I think these postmodern books are hard to pull off and may be hard to sell for a first time author, but I don't know about that last part. A fantastic and unique concept with a comp title like one you mentioned could be just the ticket.

There is a category of picture book called "concept books." These expose readers to a concept. For example, alphabet books and books that show the seasons passing may not have plots, but some do. They teach the concept of letters and sounds, etc.

Expository nonfiction also lacks a plot. Those are the books that explain a topic in great detail or show a variety of topics, like kids' encyclopedias. The book you mentioned about what kids eat around the world would likely be in this category. You can dip in anywhere and start reading rather than having to go front to back.

Concept books have to be truly unique to sell. Your ABC book is competing with every other ABC book in the marketplace including the classics. But new ones do seem to come out every year. The goal with these and expository works is to have a unique concept or topic and pull it off well. Also note that expository books also sell in the school and library markets. The other books may be geared toward the trade (bookstores).

Hey everyone,

First off I just wanted to say I'm new to these boards and this is my first post! I look forward to interacting with you all.

I was going to start by asking if any of you all have ever written a picture book that doesn't have a conventional "Once there was a cat named Mosy, Mosy got sad because she had no friends, then it all worked out in the end" type of plot? Better yet, has anyone tried to write a picture book that doesn't have a plot at all?

Some of my favorite picture books are ones that "buck the norm" and try something different, such as Press Here, The Monster at the End of This Book, The Book with No Pictures, etc. Even some classics like Goodnight Moon don't really have a "plot" per se. I've also seen a lot of really beautiful picture books that just sort of, give information, such as leading the reader through some beautiful natural areas or showing what different kids around the world eat for dinner and study at school.

It does seem that the vast majority of picture books are simple-plot-driven with a named main character and a simple problem to solve. Does this mean agents would gravitate highly toward those from new authors? Is it only proven industry veterans that can pull off unconventional, non-plot-driven picture books?

Thanks for any thoughts you're willing to share!

When the text is in the body of an email (rather than an attached file), agents often want only basic formatting -- with no indents, single spaced paragraphs and double spaces between paragraphs.

You may want to research the agent a bit and see their preferences. They may list their "pet peeves" someplace.

 I know. It seems like a long time to me too, and it's sort of weird that after the flurry of activity in April it's been silent again, but I'm new to trade publishing and don't know if this is just what deadlines are like in this world. Given how long the first round took I'd let a little more time pass before submitting out. It's probably a little late for October magazine deadlines at this point, anyway. Maybe someone with more experience can offer advice on the etiquette of this situation?

Sounds like a great idea! I'm sorry I don't have any knowledge or help to offer you.  I hope someone else will.