Courses

Well-written books for young children can have a lasting effect on their lives. Great picture books, early readers, and young chapter books offer humor, lyrical language, and the chance for readers (from infants through age nine) to live vicariously through characters. In this workshop, students will participate in engaging in-class writing exercises with a focus on character development, vivid language, pacing, and voice. Throughout, we will examine the interests, concerns, and often turbulent feelings of young children. As legendary author and illustrator Maurice Sendak said, “...from their earliest years children live on familiar terms with disrupting emotions....” We will explore how exemplary classic and new titles by successful children’s authors such as Atinuke, Kevin Henkes, Phyllis Root, Deborah Underwood, and Jacqueline Woodson develop empathetic characters, present conflicts, and capture the emotional heartbeat of a story. Students will put these strategies to work in developing their own characters and stories. Practical tips about the world of children’s book publishing will be addressed, with plenty of time for Q&A.