Topic: "Conversation" PB's

[KatieC]

A while back I wrote a "conversation" picture book manuscript (as in the entire book was a conversation between two characters, with no other text). I loved it and thought it was great (of course!LOL). My crit group not so much. So I rewrote and rewrote, but I'm not happy with the rewrites and I vowed I would never again write a picture book this way.

Imagine my chargrin when my latest PB idea came out as a conversation between two characters. 

So I went to the library and got several of Mo Willem's books, and a couple by Karen Beaumont. Does anyone have any other recommendations for "conversation" picture books, or any advice on how to do one better?

[KDuBay]

Duck! Rabbit! is another one, but it relies 87.82% on the art to make it work.  Maybe even closer to 99%.  And you never see the characters actually talking. 

Mo Willems is both auth/illustrator...is the other book you mentioned the same?  I think books that rely on two characters talking, there might be a lot of sub-text in the art that an agent/editor could see working if it came from an author/illustrator where the words and illustrations are seamless. 

I had one that was conversation-based AND took place in the DARK.  Ha!  and 

[DianaM]

How about, "Guess How Much I Love You"?

Or how about, "I Wanna Iguana"? It's told in letters, but that's sort of similar to a conversation. I love that one!

I think if you're inspired, you should just go with it and see what happens. You can always decide to switch gears.

[KatieC]

Thanks Kellie. My manuscript would definitely rely on the pictures for a lot of it to make sense. How to note that in the manuscript without being annoying?

The other books I read by Karen Beaumont were not illustrated by her and they still worked well. I will check out Duck! Rabbit!

[KatieC]

Thanks Diana! I'll check those out.

For now, I'm sticking with the conversation style. I'll add a few notes for my crit group, I guess, and go from there.

[ShelliC]

SHARK VS. TRAIN by Chris Barton. Also, NOODLE & LOU by Liz Garton Scanlon is carried by conversation in the middle.

[KatieC]

Thanks Shelli! I will look those up, too. My library has 2 of the 3 mentioned above. Hopefully they will have at least one of these two, also

[DianaM]

OK, it's really an easy reader, but I just thought of "More Spaghetti, I Say". My daughter adored it. Perhaps it can spark some ideas.

[KatieC]

Thanks Diana!

[amberturner]

We love YELLOW AND PINK by William Steig. Mostly conversation.

[KatieC]

Thank you Amber. Will look it up!

I'm really hating my manuscript right about now. I love the story, but I can't convey what I want to convey by conversation only. By adding what I want to add, I'm afriad I turn it into a short story.

I don't want a short story 

Hopefully these book suggestions will help me shape things better.

[CarrieF]

Mama, Do You Love Me? is also a conversation book.

[KatieC]

Thanks Carrie!

[taralazar]

I say go for it if this is the format your story naturally took. I have a "conversation" picture book under contract with Aladdin. The entire book is in dialogue between an alien, the three bears, and a surprise character. I wasn't fully aware of the "no talking heads" rule when I wrote it. It was just the direction the story took, the best method for telling the tale. Thankfully it found a home. I did tell the story with a lot of visual gags and illustrative potential, so that's really the key in making this kind of story fit the picture book format.

Keep going and good luck!

[carterhiggins]

Jon Klassen's I WANT MY HAT BACK is entirely in conversation, and that one was, well, mildly successful, right?!

[awful waffles]

How about "Yo? Yes!"--one of my favorites.

[KatieC]

Thanks for the suggestions!