Category: mentor texts

Posted in Chapter Books, Kidlit, KidLit Craft, mentor texts, Online Class, Workshops, Writing Goals

2025 Goal: Write a Chapter Book

Posted on by beckylevine
Photo by Bich Tran on Pexels.com

At the end of last year, I set myself a few 2025 writing goals. One was to draft my first chapter book. I wasn’t sure when I’d get started or how I’d get an idea or how I’d learn the genre craft (other than, as always, mentor texts). Well, all that has changed.

  • I got started. I read a pile of first books in various chapter books series and fell in love with some, recognizing a bit of what I want to include in a book I write.
  • I got an idea…for a chapter book series. I’m in love with this idea, and–if I can do it–it’s going to be full of adventure and humor and conflict and at least one “aww” moment per book.
  • I’m starting to learn. Yes, yes, yes to mentor texts, but also–with magical timing–I signed up for Marcie Colleen’s two-session workshop on Planning & Plotting a Series for Young Readers, in the Inked Voices community. The class is finished, but if you are even considering playing around with chapter books or early/beginning readers, keep your eyes open for any learning opportunity with Marcie. I learned SO much!

I am in love with this idea and, already, with my characters. I know that first book often (rarely!) make it to bookstore or library shelves, but I honestly believe that my premise, at least, is something kids will love. I realized that I wanted this book/series to be active and energetic and positive and funny. I totally believe that kids need escape stories, especially when they’re learning to read for themselves, and I also totally believe that this author needs escape writing–especially when they’re learning to deal with the next four years. I’m happy when I’m brainstorming ideas for these books, I’m happy when I’m doing character studies, and I’m happy when I’m playing with plot. And I am realizing, as I get further into things, that this is going to be a series which will make kids feel seen and heard, which will validate the importance of anything that is important to them.

So…on I go. I added a Chapter Book Series board to my Pinterest page, with the first book in my favorite series there for you (or the young readers in your lives) to discover. While I was there, I also updated several other boards and added a couple of boards for grownups (slim pickings on these, since I read so little of these books; on the other hand, if a book is on a grownup board, you know it’s GOOD!)

Happy reading & writing!

Posted in mentor texts, Picture Books, Research, Uncategorized

Where to Find those 10,000 Books

Posted on by beckylevine

So at some point in Outliers, I guess Malcolm Gladwell said a few things about putting 10,000 hours into something you want to do well. And possibly there is debate about not only what he said, but about whether he was right.

Whatever Gladwell actually said, how many times have you heard other writers, publishers, agents, your mother say that–to write–you need to read? A lot. Do you really need to read 10,000 books? Sure. Even more. I don’t actually think there’s a cut-off, a number beyond which you’ve gathered everything you need to know. I do agree that reading is critical to growing my writing skills and that a whole bunch of that reading needs to be in my genre.

I’ve talked here before about mentor texts, the picture books I go to when I’m stuck. I look for something the authors have done that I’m not doing yet, look for places they’ve cleared the particular hurdle I’m facing. I dissect, I analyze, I scribble notes. (No, not in the book!) And I am always looking for new mentor texts–books that tell a story as well as I’m hoping mine will some day. Where do I find these books?

I check out the picture-book section every time I walk into a bookstore. I browse library shelves, and I check out the books I find. I look at the websites of agents I’m researching, and I put their books on hold. I google things like “best picture books of the year,” and I put those books on hold. I read blogs by picture book writers, and…yep, I put more books on hold. Every couple of weeks, I take a pile  of picture books back to the library, and I pick up my next stack.

I’m looking for some new sites I can explore. So I thought I’d ask here for your suggestions–where to you go to look for what’s new and good? Thank you in advance!

I’ll start:

There you go! Got anything to add?