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MO DAY #7: Mary Boone and Back Matter Matters

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February 15, 2022 - Registration Post Hello March On With Mentor Texts!


AND NOW, HERE'S OUR MENTOR...



Why GOOD Back Matter Matters

By Mary Boone

Back matter isn’t new. But there does seem to be a renewed emphasis on back matter in children’s literature.


What is it? Exactly what it sounds like. Back matter comes after the story has ended and provides additional insight or information. In picture books, for example, authors are generally working within word-count limitations. They can tell the story, but they’re unable to delve into the story behind the story. Back matter is the perfect place to include maps, photographs, actionable tips, instructions for hands-on activities, suggested further reading, or a glossary. If the author or illustrator has a special connection to the story, the back matter can be a fantastic place to explain the association.


Dates can really weigh down a manuscript. Timelines can help clearly explain the order in which events happened, making them a frequent back matter inclusion.


Most often, back matter is found in nonfiction or informational fiction manuscripts, but it can also be used to support fiction. A story set in the 1940s, for example, might benefit from a timeline that lists important events of that era, from Winston Churchill becoming British Prime Minister to D-Day to the racial integration of baseball. A novel in which a character is colorblind might include back matter with a diagram showing a sample color eye test or a list of facts about colorblindness.


Sometimes back matter is created with the young reader in mind and other times it’s directed at teachers or parents. Every story is different, which means back matter also differs. It’s important to note that not every story needs back matter. Always ask yourself: Does the back matter I’m including enhance the reading experience? If it doesn’t, delete it or revamp it.


As you contemplate what your book’s back matter might include, take inspiration from these fantastic mentor texts:




Rissy No Kissies by Katey Howes, illustrated by Jess Engle. (Carolrhoda Books, 2021). This rhyming picture book tells the story of Rissy, a young lovebird who does not like to be kissed. The book’s back matter includes a page for kids and another for caregivers about boundaries, consent, and body autonomy. It’s a terrific example of the ways in which fictional books can benefit from back matter.




Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist by Jess Keating, illustrated by Marta Alvarez Miguens (Sourcebooks, 2017). Keating’s story flows because she doesn’t bog it down with dates. Instead, this book’s back matter includes a two-page, illustrated timeline that notes graduation dates, publications, and important discoveries. And, while the book is about a woman who studied sharks, there are another two pages of back matter dedicated to “Shark Bites” – bite-size shark facts sure to fascinate readers young and old.



The True Story of Jadav Payeng: The Boy Who Grew a Forest by Sophia Gohlz, illustrated by Kayla Harren (Sleeping Bear Press, 2019) Gohlz uses her back matter to share extra nice-to-know facts and dates as well as an author’s note about her personal connection to ecology. She also devotes a page of back matter to step-by-step instructions for those who want to plant their own seeds.




Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane by Kirsten W. Larson, illustrated by Tracy Subisak (Calkins Creek, 2020). This book is filled with beautiful color illustrations sure to draw in young readers. The back matter is a stark and interesting contrast because its two-page “The Age of Airships” timeline includes historic black and white photos of aircraft mentioned in the text. Larson also uses the back matter to explain that she formerly worked at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and how engineers there still grapple with some of the same sorts of challenges Lilian Todd faced.





Bio:

Mary Boone has ridden an elephant, hung out backstage with a boy band, and baked dozens of cricket cookies – all in the interest of research for her books and magazine articles. She’s written more than 60 nonfiction books for young readers, ranging from inventor biographies to how-to craft guides. Her most recent middle-grade nonfiction book is BUGS FOR BREAKFAST: How Eating Insects Could Help Save the Planet (Chicago Review Press, 2021.) Mary is represented by Stacey Kondla of The Rights Factory.





The Prize:

One lucky March On with Mentor Texts participant will win a signed copy of Mary Boone’s middle-grade book Bugs for Breakfast: How Eating Insects Could Help Save the Planet. They’ll also receive a 30-minute ASK ME ANYTHING video-call session with Mary, during which they can get her thoughts on topics ranging from querying to revising and everything in between. (The fine print: Call must take place by Oct. 31, 2022.)


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