Thank you to all of the talented picture book imaginators for sharing their whimsical creations with us! Many from this collection come from Larrikin House, a publisher of humorous yet honest books for all.
As another thankful year of reading comes to a close, I reflect on the imagination, brilliance, and potty humor etched onto each page. This year I triumphantly reached my goal of 100 books!
While this brings a smile to my face, I’ve been analyzing whether enough fruits (writing craft, knowledge, confidence, joy, and global awareness) were harvested along the way.
There is no benefit to basking in past or present glory when there are improvements to be made!
I’m fortunate to have a trusted writing accountability partner, and she has superbly brought to my attention that I’m damn good at creating “writing-related” distractions. Simply put, writer’s write, and while reading is an essential ingredient in the stew, it by no means should take away precious time from the craft at hand. Therefore, I’ll slow the mad rush to 100 and instead read books that will help me savor the sweetness of my “leisurely labors.”
Mediums by the numbers in 2020…
50 Chapter Books
34 Graphic Novels
9 Non-Fiction
6 Middle Grade (fiction novels intended for ages 8 to 12)
1 Adult Fiction (Novel)
0 Young Adult (fiction novels intended for ages 13-18)
0 Short Story Collections
In 2020, 38% of books read earned 4 stars (33 books) or 5 stars (5 books). We can do better than that! So let’s look at the data (can you tell I’m a principal?):
Graphic Novel – Batman Vol. 13: City of Bane Part 2 {#80-85} – written by Tom King, art by Tony S. Daniel – 2019 [DC]
Graphic Novel – DCeased: Unkillables {#1-3} – written by Tom Taylor, art by Trevor Scott and Karl Mostert – 2020 [DC]
Nonfiction – Love for Imperfect Things: How to Accept Yourself in a World Striving for Perfection – by Haemin Sunim – 2018 [Penguin Books]
Nonfiction – Poking a Dead Frog: Conversations With Today’s Top Comedy Writers – by Mike Sacks – 2014 [Penguin Books]
Graphic Novel – DCeased {#1-6, A Good Day to Die #1} – written by Tom Taylor, art by Trevor Hairsine – 2019 [DC]
Graphic Novel – Batman: Last Knight on Earth {#1-3} – written by Scott Snyder, art by Greg Capullo – 2019 [DC Black Label]
Chapter Book – The Bumpy Mummy {The Notebook of Doom #6} – by Troy Cummings – 2014 [Branches, part of Scholastic]
Graphic Novel – Flash Forward {#1-6} – written by Scott Lobdell, art by Brett Booth – 2020 [DC]
Chapter Book – The Flurry of the Snombies {The Notebook of Doom #7} – by Troy Cummings – 2015 [Branches, part of Scholastic]
NonFiction – Stop Reading the News: A Manifesto for a Happier, Calmer and Wiser Life – by Rolf Dobelli – 2020 [Sceptre]
Children’s Graphic Novel – New Kid – by Jerry Craft – 2019 [Quill Tree Books]
Chapter Book – Eva Sees a Ghost {Owl Diaries #2} – by Rebecca Elliot – 2015 [Scholastic]
Chapter Book – Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue {Kitty #1} – written by Paula Harrison, illustrated by Jenny Løvlie – 2019 [Greenwillow Books]
Graphic Novel – Justice League Vol. 4: The Sixth Dimension {#19-28} – written by Scott Snyder, illustrated by Jorge Jimenez – 2019 [DC]
Early Graphic Novel – Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea {A Narwhal and Jelly Book #1} – by Ben Clanton – 2016 [Tundra Books]
Chapter Book – Meet the Bigfeet {The Yeti Files #1} – by Kevin Sherry – 2014 [Scholastic Press]
Chapter Book – Perfect Princess Party {The Princess in Black Book #2} – written by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham- 2015 [Candlewick]
Chapter Book – Hungry Bunny Horde {The Princess in Black Book #3} – written by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham- 2016 [Candlewick]
Chapter Book – The Princess in Black Takes a Vacation {The Princess in Black Book #4} – written by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham- 2016 [Candlewick]
Chapter Book – The Mysterious Playdate {The Princess in Black Book #5} – written by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham- 2018 [Candlewick]
Graphic Novel – He-Man and the Masters of the Multiverse {#1-6} – written by Tim Seeley, illustrated by Tom Derenick – 2020 [DC]
Middle Grade – Aru Shah and The End of Time {The Pandava Series #1} by Roshani Chokshi- 2018 [Rick Riordian Presents! (Disney)]
Nonfiction – The Tao of Bill Murray: Real-Life Stories of Joy, Enlightenment, and Party Crashing – by Gavin Edwards – 2016 [Random House]
Chapter Book – Charge of the Lightning Bugs {The Notebook of Doom #8} – by Troy Cummings – 2015 [Branches, an imprint of Scholastic]
Chapter Book – Rumble of the Coaster Ghost {The Notebook of Doom #9} – by Troy Cummings – 2016 [Branches, an imprint of Scholastic]
Chapter Book – Snap of the Super-Goop {The Notebook of Doom #10} – by Troy Cummings – 2016 [Branches, an imprint of Scholastic]
Chapter Book – March of the Vanderpants {The Notebook of Doom #12} – by Troy Cummings – 2017 [Branches, an imprint of Scholastic]
Chapter Book – Battle of the Boss-Monster {The Notebook of Doom #13} – by Troy Cummings – 2017 [Branches, an imprint of Scholastic]
Chapter Book – Eva and Baby Mo {Owl Diaries #10} – by Rebecca Elliot – 2019 [Branches, part of Scholastic]
Graphic Novel – Batman Vol. 1: Their Dark Designs {#86 – 94} – written by James Tynion IV, art by Tony Daniel – 2020 [DC]
Nonfiction – Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania – by Frank Bruni – 2015 [Grand Central Publishing]
Graphic Novel – Jim Henson’s Storyteller: Ghosts– by Márk László, Jennifer Rostowsky, and Michael Walsh – 2020 [Archaia]
Middle Grade – Nightmares! The Sleepwalker Tonic – written by Jason Segal and Kirsten Miller, illustrated by Karl Kwasny [Yearling]
Graphic Novel – Batman Vol. 2: The Joker War {#95-#100} – written by James Tynion IV, art by Jorge Jimenez – 2020 [DC]
Nonfiction – The Art of Thinking Clearly – by Rolf Dobelli – 2014 [Harper Paperbacks]
Chapter Book – Splat! Another Messy Sunday {The Fantastic Frame #2} – written by by Lin Oliver, illustrated by Samantha Kallis – 2016 [Grosset & Dunlap]
Chapter Book – Trip to the Pumpkin Farm {Owl Diaries #11} – by Rebecca Elliot – 2019 [Branches, part of Scholastic]
Medium wise, of the 4-5 starred books:
47% chapter books (Notebook of Doom and Owl Diaries being the most frequent)
29% graphic novels (of those, 25% were Batman titles)
16% nonfiction
5% middle grade
3% adult-fiction (novel)
These numbers generally go along with how many of each I read, as chapter books and graphic novels respectively were read far more than the other mediums. So let’s look within the medium itself for a clearer picture to see of each medium how many were 4/5 stars:
100% of Adult Fiction (Novel)
67% of Non-Fiction
36% of Chapter Books
33% of Middle Grade
32% of Graphic Novels
It’s easier for adult fiction and nonfiction to have higher 4/5 star percentages, because I read less and was pickier. Of concern is how middle grade books were only at 33% satisfaction, so I need to be pickier with middle grade so I don’t waste crucial time on books with minimal enjoyment or impact. Consequently, the data supports adjusting the numbers read for 2021 as well as setting minimums by medium. Let’s hope we can get at least 90% 4/5 stars in all mediums!
Chapter books happily invaded the list with 50 reads, and now even though the market is not desperate for the medium I’m anxious to apply my craft and see what I can bring to the field. Having read so many in 2020, I feel I’m in a much better spot to understand the variety of diction, tones, and how to keep longer arcs going across multiple installments.
Graphic novels (trade hard/paperback collections of comic books as well) were still my go-to in a time crunch as they came in second with 34 reads. I enjoy reading graphic novels, but I want them to be for enjoyment and escape and not just to hit a big goal.
As an educational leader, reading has helped expand my circle of competence, and I aim to continue to read even more books that will help lead my school towards heightened learning and joy for all of our students.
I was happy to see me pull off 6 middle grade books. I’m learning to read them faster, and it all comes from dedicating the time to remain somewhat-still on the couch. I’m confident that I can reach 12 middle grade books. There are just too many delicious treats on my shelf waiting to be read.
The saddest number from 2020, was the 0 attached to young adult fiction and short story collections. No wonder I’ve gotten nowhere in 2020 with my writing of young adult and short fiction. I’ve got a few YA novels brewing in the old imagination factory, but I’m not as well-read in that medium. I may have started John Green’s An Abundance of Katherines, but BY THE MUSES, I will finish it along with 3 others (hey maybe more? okay let’s not get too ambitious (distracted)). Given that my lone adult fiction earned 5 stars, I look forward to more similar experiences and with only 4 to read, I can carefully select them based on interest and recommendations.
Since I’m by nature a slow reader who tries to tackle a dozen books simultaneously, I will try to read a book from the designated mediums each month to help my focus on each book. For 2021, the desired mediums and minimum number of books are:
This equates to me reading 5 books each month; which is reachable and realistic. While this is 40 fewer books from 2020, I feel that I’ll be in a better spot to enjoy what I read and take more from the books I choose. Having to reach one of each medium in a month’s time will help me to focus more on finishing, set more appropriate paces, and avoid cramming shorter books into tight time periods.
So 2021’s focus is on mediums, and perhaps in 2022, I’ll zero in on topics and genres.
In closing, I hope you have an AMAZING year full of enjoyable and enlightening reading!
“BANG!” Equestrian bodies hurl past the open gates. Hooves pound the dirt below. The race is on!
For the past two years I’ve participated in the Picture Book Marathon and am proud to say that each time I came out a winner with 26 new picture book drafts.
This year is a little different. Instead of charging out of the gate, I haven’t moved an inch. Ever see a cartoon where one of the horses lazily stays in its pen. That’s me. I keep waiting for the jockey to whip my behind. Though I need to realize that if I’m going to finish this race it’s up to me and me alone.
It’s already well into the second week with 20 days left to pen the 26 required drafts.
Can I do it? Of course.
Will I? Well that’s the question I shouldn’t be pondering. It’s just like those wide receivers in the NFL that look ahead to the endzone before focusing on the catch at hand. What happens? They end up dropping the ball. Someone I love dearly once told me that starting is 50%. In any goal we wish to undertake, the focus shouldn’t be on whether or not we can finish, but rather that we started. I’ve never sat on the other side of an interview, but a resume full of half endeavours looks more promising than a blank one.
Recently, I’ve had some people astounded by the task at hand saying that 26 drafts is just impossible. Quite the contrary, I find it easy to generate new ideas. The hard part comes later with dissecting the raw draft into a marketable manuscript, but that’s a whole ‘nother story.
By the end of February I hope you will see a post about my conquest, but to be honest I should be worrying about whether I start or not. So who’s with me in leaving the gate and starting the epic Picture Book Marathon of 2012? Better late than never!
Official Information from the Creators:
Your Goal: Between February 1 and February 29, write one picture book a day, until you get to 26. This year, February has 29 days (thus, Take the Leap!), so you get a bonus break day.
The Basics: We define a picture book as (1) a story or narrative, (2) with a beginning, middle, and end, (3) for children, and (4) intended to be illustrated. They’re generally, though not always, published in a 32 page format. Given the speed of the marathon, your picture book DRAFTS (for that’s what they’ll be) will be very rough. What you hope to capture is the basic plot, characters, and emotion of each story.
Why Do It:
Generate a lot of material in a short amount of time.
Get your creative juices flowing by forcing yourself to write daily.
Circumvent your internal naysayer – they either won’t have time to criticize, or they’ll be too tired.
Crave Writing 