Children's story basics

An essential, must-have element of a children's story is

• Using animals for characters

• Having a creative setting

• Repetition of conflict

• A happy ending

Answer explanation

The repetition of conflict increases the tension and results in a big payoff when the protagonist eventually changes in the climax.

However, a less developed conflict means a less meaningful climax. If the problem in the story isn't worth explaining and developing, then the climactic change they experience isn't worth much either.

What are ways to help children become familiar and

warm up quickly to a particular story?

• Using specific words and phrases they already know

• Simplify the characters and setting

• Unique characters with interesting backstories

• Having a similar culture to the protagonist

Answer explanation

Having a character with an interesting backstory necessarily means that you need to invest time in explaining that story, even a bit. All of that effort to explain comes at the expense of the simplicity that's essential in telling a children's story.

This is why using animals in your story can be helpful...their backstory is already known and doesn't need any explanation. We know that lions hunt and we know elephants travel in a herd.

The unique traits of animals- and children's knowledge of them- is an easy way to make your story a bit more complex, yet easy to follow.

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Awesome Adam Always Asks About Alliteration

Alliteration practice: choose a name below and string 3+ words together to help characterize them.

Choose one: Francene, James, Melinda, Randy, Neil, Cameron, Wilbur, Veronica, Harold, Beatrice, Larry

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How might alliteration be helpful in a children's story?

• Since the letters repeat, kids can learn to recognize the letter and sound relationship

• It's good to teach children literary concepts at an early age

• It can deepen the characterization when using humor and wit to describe them

• Interesting sounding lines in a story help make it fun and engaging to listen to

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The part of the plot that sets the story and conflict into motion.

Answer explanation

Incite (v): to encourage someone to act, to stir, to motivate to take action.

Inciting moment is when there is an action that sets the whole story in motion.

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Which setting would be the most confusing for a kid's book?

• Sitting in a barber shop chair

• Sitting at the bank of a stream

• Sitting in a mail carrier's vehicle

• Sitting in a dentist office chair

Answer explanation

Confusing, yes.

So many questions to be asked...like, who is that mail carrier, and where's my phone let's call 911.

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What is the name for using creative and specific words to give the reader a very detailed picture in their mind.

Answer explanation

We don't want to merely tell the reader what happened:

Billy felt bad about his ice cream cone melting.

Instead, we want to show the reader what happened by using descriptive imagery:

Wiping away the small river from his tear soaked cheek, Billy sobbed uncontrollably that his double scoop of Rocky Road had melted and dribbled all the way down his arm, sending him both chills of cold and panic, knowing that this was the very last ice cream cone left on planet Earth.

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Animals that have easily recognizable features can help create rich meaning in a quick and efficient way.

Which animals below do you think have unique qualities that will easily help the storytelling?

• Skunk

• Goldfish

• Giraffe

• Guinea pig

Answer explanation

Skunk- a distinct defense mechanism- the smell

Goldfish- a basic fish that many people know to be simple animals

Giraffe- the unique neck makes it an animal easily recognized

Guinea pig- another common animal that people have as pets. They're small and tend to have common qualities that other rodents possess.

Any animal can make a children's story wonderful. The trick is to characterize them in a quick way by not writing so much. An easily recognizable animal makes the writing AND reading process streamlined and efficient.

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What kinds of illustrations work best for a children's storybook?

• Lots of color

  &

  Shading

• Complex scene

  &

  Lots of detail

• Lots of action

  &

  Detailed characters

• Simple drawing

  &

  Lots of expression

Answer explanation

A simple drawing is easy to understand and many famous children's books are filled with basic pictures and scenes. What they do have however, is the ability to convey rich meaning, which usually involves authentic reactions and emotions from the characters.

Children can relate to people in the story who have real feelings, even if a bit over-the-top.

Color isn't essential, nor is shading.

Fine detail can be interesting to examine, but it's not as important as being able to easily understand what the image is. If the details are too many, it can make recognizing the image tedious.

Action can be helpful, but it's often more confusing than exciting. If you want some kind of action to be present, keep it simple and basic. Let the words do the exciting stuff, and the picture should help clarify. That is, the picture is only reinforcing what the words say. Don't have illustrations give new information- it only needs to bolster and strengthen the story...nothing more, nothing less.

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You want your story to be a page-turner. What do you think that means?

• Plot is developed efficiently with little wasted on extras that don't contribute to the conflict or theme.

• The resolution's finale is well thought out and deliberately woven together.

• A lot of descriptive imagery to place the reader in the scene.

• When the setting aligns with the culture or location of the reader.

Answer explanation

Spending too much time on the details of a story, like characterizing minor character, adding to one's backstory, or revealing another twist not related to the conflict...

...all of that makes the story drag on, with the average reader feeling disconnected to the plot. When they read unconnected details, they will try to think of how it fits into the plot. All of the guessing and wondering gets taxing on the reader and if kept up, they will disconnect and stop reading.

A story that doesn't waste time on things not related to the theme, conflict, or plot allows the reader to move along the story quickly, trusting the author's plan. With a cohesive, linear plan, they are more likely to go along with the author's imaginative ideas.

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