Reading From Cover-To-Cover: The Joy of Discovering End Pages

During the month of March and ReFoReMo (Research for Reading Month) I gathered hundreds of picture books to pour over in search of the perfect plot, the resounding rhyme, and the “ratatatat” of the repetition that I needed in my own text.

An unexpected joy of having those hundreds of picture books lying around my house is that they all have such BEAUTIFUL artwork! (I could wallpaper rooms with those wonderful illustrations!)

Of course, I have my favorites,but instead of pulling for purely aesthetic reasons, I thought I’d post those that stand out because of their ability to go above and BEYOND the pages. I’m talking about the picture books with fabulously adorned, intentional and purposeful END PAGES!

Here are a few of the highlights I stumbled upon this past March as I read from cover-to-cover:

End pages can be filled with repetitive images--character, symbols, words--added for emphasis or to build on theme.

FARM written and illustrated by Elisha Cooper

IN MY HEART written by Jo Witek and illustrated by Christine Roussey

SWIRL BY SWIRL written by Joyce Sidman and illustrated byBeth Krommes

DANGEROUS written and illustrated by Tim Warnes

ROCKET WRITES A STORY written and illustrated by Tad Hills

THE VERY INAPPROPRIATE WORD written by Jim Tobin and illustrated by Dave Coverly

HOW THE LIBRARY (NOT THE PRINCE) SAVED RAPUNZEL written by Wendy Meddour Illustrated by Rebecca Ashdown

Front and end matter can add more details and information in a nonfiction picture book:

THE RIGHT WORD  Written by Jen Bryant and illustrated by Melissa Sweet

Maps help the reader orient around the setting of a story:

A WALK IN LONDON written and illustrated by Salvatore Rubbino

THE THREE LITTLE ALIENS AND THE BIG BAD ROBOT written by Margaret McNamara Illustrated by Mark Fearing

HAVE YOU SEEN MY DRAGON? written and illustrated by Steve Light

THE WALL written and illustrated by Peter Sis

And the end pages can be used to advance the plot or give background information not provided in the text alone.

ONE BIG PAIR OF UNDERWEAR by Laura Gehl illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld

MADDI’S FRIDGE written by Lois Brandt and illustrated by Vin Vogel

CLINK written by Kelly DiPucchio and Illustrated by Matthew Myers

AGAIN! written and illustrated by Emily Gravett

HIAWATHA written by Henry Wadworth Longfellow and illustrated by Susan Jeffers

(This is by far, one of my favorites. Notice the back story of the death of Hiawatha's mother...)

Additionally...

As a junior high teacher, I’ve noticed many middle grade and young adult books have adopted this trend. THIRTEEN REASONS WHY, written by Jay Asher, uses the end pages to include the all-important map that takes our main character on a journey of discovery.

I have a wonderful idea for the end pages of my WIP. (I hope my future illustrator has the same idea!) Once you start noticing the important role these illustrations play in the story-telling, it's hard to look at a book without them. Use them in lessons, discuss them with your readers, and flip back to them when you need that extra direction. Whatever you do, don't skip them! 

I’d love to hear what books that you’ve discovered that have interesting/important end pages. Please share them in the comments section of this post!

Enjoy!

~Juli

The Coliseum Ballroom- after the fire.

Setting: The Coliseum Ballroom
And all the Would've/Could've/Should'ves...


Last night, an icon of the local setting and feel of Benld, Illinois and Route 66, the Coliseum Ballroom, was lost in a devastating fire. I couldn't help but cry. In my current WIP, the Coliseum is the focal point of the backdrop where key plot events take place. It's the hub! It's where the all the action is!...and now the building is lost.

Historically, and more particularly, during the 1920s, the setting of my story, the Coliseum functioned as a ballroom, a roller-rink and a venue for a multitude of other “events”. During my lifetime, it has been a part-time dance hall/part-time antique shop. The Coliseum has been a landmark for travelers and patrons for almost a century and even those numbers showed up at her end, 16 fire departments in all, to try to keep the fire contained.


As a writer, I have regrets. I watched the fire, and I thought about my characters and all the would've/could've/should've's that are now lost to me. I couldn’t help but feel what it would be like for Will, my main character, who spends his Saturday evenings parking cars for the wealthier patrons during “Big-Band” nights. I imagined Ted, the rambunctious brother, standing in my very shoes, quiet for a change, watching the fire and knowing that part of their town, part of the soul of the citizens would be lost along with the building. While I sympathize with  those in the crowd tonight, who have such strong, similar memories, I am comforted to know that for them as well as for my characters, the Coliseum will forever remain. And every time I look at my story, every time my characters need to be there, it will still be there…in the story, for my reader.

During the past two years, I’ve collected facts for this particular manuscript of mine. For the scenes that involve the Coliseum, I have focused on gathering a sense of the building. I've poured over pictures and flyers. I've hovered around the outside of the building, looking at where the doors and windows had been before the last "remodel". When I've gone inside (posing as a typical antique-store groupie), I let my mind wander. I imagined the wood floor emptied of knick-knacks and the balcony filled with guys and dolls giggling, making light conversation as they waited to hear music fill the large hall. I touched walls, walked up stairs, snuck around corners. I listened.

I wish I had visited more. I wish I would have taken more pictures. I could have sat down and written chapters and pages in the very spot I envisioned my characters. I should have dug deeper. But I didn’t. I guess, in a way, I took it for granted that it would be there tomorrow. Now, the beloved Coliseum lay smoldering under the sprays from a dozen or so fire-engines.

My concrete, fact-finding opportunities are now gone; my first-hand accounts and personal connections have been severed. But as a community member, I know that even though the building may be gone, it will be forever preserved in memories and stories. This is one of the reasons why I write!

I encourage all of you to share your stories of your communities, buildings, places, events, and history with one another. Don't let treasures like these become lost.

With sad regret and a heavy heart, I will forever miss our Coliseum Ballroom.
With Writer's Regrets....