Unit Plan
Harold D. Underdown

The Purple Crayon: Books About Children's Books

For Students 9th - 10th
A list of books about children's literature. A good resource for one who is looking for information or research about children's literature. Click on each link for the book's Amazon.com page.
Unit Plan
Harold D. Underdown

The Purple Crayon: Reference Books

For Students 9th - 10th
A comprehensive list of general reference books concerning children's literature and publishing. Includes dictionaries, publishing guides, and manuals of style.
Unit Plan
Harold D. Underdown

The Purple Crayon: Children's Magazines, Orgs, Websites

For Students 9th - 10th
A rather comprehensive and resourceful list of children's literature organizations and websites. Each listing provides a link to the magazine, company, or organization's website.
Activity
Harold D. Underdown

An Agent's Advice on Selling/ Publishing Your Artwork

For Students 9th - 10th
An artist's representative presents basic steps and tips to selling or publishing your artwork as illustrations for books. Written primarily for children's literature, but may also apply to other genres as well.
Activity
Harold D. Underdown

Publishing: The Artist/ Agent Team

For Students 9th - 10th
Some interesting and helpful advice for illustrators who are looking to get published. Discusses the pros and cons of getting an agent (artist's representative) and some practical advice concerning getting your artistic work published.
Handout
Harold D. Underdown

The Use of Visual Elements to Tell a Better Story

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Short article gives excellent tips concerning how to use visual elements to enhance a written story. Article was written specifically for children's literature, but can also apply to other genres as well.
Activity
Harold D. Underdown

Publishing for Illustrators: Portfolio Portent

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
An informational resource concerning what to include in a portfolio for publication submission. Is geared toward illustrators, but many of the concepts in this article can also be applied to writers.
Website
Harold D. Underdown

The Importance of Following Illustrating Guidelines

For Students 9th - 10th
An excellent resource for understanding the specifications of submitting artwork to a publisher. Titled "The Specs on Specs," author Tugeau offers several crucial pieces of advice for illustrators looking to be published.
Activity
Harold D. Underdown

Publishing: What's in a Deadline?

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
An informational article that explores the many issues surrounding meeting deadlines for publication. Gives practical advice as well as information for potential submissions for publication.
Website
Harold D. Underdown

Review: Illustrating Children's Books: Creating Pictures

For Students 9th - 10th
A book review of "Illustrating Children's Books: Creating Pictures for Publication," including critical contents and comments. Also provides information about who would benefit from reading this book review. A good resource for those...
Unit Plan
Harold D. Underdown

The Purple Crayon Review: Writing With Pictures

For Students 9th - 10th
A book review of "Writing with Pictures: How to Write and Illustrate Children's Books." Includes critical information, contents and comments, as well as a link to the book's Amazon.com page. A good resource for anyone interested in...
Activity
Harold D. Underdown

The Purple Crayon: How to "Cook Up" a Great Picture Book

For Students 9th - 10th
An article outlining (in culinary form) the process of developing a successful picture book, from brainstorming to publication. Excellent tips and advice from a successful writer.
Professional Doc
Harold D. Underdown

Open Minds: Nonfiction for the Very Young

For Students Pre-K - 1st
An interesting article from The Purple Crayon, a website for children's literature. Discusses the recent trend in children's books toward nonfiction and offers terrific insight into the realities of exposing young children to it.
Article
Harold D. Underdown

The Purple Crayon: The Writing & Publishing Process

For Students 9th - 10th
Follow Amy Timberlake's steps as she tells about how she wrote the picture book "The Dirty Cowboy." She discusses ideas, drafts, revisions, and publication, and gives helpful hints to aspiring writers along the way.
Website
Harold D. Underdown

October 2005 Blog: Defining Historical Fiction

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
A good resource for understanding the genre of historical fiction, especially when applied to the characteristics of children's literature. From The Purple Crayon: a website devoted to children's literature.
Activity
Harold D. Underdown

The Coretta Scott King Award Winners, 2002 Current

For Students 9th - 10th
A short list of winners of the Coretta Scott King Award in children's literature. Includes award-winning authors and illustrators since 2002.
Website
Harold D. Underdown

Rhyming Picture Books: For Those Who Must

For Students 9th - 10th
An informational site which provides the rules of rhyme and meter for picture books. Also includes links for further reading and study.
Activity
Harold D. Underdown

The End of the Line: Why Agent Relationships Fail

For Students 9th - 10th
An article concerning the relationships between artists and agents. Discusses why many agent relationships fail, but can be used as a good resource for researching agent relationships for publishing.