[hairaplenty Posts: 1,454 Status: Offline Don't ever quit!]

Hello all,
I am taking an online course. I am required to read and critique others' work including PB to YA. I write YA. I read tons of PBs as a PreK teacher, but haven't really delved into writing or thinking what makes a good PB other than how it works in my classroom.
The recent PB text I am critiquing makes me think it is more on the Magazine front, but I'm not sure why. It reads a little "slight," to me. But not sure what exactly I am looking for in critiquing and giving the author good feedback.
So, what do you think the difference is between mags and PB's?

[Ev Posts: 3,515 Status: Offline Making learning fun! WWW]

One factor to consider is whether or not the story 'works' if it just has one or two illustrations. If it does, then there's a good chance it's a magazine story.

[hairaplenty Posts: 1,454 Status: Offline Don't ever quit!]

Oh, yes. Good point. Thanks, Ev.

[Anne Marie Posts: 2,855 Status: Offline VAMPIRINA season 3 is on Disney Junior now! WWW]

Magazine story text often reads more like a novel.

[Vijaya Posts: 7,375 Status: Offline Encourage WWW]

Hair, if the text feels slight to you, you're probably looking at a magazine piece (though I must say some of the best magazine pieces are not in the least bit slight; in contrast some PBs fall in that category but I'm not naming names). A PB has to have weight for repeated readings, a surprise or emotion that wells up and overflows.  And of course, Ev mentioned the most important point--does it have enough different picturable scenes for a PB.

To get a better feel for the magazines, pick up Highlights or Cricket or Jack-n-Jill, whatever is available at your library.

[hairaplenty Posts: 1,454 Status: Offline Don't ever quit!]

I knew I'd get great feedback here!!!     

[olmue Posts: 3,606 Status: Offline WWW]

What Ev said: are there at least 16 different scenes to illustrate? (That's one per full spread; some have many more than that.) If you don't have enough pictures to do a whole 32 page book, then I think it's a magazine story.

[Debbie Vilardi Posts: 6,936 Status: Offline Language is so cool! WWW]

Another thing to look at as how much is told. If  a piece describes the visuals in each scene in words and that style seems to be working, there is a good chance it's written as a magazine piece. A PB author has to leave room for the illustrator. Some pieces can be tweaked to work as either. For a PB, each scene needs to have action with a new character, setting, or action introduced---that's what gets illustrated.