MOWMT: Mining Mentor Texts with Debut Donna Marx

March 28, 2025

[Note: Click on the Titles/Links to buy Books.]

When I began to learn the craft of writing picture books, a key takeaway was to use mentor texts to inform your writing.  However, mentor texts, I believe, are also instrumental in transforming your writing. Here's how I used Mentor Texts in my debut picture book, coming December 30, 2025!

The idea for Good Luck, Puck!: A Winter Sports Adventure, was inspired by my grandsons. We were playing hockey in the driveway - Grandma has a mean slapshot, by the way - and on several occasions, we had to chase the puck down the street.  Soon we were calling it “The Runaway Puck!”  Of course, I quickly added that phrase to my list of picture book ideas. 

My initial thought for a storyline was similar to The Runaway Pea written by Kjartan Poskitt and Illustrated by Alex Willmore. In this book, a pea has decided to roll himself off the plate in search of new adventures. This fun, rhyming text takes the reader on a page-turning journey.  The pea shoots, flings and bounces across the kitchen while encountering unexpected perils.  Like the pea, when Puck gets hit out of the hockey rink, he takes the opportunity to do something besides getting dropped, passed, and hit.

However, the first draft of my story was falling flat. Puck had a variety of eye-opening adventures, but his “why” wasn’t strong enough. Ollie – The Grass is Not Always Greener by Sarah Cullen and Carmen Ellis, illustrated by Zuzana Svobodova, is a great example of a strong “why”. Ollie, the otter, runs away from home because he’s frustrated with his family and everyday life.  Although he meets a fun turtle, seahorse, and stingray, he realizes it wasn’t so bad at home, after all. This helped me create a deeper emotional connection between Puck and his hockey team.

Another layer that needed to be amped up in Good Luck, Puck was the element of hockey. Were there ways I could incorporate more hockey terms in a playful way?  A mentor text that helped me with this change was The Three Canadian Pigs – A Hockey Story by Jocelyn Watkinson, illustrated by Marcus Cutler. In this creative retelling of The Three Little Pigs with a twist, the battle between the pigs and the Big Bad Wolf is settled through Canada’s favorite pastime – a hockey game, of course! Hockey terms like face-off, high-sticking, and hooking are woven into the story, along with that iconic commentary – “He shoots! He scores!” 

Finally, in the original version, Puck was anthropomorphized, but the bobsled, snowboard, and skates were not.  Puck needed “friends” with which to experience his journey. Eraser by Anna King, illustrated by Christopher Weyant, is a prime example of how objects can be portrayed as humans. The school supplies each have their specific jobs, but Eraser feels unappreciated as she cleans up after everyone. These characters are brought to life by a creative text with a theme similar to Good Luck, Puck. In the end, Eraser and Puck realize they can shine and be part of a team.

We cannot fully inform the elements of our stories without reading mentor texts. But the job of these picture books is not done. They are a crucial piece to transforming our stories into something that will one day be our debut as a published author.

P.S. Good Luck, Puck!: A Winter Sports Adventure was acquired by our very own Lynne Marie, editor at The Little Press, and I could not be more grateful for her!

[Editor Note: Want a FREE copy of GOOD LUCK PUCK (or an almost FREE Webinar depending on how you look at it)? Reserve your spot at our Good Luck Puck Launch and Learn with Donna, Me - the Editor and special Guests! Learn about Donna's journey from inspired idea to goal, as well as the ever evolving path that brought Puck's success. Learn about what intrigued Lynne Marie about the project, revisions and what she looks for in a manuscripts. Door prizes include AMAs with Donna and AMAs, Mentor Sessions and Above-the-Slush Passes with Lynne Marie and Rate Your Story Speedpasses, to name a few! Send an e-mail to us at: RYS.CyberOffice@gmail.com with Puck Launch and Learn in the subject line to be notified of further sign-up details.]

Giveaway: 

A signed copy of my debut picture book, Good Luck, Puck!: A Winter Sports Adventure, when available (December 30, 2025).

Author Bio

Donna Marx worked with gifted children during her teaching career. She welcomed the challenge to nurture their thirst for knowledge and increase their love of literature. Donna has a heart for kids with multiple talents who struggle to discover their true passion. Her debut picture book. Good Luck, Puck!: A Winter Sports Adventure, was inspired by her grandsons. When she’s not writing, she’s scoring goals or chasing hockey pucks down the street with her favorite teammates! 

Social Media Links:

Website: donnamarx.com

Facebook: @donnamarx

Instagram: @donnaj_marx

Twitter: @donnamarx

Bluesky: @donnajmarx.blsky.social

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