It's Writer's Wednesday and Rhyming Stories have been a frequent topic for questions lately. Rhyming books are some of my favorite read-aloud stories, but they are often a tough sell with publishers. Why?

The answer I hear from editors most often is that the writer has gotten so caught up in the cleverness of their rhymes that they've neglected to tell a good story.

One of the best suggestions I know is to set the rhyme aside and just write the story. Is it well plotted with conflict or a problem that is resolved in a satisfying and/or surprising ending? Are the characters interesting? Is the language appropriate to the story and engaging for the reader? Once you have a well-crafted story you may find that the rhyme is unnecessary. And if you are determined to use rhyme you can do that secure in the knowledge that you've created a solid story.

Another consideration that editors have is word count. Keep in mind that in the process of developing a rhyming text there is often a tendency to become more wordy than is necessary to tell the story. It's another pitfall you want to avoid on the way to completing a story that will enjoy publishing success.

Bedtime Stories are on my mind as I wait to welcome the newest edition to my extended family. I love the idea of fathers reading to their children so here are three fun bedtime books for/about dads, but with a twist.

Daddy's Song written by Leslea Newman and published by Henry Holt, has a father strumming his guitar as he sings rather than reads his little girl to sleep. The lyrics to his song are written in rhyming couplets, each full of fun and whimsy that readily lend themselves to reading aloud. The song begins, "If ice cream cones fall from the sky / And cats grow wings and start to fly" and continues on to the end with each imaginative line richly illustrated in a fanciful echoing of the text.

Night Shift Daddy written by Eileen Spinelli and published by Hyperion Books for Children, begins with the traditional bedtime ritual of Daddy tucking his daughter into bed, but then turns the story around. Daddy is heading to his job as a night janitor and returns home the next morning where the father/daughter roles are reversed as he is the one tucked into bed for a well-earned rest. This is another rhyming story, beautifully illustrated in glowing colors.

The title Once Upon a time, the end: (asleep in 60 seconds) written by Geoffrey Kloske and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, is the only hint you need to understand that here the bedtime ritual is turned upside down. Desperate to get his young son to sleep, a harried father meets his son's pleas for "one more story" with a strategy known by any read-aloud parent...leaving out a few words here and there to speed the story to its conclusion. The father's plan takes on a life of its own as the Three Little Pigs become two, Little Red Riding Hood is reduced to a two-beat poem and other tales are relentlessly shortened in ways that still convey their essence with hysterical accuracy. The increasingly fractured fairy tales are interspersed with not-so-subtle hints from the father "Why did the chicken cross the road? To go to sleep." The illustrations by New Yorker cartoonist Barry Blitt strike just the right tone for this irreverent bedtime romp. A word of caution though -- this story is more likely to produce giggles than sleep.

Here are the answers for last week's Famous Firsts:

1. "Ma, a mouse has to do what a mouse has to do." Ragweed by Avi.

2. "Everybody knows the story of the Three Little Pigs." The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka.

What Book Got You Hooked? That's the question at First Book. If you haven't cast your vote, it's time to get over there and let the world know what book from your childhood inspired a love of reading. Your vote will help determine which state receives 50,000 books for needy children.

Four days and counting. The opportunity to vote ends on September 30, 2009 at midnight (ET). First Book will publish the results of the vote and the Top 50 list of the books that got us hooked on reading in October.

Here are the new Famous Firsts. Yes, I know it isn't Friday. I was immersed in a new story yesterday and couldn't break the spell.

Famous Firsts

1. "Ma, a mouse has to do what a mouse has to do."

2. "Everybody knows the story of the Three Little Pigs."

Writer's Wednesday
I'm hearing from a great many new writers who want to bring a stronger ethnic or cultural emphasis to the children's book market. It's wonderful to see the growing presence of culturally diverse characters. As a library media specialist, it is my goal to see every child represented in the collection. As a writer, I need to think carefully about how I'm crafting a book.

A successful story will be both universal and individual. What I mean by that is the theme is universal enough to appeal to readers of both genders and multiple social/cultural backgrounds and at the same time individual enough that each reader will identify personally with the character's trials and triumphs.

Here's a good example: Uncle Peter's Amazing Chinese Wedding by Lenore Look. You might ask how a story that reveals, step by step, the details of a Chinese wedding is universal. Granted that the context of the story is a Chinese wedding, but the theme is about jealousy and the fear the little girl (the protagonist) has of losing her special relationship with her soon-to-be married favorite uncle. As a consequence, the appeal is quite broad. All of my students, boys and girls alike, enjoyed learning something about another culture, but all of them understood on a personal level what the story was really about and could identify with the main character's feelings.

I'm sure all of you can think of similar examples. If you can't, you need to visit your local library or bookstore and catch up on your reading. I'll talk more about child protagonists in my next Writers Wednesday post.

A number of authors whose books have delighted children for decades have birthdays this week so I thought it might be fun to visit their work.

H. G. Wells, born 9/21/1866, is perhaps best remembered for his classic science-fiction stories -- War of the Worlds, The Time Machine, The Invisible Man and The Island of Dr. Moreau. However, Wells was a prolific writer penning short stories, essays and articles on politics and social issues. Together with Jules Verne, Wells is credited with creating a new genre of fiction that is still inspiring writers and readers today.

Taro Yashima born 9/21/1908, has earned three Caldecott Honor Medals for his books Crow Boy, Umbrella and Seashore Story.

You may not recognize the name Esphyr Slobodkina, born 9/22/1908, but I'm sure you'll remember her delightful book Caps for Sale. The book, first published in 1938, is still in print and has sold more than two million copies.

Wilson Rawls, born 9/24/1913, was inspired by his childhood in the Ozarks to write Where the Red Fern Grows. The story, an enduring favorite in both elementary and middle schools, relates the triumph and tragedy that faces young Billy as he attempts to train his beloved coonhounds Old Dan and Little Ann. The book was first published as a serial in the Saturday Evening Post in 1961. That publication was followed by a book the same year. The book became a movie in 1973 and a second film was released in 2003.

A Caldecott Medal for The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses is just one of the many honors earned by author and illustrator Paul Goble, born 9/27/1933. He turned his childhood interest in Native American culture into numerous Native American themed children's books that include: Buffalo Woman, Star Boy, and Dream Wolf.

Here are the answers to Friday's Famous Firsts --

1. "Mrs. Frisby, the head of a family of field mice, lived in an underground house in the vegetable garden of a framer named Mr. Fitzgibbon." Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert O'Brien

2."In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf." The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle


Thanks to all of you who emailed answers and/or suggestions for future "Famous Firsts."

Shared experience is one of the best ways of building a love of reading with your children. I made reading aloud a priority for my children from the time they were born. Read-Aloud time is often associated with bedtime which is wonderful, but the possibilities are numerous. Enjoy the out of doors by reading at the park on a bench or under a shady tree. On a rainy day, toss a sheet over a table or a pair of chairs to make a cozy reading tent. Encourage your children to read to you while you're making dinner. Look for opportunities to connect.

This Poetry Friday is being hosted by Becky's Book Reviews. Drop in and enjoy!

Friday is "Famous Firsts" here at All About the Books so give these a try. Do you know the title and author of these children's books?

1. "Mrs. Frisby, the head of a family of field mice, lived in an underground house in the vegetable garden of a farmer named Mr. Fitzgibbon."

2. "In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf."

It's Writers Wednesday: The Question is -- How do I find an agent?
Finding an agent is a very individual pursuit. First of all, do you need one? Not every publisher requires submissions through an agent, though there's no denying that agented material will usually receive more immediate attention from an editor. Ideally, your agent as a working relationship with various editors and therefore knows which people would be most receptive to your particular story. Finding an agent can take just as long as finding a publisher so the question is where to do you want to invest your time?

Most agents have a particular focus with regard to the material they are willing to represent -- children's book agents will be looking for specific types of stores -- YA, Middle Grade, Picture Book, etc. And withing those story types, they may have individual interests or things they don't care for such as sci-fi, fairytales and so on.

It's important to find out as much as you can about the agent you are planning to query. Most agency websites include bios for the individual agents that will provide this type of information. For resources on this topic see my 9/02/09 post: How Do I Get Published? I discussed researching editors and agents.

One of the great opportunities offered by SCBWI conferences is the chance to hear agents first hand and perhaps even meet them and pitch your work.

It's important to become as informed as possible. Here is a post by an agent that I recommend reading:Rachelle Gardner, Literary Agent: What I'm Looking For.