MOWMT: Mining Your Reading Pile by Lynne Marie
March 3, 2025
[Note: Click on the Titles to Buy the Books]
I'm excited to kick off March On With Mentor Texts this year. As many who know me know, I have used Mentor Texts since the beginning of my career (not including my return to college to learn about children's literature from 1995-2000).
"Read 100 books in your genre before you try your hand at writing one." I believe the first person I heard it from was Richard Peck, but it has been said by others, including Rick Walton, and many more. Even, at this moment, I have 50 Picture Books lined up and read at least one per day.
While some of those books are on specific topics that I am writing about or exploring, I pretty
much read any and every title that comes in my sight -- whether it be a review, a newletter or social media post.
There's always something to be learned from reading any book so here we go --
Happy Yak / Quarto, 2023
Hello! I'm a brave and bad, really BAD monster!
NOTHING AND NOBODY SCARES ME!
As you can see, this is likely about fear. But since I have several books that are metafiction, it is a good Mentor Text in breaking the fourth wall. I think the beginning would be captivating to the child reader (who sometimes feel like they are bad) and even if they don't connect with the little monster, there's a challenge put out there (nobody scares me). It just begs the reader to turn the page and see if the little monster can be scared. But if that didn't hook the reader, on the next page, the little monster reveals: I'm on the lookout for a monster buddy to do scary things with together. Then he asks: Hey you! Yes, you! Are you a monster, too? Asking questions and involving the reader is an effective way of keeping his/her attention. After that, it gets even more fun, asking the reader: Ok, let's see. Show me your long and pointy tail. What? No tail?
From there, it invites more interaction - showing eyes, teeth, stomping. And I'm sure you can guess the fun ending. What a fun flip in perspective! I can hear the kids giggling! So here, we can see the effectiveness of using a variety of techniques to keep the reader engaged. Not all books will lend toward these approaches, but we can see how they effective they are in one that does!
Eerdman's Books for Young Readers, 2022
I might have to go to the office. I might have to run to the store.
I might have to trudge up a mountain, or drive way, way, down to the shore.
For this one, I'm excited to give a head's up that as a Children's Book Insider Columnist, I am interviewing Kathleen Merz, the Editorial Director of Eerdmans for the March 2025 issue. As always, my Editor Spotlight features include a pitch opportunity. So if you're not already a CBI Member and want to take advantage of this, sign up now!
What did I learn from ths book? I learned more about this target market, should I want to submit to them. In that it deals with separation anxiety, I can see that this publisher is open to dealing with social emotional issues. And in that it is in rhyme, I see they are open to that! And the rhyme was good so it shows they have standards. Other things I can glean is that they are in touch with the point of view and the needs of a child. It's just one of their books, so I would try to read at least 10-25 before I submit to them to get a more informed view of them and their list.
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2024
The visitors came to Stephen's yard one otherwise ordinary summer night.
Right away, this book starts off with a first line that will surely hook the reader. One of the things I do when recording my Mentor Texts in an extensive list, is record the first line. If you do the same, add it to your list and note: Fantastic beginning. Who wouldn't turn the page to see what will happen next? This book presents a lot of fun opportunities to play around with the contrast and comparison of a Dalmartian and a dog. It challenges expectations in a fun way. Very clever! And the ending presents a satisfying twist and a little bit of humor.
I feel like this book provides inspiration to play around with words and expectations for a fun, fresh and new story idea! Think of Poultrygeist by Eric Geron, with art by Pete Oswald.
As you can see by these few examples, there are endless approaches to reading Mentor Texts and countless treasures to mine and things to learn from reading them, even random ones!
So if you don't have one already, open your Google doc (so you will never lose your list due to a computer crash), and start your Mentor Text List!
TITLE:
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR:
PUBLISHER / DATE OF PUBLICATION:
DATE READ:
FIRST LINE:
LAST LINE:
X-REF (Cross Reference of Subject Matter and Themes):
NOTES: Your impressions and takeaways.
Remember, for writers and authors, the path to learning never ends. Enjoy the process!
BIO: Lynne Marie is the award-winning author of Hedgehog Goes to Kindergarten -- art by Anne Kennedy (Scholastic 2011), Hedgehog's 100th Day of School -- art by Lorna Hussey (Scholastic 2017), The Star of the Christmas Play -- art by Lorna Hussey (Beaming Books 2018), Moldilocks and the 3 Scares -- art by David Rodriguez Lorenzo (Sterling / Scholastic 2019) and Let’s Eat! Mealtime Around the World -- art by Parwinder Singh (Beaming Books 2019), The Three Little Pigs and the Rocket Project and The Three Little Pigs and the Rocket Project Coloring Book -- art by Wendy Fedan (Mac and Cheese Press 2022), The Palace Rat -- art by Eva Santana (Yeehoo Press 2023), BroomMates: A Brewing Boundary Battle (an Anna Dewdney Reading-Together Award Finalist 2025) co-written with Brenda Reeves Sturgis – art by Nico Ecenarro (The Little Press 2024) and Henny Penny’s Weather Worries and more, forthcoming.
She’s an Editor at The Little Press, the Director of RateYourStory.org, a Mentor at ThePictureBookMechanic.com, the Creator of March On With Mentor Texts (www.rateyourstory.org/march-on) and Mentor Text Talk, a Co-Host of #SeasonsOfKidLit (www.seasonsofkidlit.com) and a Feature Columnist at Children’s Book Insider (https://writeforkids.online/). Visit her at www.LiterallyLynneMarie.com.
PRIZES: At the end of this challenge, one lucky winner will receive a twenty-minute Ask Me Anything Session with Lynne Marie.
Also, Lynne Marie will select one lucky winner in advance of the challenge's end to go over pitches for Eerdmans in a twenty-minute session.
To be eligible for either prize please register on the 2/22/25 registration post AND please note your preference in the comment section and share a title of a book from your reading pile.
FIND LYNNE MARIE HERE:
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BONUS ENTRIES: NOTE: As you comment on each post, please note whether you have shared this post, bought the author's book for yourself or as a gift, whether you have followed our guest blogger or Rate Your Story on social media (and where), as well as whether you have left a review of the guest blogger's book (and where) for extra entries (for each show of support) and to be eligible for surprise prizes.
Feel free to click the links to buy the books mentioned and help support our Weekly Mentor Text Talks (OPEN TO ALL - Replays available to Rate Your Story Members only)! Thanks for sharing the #BookLove #MarchOn #MentorTexts #RateYourStory
What a terrific kick off post for the month, thank you! I learned a lot from how you discussed these texts. I follow the Rate Your Story blog as well as Lynne Marie on FB, Twitter, Goodreads and Instagram.
Oh my - I would love to have time with an Eerdmans's editor! One book I am reading is Parrotfish Has a Superpower by Jill Esbaum. Putnam, 2024. I now follow you on Goodreads and left a comment! I'll also post on BlueSky.