Picture Book Breakdown: Writing Good Endings with "The Summer Nick Taught His Cats to Read".

The Summer Nick Taught His Cats to Read by Curtis Manley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

 

The Summer Nick Taught His Cats to Read

By Curtis Manley

Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Year: 2016

Ages: 4-8

Pages: 32

 

In her book, Writing Picture Books A Hands-On Guide From Story Creation to Publication, Ann Whitford Paul lays out a few rules for writing a good ending to a children's story.   She goes over these in detail in the text.  Briefly those rules are:

 

- The ending must be unpredictable.

-  The ending must solve the original problem.

- Everything you write relates to the ending of the story.

- The main character must solve the problem.  

- The main character must evolve in some way.  

- No lucky coincidences.

- No extra help from new characters.

-  All characters introduced in the beginning must play a part in the ending.

-  The ending comes at the end.  Not the middle.

- No loose ends

- No explicit moral message.

- The ending is happy or at least hopeful.  

 Paul then gives a few examples of picture books that do this well.  Chicken Lily and Sophie's Fish are among them. Also listed was The Summer Nick Taught His Cats to Read  By  Curtis Manley.

Let’s dissect this charming story and see why it’s ending works so well.

P1: Title Page

P2: Copyright

P3: Nick had two cats, Vern and Stevenson. PT

P4: They spent summers doing everything together.  

P5: But when Nick sat down with a book, the cats had their own ideas. PT

Here is the problem that must be resolved at the end of the story.  The cats get in the way when Nick tries to read his book.  

P6: So Nick decided to teach them to read.  He started with easy words.  

P7: “Ball!” Said Nick.  “B-A-L-L.”  But the cats just wanted to play.  PT

  When you have a hook this good why not make it the title of your book?  

P8: At lunchtime Nick pointed at the word food.  The cats ignored him.

P9: “Wake up!” Said Nick after they fell asleep.  “This is no time for a N-A-P”. His cats did not like that at all.  PT

P10:  So Nick made new flash cards - and Verne got interested.  

P11: But not Stevenson.  Stevenson just said “Mrrp,” and crawled under the bed.  PT

P12: Nick tried nursery rhymes next.  When he read “Three Little Kittens,” Verne searched everywhere for mittens.  But not Stevenson.  

P13: Then Nick read his favorite books to Verne, who liked stories about cats and stories about fish.  Vern loved fish.  He followed along as Nick read, learning the sounds of the letters.  PT

The simple act of Vern showing interest builds his character. 

Author Curtis Manley

 He’s no longer just one of the cats.  He now has the personality of a youthful more spirited character.  Also Nick’s willingness to teach his pets reveals that he is kind and patient - the qualities of a good teacher.

    

P14: Verne practiced on his own, over and over even after Nick went to bed.  Soon he was reading new stories all by itself.  

P15:  The next morning, Nick tried once more.  “F-I-S-H. See?  Fish! Verne loves that  word.  Don’t you?”  But Stevenson said “Meow!” And ran under the porch.  He hissed at Nick and Verne.  PT

ACT II

P16: Verne got his own library card and borrowed so many books that Nick could hardly carry them home.  

P17: When they discovered a story they both liked they acted out their favorite scenes.  They dug up fish fossils in the flower bed.  They bound across the surface of the moon. It was fun, but it would have been more fun with Stevenson.  PT

Stevenson represents all kids who struggle to learn something.  It feels like the class has moved on.  So they brood under the porch and feel biter.  To these kids it can feel as though the world will move on and leave them when in truth the world is a better place with their participation.  It's up to teachers to help encourage those kids and find ways to help them understand.

  This little bit of conflict between Stevenson and the others helps move the story on.

P18:

Then Verne discovered a treasure under the bed.  A great stack of Stevenson’s pirate drawings.  “Wow!” Nick whispered.  “Stevenson drew a story.”

P19:

“We should write the words.”  said Nick.  Verne helped.  PT

This is an interesting twist.  Up until now the cats have largely behaved like cats.  Even Vern’s interest in words like fish and mice weren’t off putting.  

Does this, Stevenson being able to draw, break the "No lucky coincidences that influence the outcome." rule?

 However silly this twist is it occurs at the end ACT II and leads to ACT III.  So it doesn't feel like cheating.   It also fits with what we now see as Stevenson’s personality - of course the grumpy cat is into pirates!  

It also shows that maybe Stevenson, or the child he represents, is trying to learn on his own even though he might be struggling.  It’s hard to be taught something.  We all just want to know it already.  Its even harder when our friends pick up on a new skill faster than we do.  Perhaps words aren’t the best way to start with him.  So Nick, being a good teacher as established by his character, tries another way to teach him.  

What do you think?  Do you see Stevenson being able to draw as a “lucky coincidence” that pulls you out of the story?  Please comment your feelings below.

ACT III

P20:

When they were done, they squeezed under the porch, gave Stevenson an eye patch, and read the The Tale of One-Eyed Stevenson and the Pirate Gold.  

Stevenson listened and followed along.  He didn’t run away.  Or hiss.  Not even once.  

P21:

So Nick and Verne took him to the library to find more books.  PT

P22 - P23

The next morning when Nick woke up, Stevenson already had his whiskers in a book.  PT

P24

When Verne and Nick needed help fighting pirates, Stevenson found a sword too.  

“Welcome aboard, matey!” Nick yelled “Step lively!”

P25:

Nick and Verne rounded up two scurvy mutineers.  And Stevenson held them at bay.  PT

P26:

When Nick and Verne climbed the mast and looked out over Treasure Island.  When Nick yelled, “Land ho!” Stevenson was right there with them.

P27:

Then they all hurried down and waded ashore - and it was Stevenson who found the buried treasure. PT

Here comes the ending.

Let’s re-visit our check list.

Paul states  that the ending should come between pages 28 and 30 with room on pages 31 or 32 for a something quirky, surprising, or funny to end cap.  Whatever the end cap is it must be unpredictable!  

P28:

Now Nick and his cats hunt for dinosaurs in the lost world behind the garden.  They race around the yard in eighty seconds.  

P29:

They journey to the center of the basement.

P30:

Sometimes Verne and Stevenson curl up with their own books and sometimes Nick reads to them while they close their eyes and purr.  

The main character must solve the problem.

Check:  Nick, the main character, has solved his problem.  

The original problem must be solved.

Check: The original problem was that the cats would bother Nick while he read.  That problem is solved. Also the secondary problem of Stevenson feeling left out is also solved.  

The ending must come at the end.

No extra characters aid in the resolution.

Check: the problem is resolved by page 28.  The summation leads to the final ending, but does not add more information nor extra characters. 

Everything written must relate to the ending. 

Check: Curtis Manley stayed focused on Nick's task to teach his cats how to read pretty firmly.  

No loose ends

Check: The loose end, that is Stevenson not wanting to participate in learning how to read, is nicely sewn up.  Now all three friends are having a good time.

All characters must play an important role.

Check: All three characters played a part in the story.  Nick accomplished his goal; Vern helped Stevenson; Stevenson is finally participating!  

The main character evolves.

I’m not so sure about this one.  If we consider Nick to be the main character, and his name is on the cover so why wouldn’t we, I have to say that he didn’t change much.  He had an idea to teach his cats to read and succeeded.  If he did change perhaps we can say that he’s gained confidence in his ability to teach?  

Comment below what you think.   

P31:

But Nick also likes it when someone reads to him.

“Maybe I should teach you how to speak,” he says to his cats.  “How hard could that be?”  

P32: 

“Meow!” Says Stevenson.  

The ending must be unpredictable

Check:  Well, I for one did not see him succeeding.  I especially did not see him suggesting he could teach them to speak as well so that they can read to him sometimes!

If not happy, then at least hopeful.

Check:  Since he was able to teach them how to read I’m sure he could pull off teaching them to communicate somehow, maybe not speak but who knows!  This kid is awesome and one of his cats already knows how to draw!

No explicit moral

Check: Paul points out in her book that no one states the morals at the end anymore.  It’s true that in many of these picture books I've been studying, I didn’t understand the message behind the story until I'd typed it out, or read it out loud to my daughter.  

I did not catch that Stevenson represents children who struggle to read,  nor did I see how Nick represents good teachers, until I was thinking about their character arcs.  The message of being patient and flexible is there but there is no need to beat the readers up with it.  

Breakdown

I found this book to be cute and charming. At first I was concerned about a little boy who spends his summers hanging out with a couple of cats, but after doing the break down I realized that was so not the point!

It’s a great book to encourage struggling readers to keep trying.  It also encourages someone struggling to teach a child how to read to be patient and flexible.  Maybe try some new methods.  When it appears that they don’t want to learn, don’t give up on them, everyone processes new skills in their own way.

Bedtime Breakdown

My daughter love love loved this story!  She was head over heels for the cats, and felt sorry for Stevenson under the porch.  

She didn’t know anything about pirates yet so that was fun to talk about.  She loved the idea of taking the cats to the library. She helped me to see the comedy in the story.   

We had fun sounding out the words for nap, and food.  This was a library book, but perhaps when she’s getting ready to learn how to read I’ll purchase it.

If you liked this book as much we did please consider supporting the writer by purchasing this book from your favorite local book story.

Click here to learn more about  Curtis Manley the author of "The Summer Nick Taught His Cats to Read".

I encourage you to read Ann Whitford Paul’s book and any others about writing picture books to improve your skills.  Also join me for more picture book breakdowns!

I’m Porsche B. Yeary

And I’ll see you on the next page.  

View all my reviews

Picture Book Breakdown: Studying Tension with "Jacob's New Dress"

Jacob's New Dress by Sarah Hoffman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars





  

                              

Jacob’s New Dress

By Sarah and Ian Hoffman

Published: Albert Whitman & Company

Year: 2014

Ages: 4-8

Pages: 31

Words

    Jacob’s new dress is a story about a little boy who wants to wear a dress to school.  It’s a good source for studying how character driven stories naturally create tension even in a picture book for young children. 

Let’s delve into this story and study how authors Sarah and Ian Hoffman created tension without violence, harsh language, or life threatening circumstances.   

P1: Title Page

P2: Copyright

P3: Jacob ran to join Emily in the dress-up corner.  

P4: Emily slid into a shiny yellow dress while Jacob wiggled into a sparkly pink dress.  They both reached for the crown, but Jacob got there first.

“I’ll be the princess,” he said.  

First step in developing a sense of tension is creating the character.  These few sentences introduce Jacob as 

1.  A person, who looks like a boy and likes to wear dresses.  

2. A person who isn’t afraid to wear dresses in public.  And 

3.  A person who is proud enough to declare himself the princess.  Not a princess.  There are little girls who won’t fight for the right to be the princess.  But Jacob knows what he, wants.  And he is stubborn enough to declare it that he is the princess.  

Disclaimer: I'm using the pronouns he/him because those are the pronouns used to describe Jacob in the book.  My BFF growing up was Trans; I know that pronouns are a big deal.  Much love to you all.

P5:  Christopher frowned.  “Jacob, why do you always wear the girl cloths?”  Put on the knight armor.  That’s what the boy wears!”

“Christopher, stop telling us what to do!” Said Emily PT

P6:

Ms. Wilson heard the hubbub.  “What’ going on, kids?”

“Jacob is wearing girl cloths!” Complained Christopher.  

P7

“The dress-up corner is where we come to use our imaginations,” Ms. Wilson said.  “You can be a dinosaur, a princess, a farmer - anything! Christopher, what do you want to be?”

“A boy” Christopher scowled.  

Ms. Wilson smiled.  “Jacob, you try it!  What new thing could you imagine being?  A firefighter?  A policeman?”

“Ms. Wilson,” Jacob said proudly, “I’m the princess.”   PT

Tension is built when the antagonist and the protagonist have equal but opposing views and strengths.  

Christopher is the closet thing this story will allow to a antagonist.  His function is to up-hold  the status quo.  We now know the world we are in.  We are not in some faerie tale world where Jacob will accepted automatically, nor are we in a place where boy presenting persons wear dresses and girl presenting persons do not. We are in our current reality where boy presenting persons are expected to be knights and fire fighters. Christopher feels that it is his job to enforce the status quo on Jacob.  

 

Ms. Wilson works as the "peace keeper".   She just wants every one to get along.  She doesn’t want the kids to fight.  She tries to cox Jacob back into the status quo to prevent the tension. 

But Jacob’s character has been established.  Jacob is stubborn. Jacob is The Princess.     

ACT II

P8 - P9

“How was school today?” Mom asked studying Jacob’s face.  “Fun?”

“Christopher says boys can’t wear dresses,” said Jacob.  “Can they?”

“Of course they can.”  Mom hugged Jacob.  

“Why don’t you get the dress you wore on Halloween and play in that.”  PT

P10

Jacob pulled on his witch’s dress and twirled.  He loved the way the black lace swirled around him.  

“I want to wear my dress to school!”  

P11

Jacob’s mom frowned.  

“I don’t think so,” she said.  “That’s for dress-up at home.  It would get dirty at school.”

“Then can I get a regular dress? A dress I can wear to school?”  Mom was quiet.  Let me think about that,” she said. PT

The tension here is for parents.  

She just said that boys can wear dresses.  She meant, boys

Sarah and Ian Hoffman 

are capable of playing in dresses in the privacy of their own homes if they want to.

But that wasn’t the question Jacob asked.  He wanted to know if boy are allowed to wear dresses publicly, and she just said “Yes.” 

So the tension rises when Jacob asks for a real dress that he can wear to school.  The tension comes from Mom’s character conflicting with Jacob’s newly acquired belief and this freshly budded sense of self.  

She didn’t see this coming.  She has no answer for it.  Does she go back and correct herself?  Does she crush his emerging sense of identity?  Does she steer her child back into the status quo?

Her sense of her own character does not allow her to do any of those things.  It’s clear she is trying to give her son space to be the best, most confident, version of himself.  She doesn’t want to be the one to tell him he can’t do this. She doesn’t want to “be society”.  She wants to be the good guy.  

But she knows the dangers are great for anyone who steps out of cultural gender norms.   Great moment of tension here.

P12 -P13

Jacob wondered what to play next.  Pirate?  Princess?  Bird!

Heaping three towels onto the floor, Jacob made a nest.  Then he wrapped another towel around himself for feathers.  Snug and warm, he imagined what a school dress would look like.  

The next morning, Jacob stood on the stairs wrapped in a giant bath towel.  

“What are you wearing?” Asked Mom.

“It’s like a dress, but I can get it dirty,” Jacob said, pointing to the towel.  “I made it!”

Dad frowned.  “You can’t go to school like that.”  

“Put on some shorts and a shirt under the dress-thing,” Mom said “And hurry-we’re late for school!”  PT

I get the feeling that Dad was about to   “be society”.  But Mom jumped in to deflect the tension.  Mom is a deflector and must find a way to defuse the tension.  Sure Jacob will wear this “dress-thing” to school.  He’ll get it “out of his system” and then maybe he will move on to something else.  

She doesn’t want Dad to be “the bad guy either”.  It’s possible they had a talk after this scene about how to handle the situation.  

Deflectors don’t defuse the tension however, they only delay it.  

P14 - P15

“What’s that?” demanded Christopher.  

Jacob moved closer to his mom.  

“Good morning, Christopher,” said Jacob’s mom.  “Jacob’s wearing something new he invented.  Isn’t it nice?”

Christopher didn’t answer.  

“I want a dress like that!” Cried Emily.

“Where’d you get it?”

“It’s not a dress,” said Jacob, dancing up to his mom.  “It’s a  . . . A dress-thing.” Jacob saw Emily’s smile and grinned back.  “I can make you one!”  PT

Potential conflict is once again deflected by the presence of Mom.   Christopher will not speak his mind to another adult, not yet. 

So Jacob is free to introduce himself as himself to his best friend Emily.  

As a former Emily, I appreciate her being present in this story.  I’ve never seen such an understanding teacher though.  Must be nice.

P16 - P17

The playground was full of laughter and running feet as the children played tag.  

Christopher sneaked up, yanked off Jacob’s towel, and ran away whooping.  

“Christopher is mean,” hissed Emily.

Jacob watched Christopher wave the towel like a captured flag and started to cry.  PT

The status quo strikes.  The conflict could only be deflected for so long before something had to happen.  The tension built because we, the audience, know Mom won’t be there all day. We know that once she went home Jacob was still there, wrapped in a towel with Christopher watching him.  It was only a matter of time before that towel got snatched.  

But the story isn’t over yet.  The stakes are about to be mounted as Jacob’s stubborn character decides on a new plan.

ACT II

P18 - P19

“How was school today?” Mom asked.

“Christopher stole my dress-thing,” said Jacob.  The tears flooded back.  

Mom hugged Jacob.  “I’m sorry.  Christopher’s not always a good friend.” 

“Mom?” Whispered Jacob.  “Can you help me make a real dress?”

Mom didn’t answer.  The longer she didn’t answer the less Jacob could breathe.

Wow, what a way to show the tension between both characters.  Mother’s silence, and Jacob’s breathlessness speaks volumes! 

Mom is sorry for her son and the potential loss of her son.   She knew something would happen at school, just as sure as we did.  But she hoped it would burn this desire to wear a dress “out of his system” without her having to be the bad guy.  

However, Jacob is stubborn and knows what he/she wants.  Jacob is The Princess.  Mom is now realizing that she must do or say something.  This time deflection won’t work.  

But Mom’s character also says that she must be the good guy.  This means giving in and helping Jacob make his dress.   

P20 - P21

“Let’s get the sewing machine,” she said finally.  Jacob felt the air refill his body.  He grinned.  Mom smiled back.  “Where are all sorts of ways to be a boy” she said “Right?”

P22-P23

Dad looked up from his book.  

“Mom and I made a dress,” said Jacob quietly.  

Dad studied the dress.  Jacob started to get that can’t-breathe feeling again.  

“I can see you worked hard on that dress,”  said Dad.  

“Are you sure you want to wear it to school?”

Jacob nodded.  

Dad nodded back and smiled.  “Well, it’s not what I would wear, but you look great.”  

Mom definitely got to Dad.  The answer sounds like something a therapist would coach him to say.  Or perhaps Dad is a therapist.   

This story is probably well researched in order to coach parents who may be experiencing this situation for themselves on how to speak to their children. 

But what does it do for the tension in the story?  It deflects it again.  When Jacob approaches his father while wearing a dress he’s hoping to honestly here what the man in his life thinks of this.  The audience of adult readers must be holding their breaths.  What does a father to say to his son wearing a dress! 

But the father gives a patient, well rehearsed, response - something only a father who’s trying to be understanding would even consider.  This shows love and fear all at once.  Jacob will likely be accepted and loved by his parents no matter what.  That’s good.  We know his intention is to wear his new dress to school, in public, and in front of all the Christophers in the world.  Some of us are hoping the father will stop this train before it goes too far.  Some of us are happy with his answer.  It's such a simple moment but it adds a lot of drama to the story.  

I’m curious to learn how parents of a child who is presenting an alternative identity might react to this story.   I’m also curious why the parents are not warning Jacob of the possible hostility he might face.  It seems like they aren’t preparing him for possible danger.  There must be away of doing so without traumatizing him, or hindering his freedom to express himself.  

P24 - P25

Jacob skipped up the front walk to school.  He found Emily inside and showed her his new dress.  They found matching colors in their clothes and laughed: purple and white! 

“Do you want to play dress up?”  Asked Emily.

“No.  Monkey bars!”

Together they ran out to the playground. PT

 It is significant that Jacob is no longer playing dress up.  Jacob is dressed comfortably and not playing a game.  It’s also significant that Jacob has a friend who accepts this change and recognizes that he is not playing dress-up.  Emily, at least, sees Jacob for who Jacob is.    Kids are more flexible.  They also make closer bonds with the gender they identify with. 

P26

“My mom and I made this dress!” Jacob said proudly at circle time.  “We used her sewing machine!”

“That’s wonderful!” Said Ms. Wilson.  “Was the sewing machine hard to use?”

“Why does Jacob wear dresses?” Interrupted Christopher.  

Ms. Wilson paused.  “I think Jacob wears what he’s comfortable in.  Just like you do.  Not very long ago little girls couldn’t wear pants.  Can you imagine that?”

P27

Christopher shook his head.  “I asked my dad, and he says boys don’t wear dresses.”  Jacob  rubbing the hem of his dress, looked at the little stitches he’d sewn himself.  He could hear Ms. Wilson and the other kids talking, but their words sounded far away.  PT

The antagonist returns with back up from his own parent.  He knows because, his father told him, that boys don’t wear dresses.  But Jacob has backup from his mother and father in the tangible form of the dress that Mother helped him create, and Father complimented.   Jacob wears the new dress as armor from the status quo as if to say “I’m capable of wearing the dress.  I present as I wish to be seen. I can be whatever I want to be.  I’m The Princess.”

P28 - P 29

On the playground, Christopher yelled, 

“Let’s play tag! Boys versus girls - Jacob, you’re on the girls team!”

A bunch of kids laughed.  

Jacob felt his dress surrounding him. 

Like armor.  

Soft, cottony, magic armor. 

P30

“Christopher, I made this dress, I’m proud of it, and I’m going to wear it!  And you know what else?”  Jacob tagged Christopher.  “You’re it!”  

P31

Jacob sprinted across the playground, his dress spreading out like wings.  

I know from personal experience that in real life if Jacob had “tagged” Christopher like that at the end it would have resulted in a playground fight as Christopher would have to “defend his masculinity” - yes, even in elementary school.    But I digress.

The final conflict here is age appropriate and has the protagonist standing up for himself with the warmth and support of his parents wrapping him in amor and spreading like wings to fly above the problem.  

Without Ms. Wilson or Mom there as a shield or deflector Jacob finally speaks up for himself and tells Christopher exactly what he thinks and how he feels.  This takes courage - courage he will need for the rest of his life.

            END

 

It is obvious that the writers of this story did a lot of careful research into the creation of Jacob and the reactions of his parents.  The language used in this is very careful, I would even say professional.  The situation is pretty realistic in that it is something that is happening all over the country everyday.   So the tension is something familiar to most parents reading the story.   Young readers and their parents may have already experienced something like this.  

This is a cute story for young butterflies discovering their wings.  It shows a sweet wonderful understanding world of children’s literature where adults are willing to let a child explore his identity.  Jacob only has to deal with bullying from other children who are raised different.  How nice.  

In my jaded adult experience tough I know, and Jacob’s parents know, that he’s in for a lifetime of hardship.  The tension of the story is real.  I do appreciate that the story didn’t shy away from the presence of cultural pressure the ways “ When Langston Dances”  does.  It bothers me that Jacob’s parents don’t warn him that the world is a dangerous place.  

What would you say to a little boy who wants to wear a new dress to school?

What do you say to a little Christopher who’s been taught that the world is black and white by his father?

What do you say if the teacher sides openly with Christopher?  

What do you say when your son comes home with his dress destroyed from the fight he got into with his former friend?  

I don’t know.  But it is something to think about.

Bedroom Breakdown.

Reading this story to my daughter as usual changed my perspective.  I was hard on the story when I reading it with my adult brain.  I know about the dangers of being born taboo.  I have the experience of being the best friend of boy in transition and saw teachers, students, parents, and politicians all dismiss his existence as laughable at best, disposable at worst.  

So I wanted a handbook on how I should deal with that.  

Jacob’s New Dress is an introduction to the very conversation I want the parents to have with Jacob. 

Q: How do you warn your sensitive little boy of the dangers of being different?  

A: You read him books like this one.  This book opens the very important conversation of what they may face out there.  You protect him by preparing him.

Q: How do you raise an Emily - who is willing and able to let her friend be who he is?

A: You read her books like this one and others, and explain that the world is not black and white.  People are a spectrum. 

Q: How do you talk to a Christopher?

A: You read to him books like this one, and “When Langston Dances” and explain that everyone is different.  Not all boys are the same, not all girls are the same.  Other people being different doesn’t hurt who you are.  Diversity is good and normal.  

Excellent story.  

If you found this story useful to your life please support it’s creators by purchasing this book from your favorite local book store.  Leave reviews, and engage with this story.  Let your voices be heard.  This is one of those issues where the hatful minority is loud and proud.  

If you want to learn more about the authors of this book please click here for an interview with the couple about this book or here for their personal website where you can support the writers directly as well learn about their up coming projects.  

If you want to learn more about me, I tweet at PB&JellyPhish and my website pbyear.com has links to short story blog and essays. 

Thank you for visiting and as always 

                                                                       

     I’ll see you on the next page.    

View all my reviews