I can’t remember at which conference I heard this advice, and who gave it; but I remember it being very good and useful, especially for an aspiring writer.
The steps are simple:
- Pick your favorite picture book–I’m a little bit curious… Title? 🙂
- Sit at your favorite writing spot with a writing device–your desk, a coffee shop, your bookstore or library…
- Open the book, and type the entire manuscript.
If you can and if it is an area of interest, make it a multicultural PB. What did you learn? How does it feel?
I’m doing this exercise with Show Way, by Jacqueline Woodson. I’ll be back later today to share my experience, and I look forward to reading about yours. 🙂
Merry Thursday,
Nathalie
Multiculturalism Rocks! 
Great choice ! It’s at the very top of my list of all times favorites. I’m going to do this, too. Thanks for the tip.
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Hi Katia, you’re welcome! If you can, let me know how it went… 🙂
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Wow, nice exercise – I will try it!
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Awesome! Now I’m wondering which book you’ll pick… 😀
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ooooh! What a great idea! How could we make Goodnight Moon multicultural? Any ideas?
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Hi Donna,
if you have friends from other cultures, it could be interesting to know:
-how they say “goodnight” in their language?
-Who, in their cultural context, the children would greet goodnight to? 😀
However that suggestion seems to require some work (as opposed to sitting with the book and typing the story on the spot)
For example in some parts of Cameroon, when you greet someone you actually inquire about not only the whole family, but the goats, etc… 😀
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Took a break from playing with Kali – and I have chosen Henry’s Freedom Box to read and to type. This is a true story from the Underground Railroad by Ellen Levine. This is a recent pick from the library for K.
I know this is not what you asked – but I have to give this book a review. Amazing read. From heartbreaking to heartwarming. It is a picture book of fiction and is a true pic book. Short, to the point, but with beautiful word usage. Just enough information for young children to grasp, and perfect word usage – my daughter asked about a few words, and I was able to educate her. She now has a grasp of what slaves were and how horrible it was for them. She had a look of horror and got mad – she said that people are mean. I could not disagree with her.
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oops, a true story does not qualify as fiction.
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No worries, Cheryl! It’s a book, it’s a story, it’s all that matters. And thank you for recommending Henry’s Freedom Box! 🙂
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