The Pennsylvania State University

The Graduate School

College of Curriculum and Instruction

e-Portfolio

Writing for Children

by

Kristina Weingartner

© 2011 Kristina Weingartner

Master of Education

November 2011

© Kristina Weingartner, 2011

Copyright ©2011, Kristina Weingartner all rights reserved. The text linked to this statement and associated images may be shared in accordance with the fair-use provisions of U.S. copyright law. Redistribution or republication on other terms, in any medium, requires consent of the author. You may link your web pages to anything on this site without requesting permission.

To my family: without you I am nothing.

Index

Part One page 5How To Travel Through Time page 6Reflection page 7Disappear page 8Reflection page 9Green Eyes page 10Reflection page 11Scene from a Short Story page 12-13Reflection page 14Not a Girl page 15Reflection page 16Part Two page 17Comments to Classmates page 18Comments from Classmates page 19-20Philosophy of Children’s Literature page 21Part Three page 22Author’s Note page 23

Biography page 24Blurbs page 25

Part One

How to Travel Through Time

Bubble gum scented Bonne Bell lip glossTravel back to grade schoolPassing notes with my BFFGiggle and caffeine fueled sleepovers.

Embrace the ambiguous scent of CK OneBack in high schoolKissing in the back seat of a carPlanning for prom night.

Spritz the fragrance of Estee Lauder BeautifulTransported to your wedding dayRelive his first lookYour first moment as a wife.

Enveloped in the scent of lavenderHear the first cry of your daughterSee her angelic newborn face for the first timeBreathe in motherhood.

‘How To’ Poem Reflection:

I find that scent is the most primal of the senses. If I smell a scent I have not smelled in years it will take me back to the last time I experienced it. I recently did smell Calvin Klein’s Obsession again after many years and it was like time travel taking me back to middle school, when I wore the fragrance. The memories come pouring in, and it is all triggered by a smell. It got me thinking about the important moments in a woman’s life and the fragrances that might accompany those moments. It is the closest thing to time travel we have.

Disappear

I throw myself down on the bed in my tiny prison cell of a room

It is dark and I have disappeared

Except that the pain is always there

I want to run away

Cease to be

Where could I go where I would no longer have to be me?

Character Poem Reflection:

This poem was inspired by my teenage years and the depression that I fell into during that time. As writers we need to be authentic and access the truth of the human experience; some of the most raw, emotional times of my life were during my depression. I have some journals that I kept from that time period and reading them is unnerving to this day because the desperation is so close to the surface. I accessed these feelings and memories for this poem.

Green Eyes

Hypnotic green eyes gaze at meWet pink nose rubs my armWhiskers tickle my face

Silky fur cradle against meLittle paws knead against my tummyMysterious engine rumbles to lifeLittle head rubs against my face My shoulders loosenThe crease in my forehead smooth’s outI sigh

Cat Poem Reflection:

I was feeling a complete lack of inspiration when I wrote this poem. I was reflecting on the advice to write about the everyday; the experiences that we take for granted. I had my cat on my lap so I took the time to really observe and soak in the moment. It got me thinking about what a miracle something as simple as a snuggle with a cat is and the soothing effect it had on my body. Poetry is around us all the time but the secret is taking the time to appreciate it.

Katie watched the raindrops slide down the window pane one by one. It was a gray, miserable day, the air felt heavy with moisture. Katie had no idea how long she had been sitting at the window staring into the distance; it could have been minutes or hours. She was waiting, waiting for something, anything, to happen.

Her Mom and Dad were driving her sister, Ainsley to college for the semester. She had been left at her Aunt Morgan’s house to stay out of trouble and not interfere with her perfect sister’s first day at her new school. Aunt Morgan’s house was an enormous Victorian with three stories of innumerable rooms and hideaways. The doors were always shut and locked; the house seemed to hold many ominous secrets. The house had a sense of foreboding about it; it smelled of must and peppermint. Katie could never see into the corners of the rooms as her Aunt always had the curtains pulled closed. The lights were dim. Katie did not enjoy visiting her Aunt because there was nothing to do and her Aunt was always busy. 

Today, Aunt Morgan had gone out on one of her many mysterious errands and left Katie to fend for herself. Before she left she had told Katie to stay in the parlour and not go wandering; the rest of the rooms were off limits and she was to behave herself. Katie had meant to obey, but she was bored and there were three floors of house to explore. Her Aunt would never know.

Katie was familiar with the first floor of the house from her many visits with her Aunt, so she decided to venture to the second floor. She slowly crept towards the staircase and, with trepidation, ascended the staircase. The second floor hallway was dark, dusty, dimly lit and absolutely silent. The floor boards creaked as she made her way slowly down the hallway. She went to the first door that she came to across from the landing, she reached out her hand to open the large ornate door—it was locked! She went from door to door and soon discovered that they were all locked. A feeling of frustration and disappointment rushed through Katie; so much for some exploration and discovery. Maybe the third floor would be better.

She made her way up to the third floor. It looked identical to the second. She tried the first door she came across only to discover it was locked as well. She saw some light coming through the key hole and bent down to look through. The room was filled with lavish furniture that would look fitting at a museum, a chandelier hanging from the ceiling, antique collectables on every surface and tapestries on the walls. Clearly there is

more to her Aunt than what appeared. Katie longed to go in this room and touch all of the beautiful objects she could barely see through the keyhole.

Katie was about to head back downstairs to wait for her family to return, when she heard a faint scratching sound coming from the last door at the end of the hall. Nervously, she walks down the dingy hallway to the door and places her hand on the crystal door knob. Not expecting success, she turns the knob, and the door opened. The room on the other side of the door was quite unlike the room she viewed through the key hole. It was very plain and basic; it had a cot, a night stand, a dresser and a bare bulb light hanging from the ceiling. The walls were painted dull beige gray in contrast to the lavish wall hangings in the other room. Katie sighed and was about to dismiss the room when she noticed a movement out of the corner of her eye on the dresser. Aunt Morgan did not have any pets, so what could it be? Katie walked to the dresser to investigate and saw the movement again behind the dresser, this time she also catches a hint of shimmer.   Clearly it is not a mouse or a rat. She sees a glimpse of the mysterious movement disappearing behind a hole in the baseboard. Katie is astounded: what had she just witnessed? This day was proving to be interesting after all. Katie put her fingers into the hole in the baseboard and began to pull; the wood was dry and rotting so she was able to it back completely. She had torn off a nice section when suddenly from behind her, her Aunt Morgan said, “And what exactly do you think you’re doing?”

Scene from a Fictional Story Reflection:

The story about Katie was one that had been sitting with me for a while, kind of floating around in my consciousness. I had been freewriting some ideas about her character and her story. I see this story being an easy reader but it has to fester in my brain for a while longer yet. I don’t know where it is going, the ideas are still brewing. Katie is a character who talks to me and tells me her story but it is not yet developed enough to work into a full novel.

Not a Girl

Dreams of secret sharing fade

There will be no best friend across the hall

You are not a girl

Hopes of sisterhood are dashed

No days of girlhood bonding

You are not a girl

 So sure my parents would not disappoint me

One brother too many and it's clear

 You are not a girl.

Not a Girl Poem:

This poem was inspired by the assignment to write about a childhood disappointment. I truly had a happy childhood but I was disappointed not to have a sister. At a certain age, I was convinced that they key to my happiness was a sister. When my Mom was pregnant with my younger brother, we did not find out the gender of the baby until he was born, so I had a lot of time to stew… Scott or Sarah? As an adult, I can certainly see the perks of being the only girl but at the time having two brothers seemed like the cruelest blow fate could through my way.

Part Two

Comment to: Kelly White Lesson: 5 Workshop: 3

Your poem evoked the images of going back to school.  I think the fourth stanza was particularly effective because of the use of the senses and the sense of urgency that the first day of school creates.  Due to the fact that there are so many emotions on the first day of school I would enjoy the use of more the senses in the poem: How are they feeling? Are there sweaty palms?  Are they excited or dreading the first day?  It is a universal experience so it is a great topic for a story or poem.

Reflection:

My observations were helpful because they encouraged the author to make her poem more visual, to use more verbs in her piece and to play up the drama in her poem. The poem is written for children so the piece should play on emotions and experiences that they can relate to. The very things that I recommend to a classmate are considerations for my own work. I have to remember to include nouns and verbs in my own work instead of the extraneous adjectives, adverbs and qualifiers. As I reflect on my peers work, I pick up tips for my own work.

Comment to: Linda Neville Lesson: 4 Workshop: 3

You are writing about making the perfect donut that takes years to perfect.  I found your piece really interesting because it is so descriptive and takes the reader on a journey through the process; from waking up in the morning despite wanting to sleep in, to opening the door to the familiarity of the shop you have visited your whole life to the satisfaction of creating the perfect donut.  I could have used even more description because I was trying to go step by step along with you and some of the terms were foreign and I was unable to get a visual.  I am not familiar with a proof-box and I am not sure what 'little square openings' you were referring to.  I have to say that I could almost smell the donuts!

Reflection:

This critique was helpful because it showed the author where someone unfamiliar with her work would not be able to follow her piece. The author knows what they are talking about but it takes a peer to read through your draft and point out holes or areas where further explanations are required for your reader. This was beneficial to me because it made me realize how important a second, or third, opinion is for your draft. Peers can

tighten your plot, suggest character improvements, point out areas that are lacking or don’t make sense; it is invaluable.

Comment from: Linda Neville Class: 5 Workshop: 3

I can see your character in "the tiny prison cell of a room". It is a moment of deep internal conflict. this person doesn't wish to be him/her anymore. There is a feeling of being trapped with no way out, no escape. They cannot resolve their problem because they have to be who they are. We don't know what has caused this self-loathing but it is painful. The idea of running away and ceasing to be suggests ending a life. Looking in a mirror and facing our true selves and what we are capable of is difficult.

I don't get a sense of how old this person is perhaps some specific object could steer us or give us a clue.

I really like the last line, it ties everything together well.

Reflection:

I found this critique helpful because it gave me the viewpoint of the reader. The author can never really know how the reader will interpret their work unless she asks so it was interesting to discover how a reader interprets this poem. It was helpful to learn that the reader did not have a sense of the age of the character in the poem. I was pleased to see that the overall theme and tone of the poem got across to the reader.

Comment from: Cheyenna Eversoll Duggan Lesson: 7 Workshop: 3

How mysterious! This story of a girl, bored and lonely at her Aunt's house, seems like it will be a fantasy story? Very nice start. Your setting is strong and Katie seems well developed. You did say "Katie" a lot though. Could you find other ways to refer to her in the story. Also, this paragraph:

Her Mom and Dad were driving her sister, Ainsley to college for the semester. She had been left at her Aunt Morgan’s house to stay out of trouble and not interfere with her perfect sister’s first day at her new school. Aunt Morgan’s house was an enormous Victorian with three stories of innumerable rooms and hideaways. The doors were always shut and locked; the house held many secrets and was dark and creepy. The house had a sense of foreboding about it; it smelled of must and peppermint. Katie could never see into the corners of the rooms as her Aunt always had the curtains pulled closed. The

lights were dim. Katie did not enjoy visiting her Aunt because there was nothing to do and her Aunt was always busy.

seemed like a lot of exposition to me. Could some of this be revealed later so it doesn't interrupt the flow? I enjoyed reading this! Will it be a short story or a novel?

Reflection:

This critique was beneficial to me because it made an observation that is true; I should have saved some of this information for later. I revealed too much too soon. It is important to remember to show and not tell; I think I have a tendency to tell and not show. I have to slow done and enjoy the ride as a writer. If I were to develop this story into any easy reader I would need to map it out and decide when to reveal what. I was at the ‘get it down on paper’ stage and it was flowing like crazy. That is what the second, third, fourth, etc. edit are for, I guess.

Philosophy of Children’s Literature

My philosophy on children’s literature has not changed a great deal during the course, but it has evolved. I still believe that a good book is a good book and will be enjoyed by all, regardless of age. I believe that literature should not be ‘dumbed down’ for a younger audience. I believe that young adult and adult titles are inseparable, and that children’s literature is a genre on its own. Young adult titles are read by adults and vice versa. It goes back to the idea that if it is a good book it will be enjoyed by all.

I think that I could see myself writing for an older audience now. I had envisioned myself writing picture books, yet now I see myself writing easy readers or chapter books. This change has come about because illustrations are so crucial to the picture book that I do not believe that the words and pictures can be separated in the authoring process. The words do not seem to be enough. Picture books are my favourite form of children’s literature but the art is integral to the form; I find I cannot write a picture book independent of illustrations, and the author has no input in the art. The author who does not illustrate has more control of their world in a novel. This reflects in my work because my stories and poems tend to geared towards an older audience, and I use a vocabulary that is not aimed at the preschool set.

Writing children’s literature has impacted my philosophy of the form, because it gives me a new appreciation of the complexity and work that goes into each piece. There is an idea that children’s literature is not at the level of adult literature. If I ever believed that, I don’t anymore. Children’s literature requires the same amount of thought, dedication and commitment as adult’s literature. The quality must be the same; children are intelligent and know when they are being patronized. The experiences in children’s stories must be authentic and children must be able to relate to them. Author’s must go into their own experiences and find the inner pain and anguish and paint it on the page for children to laugh at or commiserate with. It is so much more than I had imagined.

Books give us a slice of humanity that makes living more bearable, funny and emphatic. Writers have to take all of the possible life experiences and condense them into a few pages of enlightenment. Quite a task! I think what always motivated me to write is my passion for reading. If we can create books that make children want to read then we have been successful. My philosophy of children’s literature is that books are meant to be read and a love of literature is the most important gift you can pass on to a child.

Part Three

Author’s Note

Writing has always been something I have had a love/hate relationship with; I love the finished result but I hate getting there. Every time I have a writing assignment or a sudden inspiration to write I have a feeling of dread, a need to escape. The process is painful and unpleasant. When I have finished a piece I feel accomplished and I am impressed with myself; it is always worth the strife. Why does writing have to be so difficult? This course was encouraging because it taught me that other writers experience the same feelings of incompetence, frustration and, even, depression when going through the process. I always tell myself that J.K. Rowling was turned down repeatedly before a publisher accepted Harry Potter. If J. K. Rowling had to deal with rejection, then I guess so can I.

Biography

Kristina Weingartner was born in Hamilton, Ontario where she currently resides with her fiancé and their three cats. She is an Occasional Teacher for the Halton District School Board and is finishing up her Master’s degree in Children’s Literature. Kristina loves to travel and take photographs of the scenery. She is an avid reader with a vast collection of picture books. Kristina will be married during the Spring of 2012 in Santorini, Greece.

Blurbs

Kristina Weingartner charms with her endearing tales inspired by her love and passion for children’s literature. – Casey Scholl, Hamilton, ON.

A writer with a voice that will resonate with children and young adults alike, Kristina Weingartner’s fun and whimsical tales will be enjoyed for years to come. – Margaret Brown, Hamilton, ON.

Inspiration comes in the simplest of forms for Ms. Weingartner, from a simple stoke of her cat’s back to the smell of CK One, her words inspire us to appreciate the uncomplicated. – Scott Weingartner, Hamilton, ON.

Wow!!! I’m blown away by Kristina’s wonderful poetry. – Janet Conway, Stoney Creek, ON

Kristina takes us on a journey of artistic growth, one I surely hope I will have the privilege of being a part of in the future. – Stewart Currie, North York, ON