Saturday, November 21, 2009

Look, Jane, look! Look at my book!

I have written a caption picture book (no illustrations) and was curious if I should use the word "caption" in my queries to identify it as such. Also, should I mention the word length (under 500 words)?
As the term "caption book" is more common among educators than other people, I would only recommend using it only if you are submitting to an educational publisher. Otherwise, call it a 'leveled reader' or a 'beginning reader'.

There are very specific guidelines for vocabulary, line length, sentence length, etc. in leveled readers, so I hope you know what you're doing. I'm sure beginning readers of every kind look very easy to people unfamiliar with them, but creating an honestly entertaining text for children who are still sounding out words is HARD. Current favorite: The Cat On the Mat Is Flat

Yes, do include the word count.
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9 comments:

  1. AnonymousNovember 21, 2009 at 9:39 AM

    Look, Jane. See spot? See spot run?

    Run, Spot, run!

    You mean people write caption books? As a child, I imagined them to be delevered straight from heaven by God Himself into my first grade classroom. For ME!

    Oh, how I loved them. It was just so damn exciting. I'm such a dork. Among the heartbreak and hassle of trying to write and get published I sometimes forget why I'm doing this. Thank you for the reminder.

    I think I'll go buy a book today and embrace my inner reading dork.

    ReplyDelete
  2. aeNovember 21, 2009 at 11:12 AM

    I was an American in Munich when I read these. I remember my mother struggling to find books in English to teach me how to read English. She must have had quite a job teaching me to read the English language and these books were a godsend.

    Word verification: Stsky. Stsky and Htch -- Fms TV Shw in th 70s

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownNovember 21, 2009 at 3:12 PM

    I have to say that post title really grabbed my attention. I enjoy your blog.
    --Jane

    ReplyDelete
  4. Boni AshburnNovember 21, 2009 at 10:54 PM

    LOVE The Cat On The Mat- genius. You'll probably like the sequel then too- The Big Fat Cow Goes Kapow. I never hesitate to hand those to K-1st boys :)

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  5. Christine TrippNovember 23, 2009 at 8:30 AM

    I actually haven't seen any of these "caption" or early reader books without illustrations. Are there any?
    (Boni, Andy Griffiths, talent AND hot:)

    ReplyDelete
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