One of my favorite things to do is listen to picture book authors talk about how they create their stories. I love the sneak peek into their heads to see how they do what they do.
So I’m thrilled to welcome poet and author Eileen Rajala Meyer to share her creative process today.
And, if you keep reading, there will be a chance to win Eileen’s latest picture book BUILD A SAND CASTLE from Reycraft Books with art by Manica Musil.
Take it away, Eileen!
Thank you, Pat, for the opportunity to share with your readers today!
Do you love lasagna?
I do … my favorite recipe includes layers of thinly sliced zucchini, a creamy ricotta cheese mixture, rich meat sauce simmered to perfection, all topped with shredded mozzarella. A dish that surprises and delights with each bite!
Just as I love fine-tuning the layers in my zucchini lasagna, picture books benefit from a look at layers, too. Carefully crafted elements add depth and complexity, spurring readers to pull the book off the shelf again and again. This “re-readability” is something editors look for in projects. I focused on this as I wrote BUILD A SANDCASTLE.
I assembled what I thought were tasty ingredients for my picture book. The project was to be a celebratory ode to a favorite summer activity—building a sandcastle at the beach. In essence, it’s a lively “how to” book for young builders. I also mixed in a subtle friendship story. I crafted it using rhythm and rhyme which would appeal to young listeners and readers. These initial layers—“how to” story, friendship theme, rhyming language and rhythm—were key ingredients for my recipe. But like a chef striving to create a memorable meal, I knew this draft needed more. What was missing from my recipe?
When I first decided to write about building sandcastles, I also wanted to include information about best practices to help kid creators. That meant exploring the science of sand, beach construction techniques, and safety factors. I read articles and watched videos posted by sandcastle pros, then experimented with techniques. I added useful tips I learned in the back matter. This new ingredient elevated my picture book draft, making it more distinctive. Now I had a STEM layer, though it was hidden in the back of the book.
Lucky for me, I met with an editor at an SCBWI event, shared this project, and received valuable feedback. The editor liked the back matter material. She suggested that I make it more prominent: move the material onto the pages, spread by spread, perhaps even introducing a new character who could share the helpful details. Armed with this insight, I revised—introducing a new character (a spunky starfish) to share “Five-Star Tips.” The information was now more accessible. Thanks to this editor, I had found my missing ingredient. (She agreed, and after revision, she offered a contract for the project.)
There was one more ingredient needed for this recipe—distinctive art. Manica Musil’s beautiful sewn-felt artistry makes this book stand apart. She carefully crafted the little boy and girl characters with incredible details on their clothing and sand pails. She also brought a starfish and crab to life on the pages, each with their own personality. Paired with my rhyming text, her illustration style adds another layer of unique charm.
Selecting the right ingredients for your picture book matters, just as it does for a lasagna recipe. Choose elements that mesh with your story. Don’t force an ingredient—that would be like adding deviled eggs to a lasagna!
Even though I’ve made the zucchini lasagna recipe many times, I’m still discovering new ingredients, such as fresh spinach, and improved methods of cooking. (My latest tweak – broil zucchini slices for 3 min to remove extra moisture before assembling–it works!) So, if you’ve received a rejection with a note that your project is too slight or one-dimensional . . . consider playing with new layers to achieve greater complexity.
I hope that you’ll read BUILD A SANDCASTLE aloud with a young friend and spend some time at the beach this summer building your own sandcastle! And maybe you’ll consider some new layers to add to your latest work-in-progress.
More about Eileen
Eileen Rajala Meyer has fond memories of summer days spent at the beach. She is the award-winning author of The Superlative A. Lincoln: Poems About Our 16th President (Illustrated by Dave Szalay, Charlesbridge Publishing). Her poems have appeared in children’s poetry anthologies, including the recent Schoolapalooza (Bushel & Peck Books), and children’s magazines such as Highlights High Five, Ladybug, and more.
A member of the Rhyme Doctors team, she shares articles and tips about different aspects of writing poetry and rhyme in a free monthly newsletter. When she’s not writing, Eileen likes to stroll on the beach near her home in Florida.
Find Eileen online at:
Instagram: @EileenMeyerBooks
AND, NOW, THE GIVEAWAY …
For a chance to win a copy of Build a Sandcastle, leave a comment on this post. Picture Book Builders will select a winner at random and Eileen will send that person a signed copy of the book.
Happy reading!
Lots of layers AND amazing illustrations? That’s a winner right there!
Congrats Eileen and Manica!
Thank you, Cathy! Manica’s sewn-felt artistry is so unique and charming!
Hi Eileen and Pat,
I love the maker metaphor, building a better lasagna and adding layers to a PB.
Knowing how a sandcastle is crafted , step-by-step with that adorable starfish giving STEM tips is so unique! BrAVO.
Thank you, Kathy! The starfish character & STEM “best practices” add a fun layer to this picture book text. So glad the metaphor worked for you – I am a big lasagna fan so food was a fun way to think about the PB elements. I keep tweaking my recipe with new enhancements just as we revise our picture books!
Loved this post. And love all food analogies!
The felt touch looks fantastic.
Thanks for stopping in, Marzieh! Manica’s unique sewn-felt illustrations pair so nicely with my rhyming text. A huge bonus when I first saw her completed work!
Love backstories – picture books are short but not easy!
You are so right about that, Robin. Those outside of our industry are amazed at what goes into a picture book to make a beautiful final product! Thanks for reading the post.
Great analogy: picture books and lasagna! I enjoyed your story, Eileen. Congratulations on this adorable book! Also, what an interesting way to get the back matter “back” into the front of the book!
Thanks, Angie. Yes, sometimes the answer is right in front of us and we don’t see it. So glad my insightful editor suggested moving the back matter tips to each spread. It added the extra sizzle the page spreads needed!
So fun…thanks for sharing!
Thanks for stopping in, Katie!
I really like the comparison to layers of lasagna. The STEM aspects is great and definitely gave your story another layer.
Congratulations!
Thank you, Mark. It’s amazing when we deconstruct our own picture books-in-progress, we find there are a lot of interesting layers in place. For this one, the STEM details provided the finishing touch!
Finding and developing layers for picture books takes serious skills and I can’t wait to read the STEM connections in your gorgeous book. I’m going to have to find a recipe for lasagna that uses zucchini now.
Thank you, Danielle. I appreciate your kind words. When we deconstruct our own work, we find interesting layers and connections for our readers. Here’s a recipe I started with for zucchini lasagna that I have tweaked and added to over time! https://www.skinnytaste.com/zucchini-lasagna/
This book sounds terrific! It’s obvious you put a lot of thought into its creation.
Thank you, Sandra. As those of us who love picture books know, it is an amazing complex package and every word counts . . .
The texture of the artwork looks so inviting!
Sherry, I adore the fabric, felt, and stitched combination Manica used to create the illustrations for the book. Fascinating and labor-intensive process. Lucky me to have a book with her art! Thanks for stopping in.
This is a great post. Love your idea of featuring Starfish to give the 5 star tips. At first I thought a clever way of including STEM, but it’s really STEAM, isn’t it? There’s a lot of art invloved in creating a beautiful sandcastle. And thank you for your Lasagna layering tips. Of course, would love to win a copy of Build A Sandcastle.
Hi Mona, Yes, technically I could use STEAM with the artistry decorating the sandcastle . . . I think my brain was stuck on STEM for so long I favor that word. Starfish was the needed character and element on each page to add a bit more sizzle! Thanks for stopping in.
Thank you for sharing how layers are important to a picture book. BUILD A SAND CASTLE sounds wonderful. I love Manica’s unique and fun illustrations, too!
Thank you, Judy. There are stories all around us – and building a sandcastle provided the perfect content to create this picture book. It never ceases to amaze me which ideas are right in front of us.
Congratulations, Eileen! I like your analogy with the lasagna & picture book writing!
Great to hear from you, Tina. Yes – so many parallels with layers in carefully-prepared favorite dishes and the well-planned layers in picture book text. Thank you!
This was such an interesting and helpful post. That checklist is a useful one for anyone cooking up a picture book. I loved seeing how you added ingredients and layers to deepen the complexity and entice readers to come back for more. And adding the back matter on each page with the starfish commentator really spiced it up. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Colleen. You are so right that we strive for that connection with our readers and the re-readability so they will pick up the book again and again to reveal new insights.
Congratulations– this looks so much fun! I love the “5 star” tips and how the back matter is sprinkled throughout the book.
Thank you, Lisa. I am grateful to the editor who provided the insights to move that back matter around. Sometimes we can’t see the solution until someone else gives us an idea or nudge!
I can attest that Eileen’s lasagna is delicious, as is her new book!! Wonderful post, Eileen. Congratulations!
Thank you, Patty! Like my early picture book drafts that need revision and fine-tuning, I keep playing with that zucchini lasagna recipe to get it just right. I think broiling the slices is my new favorite tip for this yummy dish! Thanks for the kind words!
What a wonderful book on so many levels. Thank you for sharing how to incorporate many levele to make a delectable picture book. Readers aregpoing to love this book!
Thank you, Claire! I appreciate your kind words. Most kiddos love a trip to the beach and this picture book is the perfect primer to build excitement ahead of the outing. Who doesn’t love to create a masterpiece at the beach? Creativity and play are the best.
I love your lasagna analogy and congrats on this beautiful book!