Happy Birthday Tony

Happy Birthday to the best man I have ever known, my husband, Anthony Stemke!!

Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke Follow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/kathy-stemke/13/269/285

The Visual Character Arc: Characterization in Picture Books

WELCOME TO DAY 1

BLACK COW BOOK TOUR

 

The Visual Character Arc: Characterization in Picture Books

by Magdalena Ball

 

Normally when writing instructors speak of the 'character arc' they're talking about textual based fiction, but all good books, from novels to children's picture books use characterisation well. So why is characterisation important? There's one key, critical reason and that is because everyone reading your book is going to be a person who will need to relate to and accept (even if temporarily) as real. To achieve good characterisation in a novel you need details, specifics, visual impressions, motion. This can be achieved just as well with images as it can with text. With text, you often need a paragraph to convey a character impression such as the following from my new novel Black Cow:

Her mind knotted with things she couldn’t say out loud, desire for change, fear for James’ health and a growing headache that had begun to work its way around the eyes as she called out, "Are you okay?"

Now look at this image of the the Lorax from the Dr Seuss book of the same name:

Doesn't his expression convey something similar, anger, concern, frustration, a hint of tireness, and maybe a sense of being small, helpless and still in charge to an extent all in one glance? It helps that Dr Seuss supports this amazing image with some cracking text:

He was shortish. And oldish.

And brownish. And mossy.

And he spoke with a voice

that was sharpish and bossy.

An example of powerful characterisation? I'll say. There are classic examples of characterisation here with the antogonist/protagonist relationship strengthened by using the antagonist as contrite narrator trying to make good - a character arc if ever there was. All of this is supported by Dr Seuss's colourful imagery, which has stayed with me from childhood like other characters including those of Maurice Sendak.

 Who, for example, could forget Little Bear and his mother. The care, the very human concern of the mother (and just the tiniest hint of exasperation - after all, mother is busy as all mothers are), and the hat, which mother provided him to keep him warm. Yes, all the elements of characterisation can be conveyed in images, in brief hints of text, using rhyme as Dr Seuss does, personification, onomatopoeia, allusion, imagery, all the poetic techniques are in play, and strengthened by the visual.

So how do you do this in your work? Just stick to the basics. Know your characters, develop them with both explicit and implicit qualities, from the superficial and quirky, to the deep and universal. Show the reader who they are through nuance and action, detail, dialogue and description, just as we might get to know someone we meet at a party for the first time. Let us come to love your picture book characters as we would the characters in a novel and you'll have produced a work that will remain with the reader into adulthood.

Magdalena Ball is the author of the newly released character rich novel Black Cow. Grab a a free mini flip book of the book here: http://www.bewritebooks.com/mb/BlackCow/BlackCow.html

For more information on the book visit: http://magdalenaball.com/wordpress/?page_id=175

Buy the Book

AMAZON (discounted!) | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY (free worldwide shipping!) | BEWRITE BOOKS

BOOK TOUR SCHEDULE:

Friday, 24 February: Educationtipster

Monday, 27 February: Writing and other ways into the heart…

Tuesday, 28 February: Nancy Famolari

Friday, 2nd March: Boychik Lit

Monday, 5 March: Slow and Steady Writers

Tuesday, 6 March: World of Ink Network (radio show)

Thursday, 8 March: The Alliterative Allomorph

Saturday, 10 March: Writers on the Move

Monday, 12 March: WOTM Webinar workshop

Thursday, 15 March: Heidi M. Thomas

Friday, 19 March: The Simplicity Collective

Tuesday, 20 March: The Dark Phantom

Wednesday, 21 March: Do North

Friday, 23 March: Karen Coiffi-Ventrice Writing and Marketing

Saturday, 24 March: The New Book Review

Thursday, 26 April: A Book and a Chat radio show

Please comment for a chance to win a prize!

KATHY STEMKE'S WEBSITES: Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke Follow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/kathy-stemke/13/269/285

50 Essential Homeschool Blogs for Every Grade Level | Online College Tips - Online Colleges

50 Essential Homeschool Blogs for Every Grade Level Online College Tips - Online Colleges

Magdalena Ball: Black Cow Virtual Book Tour (and more)

Magdalena Ball: Black Cow Virtual Book Tour (and more): Hello wonderful fellow bookworms. I'm very excited to report that my new novel Black Cow is about to be released on February 24th. To ce...

A GREAT REVIEW FOR "TROUBLE ON EARTH DAY"

http://www.thenewbookreview.blogspot.com/2012/02/earth-day-reading-for-kids.html

KATHY'S WEBSITES:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke Follow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/kathy-stemke/13/269/285

GUARDIAN ANGEL KIDS online ezine for Kids!

GUARDIAN ANGEL KIDS online ezine for Kids!

Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.htmlFollow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemkeFollow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profileFollow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/kathy-stemke/13/269/285

Children’s Ezine Guardian Angel Kids: Math Concepts – February 2012 Issue

Teaching math concepts beyond traditional number problems opens up creative opportunities for both teachers and students. Different strategies include the use of poetry, stories, engaging articles, and activities that get the body and mind working in unison.

Come explore the world of "Math Concepts" in the Guardian Angel Kids February 2012 issue and learn how to tell time, add, subtract, and divide, rap to numbers through poetry, learn the history of pennies, how powerful zero truly is, and hands on math activities. Make it a family learning experience and fun will surely be had by one and all.

Letter from the EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Donna M. McDine

Featured BookS:

Learn to Count 1-10 flip book by Eugene Ruble

Sparkie: A Star Afraid of the Dark book trailer by Susann Batson

Children’S poetry, SHORT STORIES, and articleS:

“Can You Tell Time?” quiz by Marion Tickner – explores the different timepieces before the technology explosion.

 “How Many Are Half?” poetry by Donna J. Shepherd – Grandma’s delicious chocolate chip cookie treat and how the cookies are shared.

 “Numbers Rap,” poetry by Bill Kirk – the wonder of numbers all around us.

 “Cookies with Sprinkles,” by Shari L. Klase and illustrated by Julie Hammond – a whimsical adventure to Grandma’s house.

 “The Value of Pennies,” by Gina Napoli – discover the history and significance of pennies.

 “The All Powerful Nothing,” by Mary Reina – learn about the power of zero and how it turns nothing into something.

 “Hands on Math Activities for Home or School,” by Kathy Stemke – get moving and grooving with enjoyable Math activities.

 “Hopscotch Math,” by Karen Robuck – teach and reinforce basic Math skills with the fun of hopscotch.

Visit Guardian Angel Kid today and www.guardian-angel-kids.com and enjoy a child safe and ad free Ezine.

Kathy Stemke's websites: 

Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke Follow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/kathy-stemke/13/269/285