Bringing Your Children's Stories to Life!
When she could not find the type of books she wanted for her two sons, Helen Kimbrough founded her own independent publishing company and now helps others create beautiful stories.
As an author, one of my many privileges is bringing stories to life. My ultimate objective is to create a reading experience that kids will enjoy. Some elements that I have used and continue to use in creating and presenting stories include:
Music
Children love music! In their eyes, music is magical, wonderful, and captivating. They enjoy singing, dancing, and listening to the sounds and beats of music. Stories that offer a musical component are intriguing to kids because they are not expecting it. Children become instantly engaged and are truly enriched. Therefore, encourage children to sing, chant, or create music in a story. Music is considered a universal language.
Beautiful Pictures
There is a saying that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For children, visualization and pictures are imperative for bringing stories to life. As the young mind develops, pictures express many words and phrases becoming its own language. So pick a book that will pull your child into the story visually.
Repetition
Stories that repeat words or phrases or themes over and over again help children to read and comprehend. They become so excited when they can figure a story out based on a consistent trait or recurring theme. You may hear them say, “I got it! I got it!”
Acting
Acting out a story is exhilarating! Children get to become the characters and express feelings and sentiments throughout the story. They become really involved and want to be authentic in various roles. So let them!
Check the WF&S workshop calendar to join me for an hour workshop to learn how to make your dream of a children’s book a reality!
Overall, we need more children in this society to enjoy reading so that they will want to read on a continual basis. Bringing stories to life will accomplish this and more! The only specific skill requirement is to have fun!!!
- Helen
Helen Hope Kimbrough is a reading evangelist, literacy advocate, and racial equity champion. She journeyed into writing and publishing children’s books because she was unable to find books with diverse characters especially for boys of color. In 2005, she founded her independent publishing company, AK Classics LLC, to create relatable and cultural content for children and families of color.
Helen will be teaching a WF&S workshop on Children’s Publishing on Thursday, January 14, 2021, 6-7 p.m EST. You can sign up here.