Mogilner - Childrens Writers Word Book

Childrens Writers WORD BOOK Childrens Writers WORD BOOK _____________________
2ND EDITION _____________________ WRITER'S DIGEST BOOKS
CINCINNATI, OHIO
www.writersdigest.com Childrens Writers Word Book, 2nd edition. Copyright 2006 by Alijandra Mogilner and Tayopa Mogilner. Manufactured in the United States of America. All rights reserved. No other part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review. (800) 289-0963. (800) 289-0963.

Second Edition. Distributed in Canada by Fraser Direct
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Tel: (905) 877-4411 Distributed in the U.K. and Europe by David & Charles
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Mogilner, Alijandra
Childrens writers word book / by Alijandra Mogilner.-- 2nd ed.
p. cm.
ISBN-13: 978-1-58297-413-2 (pbk. paper)
ISBN-10: 1-58297-413-6 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. paper)
1.

English language--Glossaries, vocabularies, etc. 2. Childrens literature--Authorship. 3. Children--Books and reading. 4.

Children--Language. 5. Vocabulary. I. Title. eISBN: 978-1-58297-688-4 PE1691.M57 2006
428.1--dc22
2006004690 Editor: Amy Schell
Designer: Claudean Wheeler
Production Coordinator: Robin Richie ABOUT THE AUTHORS Alijandra Mogilner started writing on a bet and sold her first piece of childrens writing to the Childrens Television Workshop publication 3-2-1 Contact in 1982.

Her work appeared regularly in that publication throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. Her work has been translated into at least 37 languages, and she has appeared in childrens magazines, such as Misha (Russia), around the world. Besides writing for children, she has published several trade and text books and literally hundreds of magazine articles. She taught writing at the University of California at San Diego Extension and is currently an adjunct professor at Alliant International University. She serves on the Board of Directors of several companies including Faucon International Publications. Tayopa Mogilner published her first story in a national publication at the age of 10 and had a regular column in a magazine by the age of 12. Tayopa Mogilner published her first story in a national publication at the age of 10 and had a regular column in a magazine by the age of 12.

A graduate of Brandeis University, she works as an educator and author. She currently studies learning in the cognitive science department at the University of California at San Diego. DEDICATION Especially for Colin and Miles ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The road to this revised edition to the Childrens Writers WordBook has been a long one and has taken many turns. Wherever I have traveled my family has patiently helped me along the way, and I thank them all for their support and love. The world is a very different place than it was almost 15 years ago, but the people at F+W Publications are still kind and helpful, especially Jane Friedman, Amy Schell, Claudean Wheeler, and Robin Richie, who helped make this edition possible. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION One of the wonderful things about dreaming of becoming a childrens writer is that it is such a possible dream.

Successful writers not only gain financially, but they also gain a loyal and generous readership. I can think of no more gracious and enthusiastic an audience than young readers. Children identify strongly with characters in their books and often want the same book read to them over and over again. That could be your bookthe one thats dog-eared and tattered from being someones cherished companion. The original Childrens Writers Word Book set out to help authors achieve their goals of reaching young audiences. And with this new edition, the commitment to aiding authors is redoubled.

A great deal has happened in our world since Childrens Writers WordBook was first published in 1993. The World Wide Web has made dramatic changes in almost everyones lives. Weve discovered that there was once water on the surface of Mars and are planning to terraform that planet to make it livable for humans. Nanotechnology is already changing the landscape of medicine, and scientists have actually been able to teleport small amounts of matter from one place to another. Closer to home, concerns with ecology, disaster preparedness, mainstreaming in schools, and the expanded role most schools play in integrating children into problem solving in appropriate ways have been added to the classroom curriculum in many, if not most, schools. With those changes, of course, came changes in childrens literature and in the materials used in the classroom.

Those changes include new words to express the new world in which we live, and they also include a change in emphasis on subject matter in juvenile publishing. While horizons of knowledge keep expanding, and with it the language we use to talk about our world, successful childrens writing requires more than just using the right vocabulary. To achieve your dream and become an author for this special audience, you first must understand the unique style necessary in childrens writing. The clarity, simplicity, and rhythm that should be present in a childrens book or story can be difficult to master. However, its these very ingredients that will make your book one that is read over and over again. Childrens Writers Word Book will help you choose words children will both understand and be challenged by, words that will help them perceive the world as it is and imagine worlds that could be.

You, as a writer of childrens literature, have a special commitment; along with the joy of creating for your readers comes the responsibility of writing honestly and clearly. This book will help you meet that responsibility. Anyone working in childrens literature, young adult literature, or educational writing will find it an invaluable tool. Educators will find the book useful in creating classroom materials, such as vocabulary lists, and for creative writing projects with students. Teachers and day-care professionals can use the lists as a reference when developing classroom material. Since the first edition of this book, there has been a rapid expansion in home schooling.

Once reserved for children who were ill or for families who moved frequently, home schooling has expanded dramatically. Today, more than one million Web sites are devoted to the subject; and many states, such as California, now have online Virtual Academy resources for home schooling. The aforementioned professionals and aspirants will refer again and again to specific word lists to spur ideas. The lists can stimulate creativity and verify your perception of whats appropriate. This book is for anyone who works withor would like to reachchildren and beginning readers, whether writing a story for fifth-grade boys or an adult reading text to improve literacy skills. The original Childrens Writers Word Book has found a place both in the traditional classroom and in the home school environment.