? Or would you have chosen something different? I'm not sure if I'm clear on what I'm talking about here, because art isn't my forte, but I know when I see something that works for me compared to something that doesn't.

Polenth · Sep 14, 2011

Here are some other suggestions. It's a fairly long list, but I'm not suggesting we'd answer every question for every book... just pick the ones that make the most sense for that book.

Words

Is the book intended for a child to read to themselves or for an adult to read?
What are the most difficult words used? Does it use contractions?
Does it used advanced structures like similes, metaphors, etc?
Does the book contain dialogue? How is it structured?

Plot

Did the author use repetition / how did the author use repetition?
How does the story problem escalate?
How is the story resolved? Is this resolution satisfying?
How well can a child relate to the situation?

Character

Who is the main character? (Name, age, race, species, sex, gender, etc.)
What makes the main character interesting for children?
Who are the main character's family and friends? What roles do they take in the story?

Setting

Where does the story take place?
How long does the story last? (A day, a few hours, etc)

Art

What style of artwork was used? (Cartoony, realistic, surreal, highly detailed, minimalist...)
Does the art enchance the feel of the writing?
Is the picture book's main appeal the writing, the words or both?
Does the book employ the other senses? (Pop-ups, textures, noises, etc.)

Overall

Did you enjoy the book? Would you read more by this author?
Is it the sort of book you / a child would re-read?

Morrell · Sep 14, 2011

Just ordered a used copy in excellent condition from Amazon for $5.97, including shipping. The shipping was more than the book, but I don't care. My students and my nephew will enjoy it, too.

escritora · Sep 15, 2011

@ sissyback and Polenth: thanks! Now I feel I can add something valuable to the discussion.

@ RuthD: thanks for joining the fun!

Flur · Sep 15, 2011

Good idea.

I'll join in when I can. My library has a fairly limited selection and I don't have the extra money to buy any books. Anyway, I looked at my library's catalog online, and they have 2 of the 3 books listed. The one they don't have, I actually ran across at the bookstore about a week ago and read through it, so I'm at least somewhat familiar with that one.

sissybaby · Sep 15, 2011

welp, my library only had one, and it's checked out, so I have a hold on it.

The other two are available through interlibrary loan, so I'm eager to get started.

Flur and Ruth - glad you're joining us. I am pretty much ignorant of this whole process, but I think it will be a good learning experience.

PB Book Club Anyone?

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Reads more than she writes.

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