MOWMT Day #26: Robin Currie Never Bores of Board Books
Never Boring Board Books
by Robin Currie
Board books have extra thick coated pages that small hands can turn and chewing babies can sink their teeth in. Browse any discount store and there will be shelves full!
3 Reasons Board Books are Popular
1 Cost
They cost under $10, even less if reduced for warehouse and big box stores. They make excellent last-minute gifts, stocking stuffers, and spontaneous check-out purchases. Sometimes they cost less than the card that accompanies them!
2 Durability
Babies will grab and chew on the pages. Just wipe off. Small enough to throw in a bag to use in a waiting room or restaurant. No torn pages or ripped covers.
3 Fun
With attention-grabbing colors and not too much story, having two or three read at bedtime is possible. Babies can be distracted and begin to learn stories and simple concepts.
3 Types of Board Books
1 Concept
The focus is on one specific concept (ABC, shape, color) without much of a storyline.
2 Experiential
The physical experience (lift the flap, sound buttons, touch, and feel) is the book's focus.
3 Reductions
It might be an entire picture book reduced in format, with words and pictures smaller than the original, or sections of the story omitted.
3 Tips on Writing a Board Book
1 Words
Board book manuscripts are 10-14 pages and often under 150 words. Con
cept books need a storyline, or they will be developed in-house.
2 Pictures
They will be larger than the words. The plan page turns carefully. Make sure each page of text can be represented in one clear and simple picture.
3 Series
Develop ideas for a series with a connected theme and art. Holidays and seasons, families, ongoing characters!
3 Stumbling Blocks to Finding ORIGINAL Board Books
1 Reprints
Art and text may be reduced from the original picture book.
2 In-House Development
The publishing staff comes up with an idea, and staff members assemble the text; hire an illustrator.
3 Novelty
The point of the book is the touch and feel or sound production.
3 Truly Original Story Board Books
1 One Sky by Aaron Becker, Candlewick, 2022.
2 On Baba's Back by Marianne Dubuc. Princeton Architectural Press, 2022.
3 Odd Birds: Meet Nature's Weirdest Flock by Laura Gehl. Harry N. Abrams, 2022.
Remember, with board books, the best reviewers are droolers and chewers!
Multi award winning author Robin Currie learned story sharing by sitting on the floor, in library story times. She has sold 1.7 M copies of her 40 storybooks and writes stories to read and read again! Her latest publication is an original board book How to Dress a Dinosaur from Familius Publishing.
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