“Picture Books” by Enokson is licensed under CC BY 2.0. When I worked at my church’s preschool, I discovered the magic of reading aloud to children. Little voices asked questions, little hands clapped, and little feet wiggled with excitement. As we sang, laughed, and played together, I learned that the best picture books were more than great stories…
Tag: picturebooks
Why it Works: Click, Clack, Moo by Doreen Cronin
Click, clack, moo. Click, clack, moo. Clickety-clack, moo. Whether you’ve grown up with it or you read it to your kids, Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type is a modern classic that you should have on your bookshelf. But what makes this silly story so good? Dive in with me as we explore this barnyard…
How to Write Simply, Part 3: Humor!
Welcome back to my three-part series on writing simply, inspired by Oobi! If you haven’t read them already, here’s part one and part two. Enjoy! Little kids are the kings of comedy. Everything is funny to them since they’re discovering things for the first time. They love weird sounds, silly walks, and unusual characters. Preschoolers…
How to Write Simply, Part 2: Character!
This is part two of my series on Writing Simply, inspired by Oobi. You can read part one here. Characters are what draw readers to your story. A strong character in a children’s story should be both aspirational and relatable. They should be good role models, but have flaws, just like real kids. Each episode…
How to Write Simply – Part One: Dialogue!
One of my favorite TV show creators, Josh Selig, was once asked why he created such gentle preschool shows in an era of flashy CGI spectacles. His answer? “Simple is good.” Selig recognized that children see the extraordinary in the ordinary. Adults don’t notice the flower growing in the sidewalk crack, but a four-year-old will…
Emma Holley 