Breakout Session 3 Luscious Layers in Picture Books with Valerie Bolling

Luscious Layers in Picture Books with Valerie Bolling

Valerie warmly introduced herself with a slide with the layers that make up who she is: Author, Educator, Wife, Daughter, Aunt, Black, Female, Walker, Traveler, Dancer. 

A wonderful start to a deep dive into story layer, Valerie, who has published several amazing books posed us with these questions:

Why are layers important?

What purpose do they serve in a story?

Valerie broke down the categories/ the types of layers there can be in a story:

SEL (Social-Emotional Layers)

• Friendship
• Family
• Intergenerational Community

Educational 

•  STEM/STEAM
• HIstory/Culture
• Bilingual

Creative/Language/Structure

• Rhyming/Lyrical/Figurative/Word Play
• Bilingual
• Two perspectives/narrators 

Illustration

• Backstory
• Parallel Story
• Intergenerational Community

Backmatter

• Author's Note
• Information/Interesting Facts
• Resources

Then Valerie took us through some book examples to demonstrate how she applies the layers.

KABOOM!

by Jessica Kulekjian, Illustrated by Zoe Si 

Creative: Story told by two narrators: a volcano tells its story, and a bird explains the science

Educational: STEM, learning about volcanoes 

Backmatter: Phases, anatomy, and common types of volcanoes plus selected resources

The Gabi that Girma Wore

by Fasika Adefris & Sara Holly Ackerman, Illustrated by Netsanet Tesfay

Structure: Predictable structure keeps the reader engaged

Culture: Ethiopian traditions and words

 Backmatter: Glossary/pronunciation guide, author's note

I See Color

by Valerie Bolling & Kailei Pew, Illustrated by Laylie Frazier

Language: Lyrical

SEL: A celebration of different races

Historical: Important events and acts of social justice

Backmatter: Author's notes, facts about people and movements

Below are some tips and things to think about that Valerie gave us when it comes to layers in our own work:

Valerie Bolling is passionate about creating stories in which all children can see themselves and feel seen and heard, valued and validated. She is the author of seven picture books, including LET’S DANCE! (SCBWI Crystal Kite Award winner), TOGETHER WE SWIM (Kirkus Prize Finalist), and I SEE COLOR (Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection) -- as well as a Scholastic Acorn early reader series, RAINBOW DAYS. A graduate of Tufts University and Teachers College, Columbia University, Valerie was an educator for 30 years and is active in the kidlit community, teaching picture book classes (independently and for the Highlights Foundation and Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance), presenting at conferences, and participating in book festivals.

valeriebolling.com/index.html