Story Skeletons - Teaching Plot Structure with Picture Books

Picture books are quick reads, lots of fun, and often gems of characterization, mood, and dialogue. They are also perfect for teaching the young writer how to organize plot logically.

Many writers start new works by capturing tidbits of ideas on scraps of paper. But how do we make sense of those ramblings? This question leads to a classic step in teaching writing often called prewriting. It also points to what may be one of the most important early steps in story making - creating organization through plot structure.

In prewriting, many teachers use a variety of story-mapping techniques to help children see relationships between ideas, including clustering, webbing, and listing items and actions that belong to the beginning, middle, or end of a story. All of these techniques are helpful, but do they go far enough? How does a student know which items listed in the "middle" section of a story map should go first, second, third? Sometimes it is the sequencing of the action in a story that can cause the student to falter. This step can be mastered through the use of visual and textual examples of standard plot structures.

When introducing the idea of structuring a story, talk about how our skeletons hold us up - otherwise we'd be… "puddles!"  Stories have internal structures or frameworks that hold them up, too. Knowing what the skeleton of a story looks like early in the process makes knowing what to write next in the drafting and revising steps a lot easier.

Below are lists of some basic plot structures, along with picture books that use those structures. Sharing these picture books will help students better understand how to shape their own story making.

Please note that the grade levels below indicate the suggested grade level of the writer or prewriter (storyteller). These grade ranges reflect the difficulty of the plot structure being taught, not the reading or listening age. The open-ended grade levels highlight the fact that many fine picture books can be used as examples for writers of all ages, even adults.

Cumulative or Toppling Stories

Cumulative stories such as Rhonda Gowler Greene's This Is the Teacher add repeating elements as the story progresses, until the plot finally topples over at the end.

Like the traditional tale "The House That Jack Built," the stories below add repeating plot elements and characters in the text as the story progresses, until the whole structure topples from its own weight - usually with humorous results.

• This Is the Teacher
  Gr. 3-up. From the time the students rush in, drop their lunches, spill the ant farm, and let loose a snake, until the teacher collapses at home, this cumulative story inspired by "The House That Jack Built" is one funny romp. 
• In Enzo's Splendid Gardens
  Gr. 3-up. Also modeled after "The House That Jack Built," this story piles slapstick events one on top of the other as a bee buzzes into Enzo's restaurant
  

  

  and wreaks havoc.
• The Napping House  A cozy bed, a snoring granny, a dreaming child, a dozing dog, a snoozing--This is a timeless cumulative tale that's truly like no other.

• The Cake That Mack Ate
  Gr. 2-up. Another story inspired by "The House That Jack Built," this humorous cumulative tale told in reverse chronological order lists the ingredients and introduces everyone that had a part in baking the cake that Mack ate. At the toppled ending, there's a big surprise in store for readers when Mack is introduced.
  
  
  

Decreasing Stories

Carole Lexa Schaefer's The Biggest Soap has a "decreasing" plot structure — the soap that Kessy is sent to but becomes smaller and smaller as the story goes on.

Traditional tales based on a decreasing story structure include "The Tailor" and "Ten Little Monkeys."

• The Biggest Soap
  Gr. 2-up. Set in Micronesia, this story tells of Kessy, who is sent to buy "the biggest soap" for laundry day. On the way home, the soap gets smaller and smaller as Kessy uses it to help friends and family he meets along the way. When he finally delivers it to Mama, there's barely enough soap left for the laundry, but Kessy makes up for it with the stories he shares of his adventures.
• Bunny Money
  Gr. 2-up. Max and Ruby are shopping for Grandma's birthday gift, but the money is slowly
  

  

  used up as Max gets thirsty, hungry, and messy. (The laundromat alone costs three dollars.) Fortunately, in the end there's enough for them each to buy a perfect gift.
  
  Joseph Had a Little Overcoat 
  Gr. 2-up. This is a 1999 book by Simms Taback that won the 2000 Caldecott Medal. The main character is Joseph, a 40-something Jewish farmer, who has a little striped overcoat. When it is old, Joseph makes it into a little jacket and so on until he makes it into a button. Then Joseph loses the button and makes a story out of it. The moral of the story is "you can always make something out of nothing."

"Increasing" Stories

Bill Grossman's My Little Sister Ate One Hare is a counting story with an "increasing" plot structure — the items on the sister's menu grow more outrageous, until the story finally reaches a satisfying conclusion (she throws up).

While cumulative stories use textual repetition that piles up until the whole story collapses (often under the weight of pure silliness), stories with an "increasing" plot structure proceed logically to arrive in a planned way at a satisfactory conclusion. Traditional tales based on an increasing story structure include "The Little Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly."

• Bark, George
  Gr. 2-up. A mother dog takes her puppy to the vet only to discover he has swallowed a series of animals, each one larger than the last. Wonderful illustrations and a funny ending will make this a hit with young readers and listeners.
• Mushroom in the Rain
  Gr. 2-up. In this book with a doubly increasing structure, gathering animals shelter from the rain beneath a mushroom and discover there is always room for one more. Why? Because mushrooms grow bigger when it rains.
• My Little Sister Ate One Hare
  Gr. 2-up. This hilarious counting story with a wonderfully funny refrain relates all the horrible things a little sister eats, from one hare to 10 healthy peas. As the sister's appetite increases, so does the humor.

Simultaneous Increasing and Decreasing Stories

• Something from Nothing
  Gr. 3-up. This version of the folktale "The Tailor" (mentioned in "Decreasing" Stories, above) relates the decreasing nature of Joseph's blanket while also showing an increasing story below the floor, where bits of worn-out blanket flutter down to a mouse family, whose members use each scrap to decorate their home.
• The Doorbell Rang
  Gr. 2-up. In this story the number of cookies per child decreases as the number of drop-in visitors increases. But there's a surprise at the end! This is great for a math exercise as well as being an effective writing model.

Parallel Stories

• Just Like Daddy
  Gr. 2-up. In this easy reader, Little Bear does most things just like his daddy. In a surprise ending, he also does some things like his mommy. This story switches between the two main characters and clearly illustrates parallel activities.
• Click!
  Gr. 3-up. The parallel stories of a polar bear cub and a boy with his first camera serve to illustrate the characters' similarities as they make for the water's edge with their mothers for lessons in hunting and photography.
• Meanwhile Back at the Ranch
  Gr. 3-up. Nothing ever happens in Sleepy Gulch. But when Farmer Hicks goes to town to look at the same wanted posters that have been there for 12 years, his wife, Elna, is in for some surprises. This parallel tale hilariously switches back and forth between the two characters and their situations.

  

  
  

  Blueberries for Sal
  Sal and her mother are picking blueberries to can for the winter. Mama Bear and her cub are eating sweet blueberries on the other side of the hill. Sal wanders to the other side of Blueberry Hill and discovers mama bear preparing for her own long winter.  Meanwhile Sal's mother is being followed by baby bear with a big appetite for berries!
  With its expressive line drawings and charming story, Blueberries for Sal has won readers' hearts since its first publication in 1948.

Stories within Stories

Allen Say's Kamishibai Manis a story within a story: the tale the elderly storyteller tells reveals why he no longer performs his art.

With more advanced writers, explore the plot structure of the framing story and compare it with the structure of the inner story. For example, in The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash the inner story closely resembles a cumulative plot that heaps one silly event on top of another, while the framing story is told in a linear fashion.

• The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash
  Gr. 3-up. In reverse chronological order, a girl describes her school's field trip to her increasingly startled mother. Despite mayhem involving crying cows, joy-riding pigs, and a left-behind boa constrictor, all ends well in this story inside a story.
• Kamishibai Man
  Gr. 3-up. Set in modern-day Japan, Say's story tells of an elderly Kamishibai man (itinerant storyteller), long retired, who, missing his rounds, decides to pedal back to the old neighborhood for one last performance. The story-within-a-story that emerges reveals why this unique type of performance art has all but disappeared.
• The Three Pigs
  Gr. 4-up. In this Caldecott Medal book, the three pigs escape from the illustrations and wander through the book's white space, creating a new story. Then a rescued dragon and a cat join the pigs as they reconstruct the classic story and outsmart the wolf.

Stories with Linear Time Lines

• Every Autumn Comes the Bear
• Gr. 3-up. With luminous paintings nature illustrator Arnosky vividly portrays a bear's search for a winter den and follows him through the last days before his hibernation.
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar
  Gr. 2-up. In this now-classic story marked by Carle's beautiful collages, a very hungry caterpillar eats and grows. After his stay in a cocoon, he emerges as a colorful butterfly. The time line in this book follows the days of the week and includes all the food the caterpillar eats.
• Trashy Town
  Gr. 2-up. Mr. Gilly is the trash man, and this time-line story follows his day as he empties the trash bins around Trashy Town into his truck. With a wonderful refrain throughout, this story is an engaging read-aloud.

Stories w/ "Around the Clock" or Full-Circle Time Lines

Lisa Wheeler's Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum has a full-circle time line. After a menagerie of animals escapes from a bubble gum mess, a bear and a hen get stuck and start the story again.

• Chicka Chicka. Boom Boom
  Gr. 3-up. Those naughty numbers climb up the tree and get in trouble. After they recover from their fall, can they resist doing it again? This fun story goes full circle and also provides a snappy introduction to the alphabet.
• If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
  Gr. 3-up. In the first of Numeroff's popular series of circular tales, Mouse asks for one thing after another, all because a little boy has given him a cookie. Be careful what you offer a mouse! 
• Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum
  Gr. 3-up. Toad, Shrew, Goose, Bee, and Crow get stuck on a wad of bubble gum in the middle of the road. Oh, no! Here comes a blue truck. Ingenuity and cooperation pay off, but the story's not done yet, for in this full-circle tale a bear and a hen start it again.

Stories w/ Rising Action

The stories below are marked by rising action leading to a climax and a final denouement.

• The Tailypo: A Ghost Story
  Gr. 3-up. When a varmint sneaks into an old man's house, the old man cuts its tail off and eats it. In the night the varmint returns for his "tailypo." As the tension rises, this classic folktale retelling is sure to make readers shiver.
• Saving Sweetness
  Gr. 4-up. The sheriff is bound and determined to rescue the little orphan, Sweetness, before she runs into that desperado, Coyote Pete. But it isn't as easy as he thought. This story, with a traditional rising action plot, has lots of twists and turns and a humdinger of an ending.
• Company's Coming
  Gr. 4-up. This story is a wonderful example of what can happen when people jump to conclusions. Moe thinks there is something fishy about their intergalactic dinner guests and warns the marines. And just what have the guests brought in that package for his wife, Shirley? The tension rises rapidly in this humorous tale.

Teaching Strategies

• If your students are using clustering techniques during prewriting, have them cut out their ideas and glue them to a visual diagram of one of the plot structures. This will give visual learners a template for the drafting step.
• Cut up a story into sentences and distribute them. Have the students line up in the order they think the story should be told. If it is a story with rising action, are they in line from least to most tense action? If it is a story with a decreasing or in creasing plot line, are they lined up correctly? (Hint: To make this even more visual, have the kids sit on the floor and use cushions, chairs, and stools so that their heights range progressively up or down.)

Professional Resources

• Craft Lessons: Teaching Writing K-8
  These clear, concise writing lessons are usually a page in length, with a short discussion section, a how-to-teach-it section, and lists of necessary resources.
• Deep Revision
  This book about the process of revising both fiction and nonfiction includes insightful examples of early drafts and final revisions, with many exercises that encourage students to go deeper into the writing process.

Web Connections

The websites below about teaching writing with picture books may be found on the Book Links website. Click on "Web Connections," then "May 2006" to access the list.

• WriteNet
  WriteNet features a listserv where teachers and writers can offer advice on methods for teaching writing to students in grades K-12.
• Picture Books
  With a wealth of information for lovers of picture books, Picturing Books is a nonprofit, ad-free website created by a librarian that features interiors of well-known picture books, information on how picture books are put together, and tips on how to evaluate and share them.

About the author

Shutta Crum was the recipient of the Michigan Library Association's Children's Services Division 2002 Award of Merit as Youth Librarian of the Year. She is also the author of Click!, listed above. For more information, see her website.

http://www.readingrockets.org/article/story-skeletons-teaching-plot-structure-picture-books

50+ Great Picture Books

1. Are You My Mother?  by P.D. Eastman (1960)  When a mother bird’s egg starts to jump, she hurries off to make sure she has something for her little one to eat. But as soon as she’s gone, out pops the baby bird. He immediately sets off to find his mother, but not knowing what she looks like makes it a challenge. 
2. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day - The perennially popular tale of Alexander’s worst day is a storybook that belongs on every child’s bookshelf. . . . . even in Australia!
3. Bear Snores On – Babies love the rhythm of this book, and it stands the test of time as they grow into toddlers and preschoolers.
4. Before I Leave – When your little one has to say goodbye to someone important like a friend who’s moving away or even just at the end of a visit from the grandparents, this is the perfect book.
5. Blueberries for Sal by Robert McClosky is an utterly charming story that features a little girl, Sal, and her mother as they go and pick blueberries  for winter—and a bear cub and his mother as they go and eat berries for winter from the other side of the same hill. Set in a small town in Maine this beautiful picture book uses a single dark blue color and block printing for the illustrations. Sal and Sal's mother are modeled after McCloskey's daughter, Sally, and wife Peggy.  It was awarded the Caldecott Honor  in 1949.
6. Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain: A Nandi Tale is an African Folktale that describes the importance of water to the land, animals, and humans.  The story has a similar rhyming pattern as the nursery rhyme "The House That Jack Built." The main character, Ki-pat is a herdsman who saves the Kapiti Plain from the awful drought. 1992
7. The Carrot Seed – This book shows kids the power of a fierce belief in yourself even when everyone else thinks you can’t do it.
8. Charlotte and the Quiet Place – Charlotte is a little girl who likes quiet, but everywhere she goes, she’s overwhelmed with noise. The book steps through what Charlotte does to find a quiet space and how to practice mindful breathing. We breathe along with Charlotte, and little ones can’t help but calm down as a result.
9.  Click, Clack, Moo – This is a silly story that everyone loves, and who knows – it may even help prepare kids for the day they need to ask for a raise.
10. The Clown of God - by Tomie DePaola. In this retelling of the old French legend, a juggler offers to the Christ Child the only Christmas gift he has. It brings me to tears every time I read it to my kids, class, or family.
11. Corduroy - Don Freeman's 1968 classic book features the lovable character, Corduroy. This story of a small teddy bear waiting on a department store shelf for a child’s friendship has appealed to young readers generation after generation.
12. The Dancing Man -  a wise, eloquent story with the timeless resonance of a folk tale. The story is simple and unforgettable. It is about an orphan boy named Joseph who receives a pair of silver shoes and with them the power to dance joy and hope into the lives of others. Joseph dances his way through the world until it is time to pass the shoes-and the dancing man's destiny-to another boy.
13. Dragon Was Terrible – This is one of the best stories I’ve seen that helps kids assign positive intent to someone they’re not getting along with. Plus, it’s hilarious.
14.  Duck for President – The humor in this book crosses party lines, and kids learn a valuable lesson about seeking fame.
15.  Ducks Don’t Wear Socks – This is out of print, but it’s well worth getting a gently used copy on Amazon. Perfect for kids who could stand to loosen up and get in touch with their silly side.
16.  Elephant and Piggie – You can’t go wrong with this series. Technically, they’re easy readers not picture books, but even babies love these stories.
17. George and Martha – Kids may not pick up on the dry humor at first, but parents definitely will.
18. Giraffes Can't Dance - This  is a touching tale of Gerald the giraffe, who wants nothing more than to dance. With crooked knees and thin legs, it's harder for a giraffe than you would think. Gerald is finally able to dance to his own tune when he gets some encouraging words from an unlikely friend.
19.  Good Night, Gorilla – Forget Curious George. If you’re looking for a mischievous primate, this gorilla’s got your back.
20. Hey, Al -  by Arthur Yorinks & illustrated by Richard Egielski. This book written in 1986,  teaches the important lesson that "things aren't always greener on the other side."  Caldecott 1987
21. Horrible Bear – This picture book does an excellent job of teaching kids how to assume the best in others while also making you giggle.
22. How to Put Your Parents to Bed – In this book, the child is the one putting the parents to bed.  
23.  I Am a Bunny – This simple, soothing text moves through each of the seasons until the end, where the bunny cuddles up for a long winter sleep, looking forward to spring. Perfect for calming kids down before sleep!
24.  Jabberwocky – was written by by Lewis Carroll in 1871. The illustrations by Graeme Base make this 1987 version of Jabberwocky AMAZING! This illustrator interprets the famed poem with bold, slightly funny, and imaginative illustrations. There are thirty-two marvelously detailed illustrations.
25. Joseph had a Little Overcoat - by Simms Taback 1999  As children turn the pages of this book, they can use the die-cut holes to guess what Joseph will be making next from his amazing overcoat, while they laugh at the bold, cheerful artwork and learn that you can always make something, even out of nothing.     Caldecott 2000
26. Leonardo, the Terrible Monster – Mo Willems at his best. This picture book shows kids the power of empathy.
27. Library Lion – This is one of the sweetest stories you’ll ever read. The illustrations are full of beautiful nuances, too!
28. The Lion Inside – This picture book shows your kids that brave comes in all shapes in sizes.
29. Love You Forever  is a Canadian picture book written by Robert Munsch and published in 1986. It tells the story of the evolving relationship between a boy and his mother. There is definitely a bit of a silliness factor that is needed because the whole of the story will leave any parent with even half a heart weepy. My Mom asked me to read this to her when she was dying of cancer. Such bittersweet memories. Such a sweet story.
30. Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans (1939) Nothing frightens Madeline—not tigers, not even mice. With its endearing, courageous heroine, cheerful humor, and wonderful, whimsical drawings of Paris, the Madeline stories are true classics that continue to charm readers, even after 75 years!
31. Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey (1941) CLASSIC! The synopsis from the publisher reads, “The busy Boston streets are too dangerous for eight little ducklings! But with a little help from a friendly policeman Mrs. Mallard and her family arrive safely at their new home. The public garden was no place for ducklings when they were first born, but now they are old enough to brave the raucous crowds and swim with the giant swan boats.”  Caldecott 1942
32. The Miracle of St. Nicholas is a wonderful story, so well told that children are entranced and grownups cry. The author, Gloria Whelan, does a masterful job of weaving the village’s history into the story.  And the illustrations, which Judith Brown created using egg tempera, are soft and lovely, with just a hint of Russian iconography about them. There are a few flaws in the orthodoxy of the tale but if noticed, could easily be explained by simply saying, "The author did not include every little detail in the story. She left some of those things up to us to discuss."
33. Morning, Noon, and Night  written in 1963 by Dorothy Wilson and illustrated by W. K. Plummer, this set of three small books is the quintessential trio of books for every little girl. To this day, reading it takes me back to the innocence, wonder, and joy of my childhood. 
34.  Mrs. Biddlebox – Kelly Sikkema says, "This is possibly my favorite picture book of all time, and I don’t say that lightly. Unfortunately, it’s out of print. The good news is you can get a used copy in good condition on Amazon. Mrs. Biddlebox wakes up in a bad mood, but instead of sitting around like a grouch, she tackles that bad mood and turns it around in time for sleep."
35.  My Rhinoceros – This story makes no logical sense at first, but the absurdity is what makes it awesome. Your kids will giggle, and so will you.
36. Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed – Plant the seed with your kids before they’re teenagers that fitting in isn’t the goal in life.
37. Not a Box – This is a great little book about the power of your imagination.
38. The Old Woman Who Named Things – This beautifully told story will warm the hearts of all ages.
39.  Our Tree Named Steve – I know this is just a book about a tree, but I cry every time and then end up with a big watery smile at the end. If you’ve ever felt The Giving Tree is depressing and/or creepy, you need this book instead.
40.  The Paper Bag Princess – This should be required reading for every girl before she starts dating.
41.  Peek-a-Who? – This is a simple story that babies love, but because it has 10 words total, my older kids love “reading” it to the youngest even if they can’t read yet.
42.  Plant a Kiss – This is one of those stories that you will end up memorizing! It promotes the powerful message of putting out kindness into the world and expecting nothing in return. The world lost an amazing gift when Amy Krouse Rosenthal left us.
43. Poor Little Guy – This is a simple and funny story about standing up to bullies.
44.  Princess in Training – Of all the alternative princess picture books out there, this is a true gem!
45. Put Me in the Zoo  (1960) Readers will be delighted by Robert Lopshire’s lively tale that proves there is a special spot for everyone. This was one of my favorites as a child!
46.  Rosie Revere, Engineer – The perfect rhythm of this picture book puts my little ones to sleep every night. These are great, too: Ada Twist, Scientist, and Iggy Peck, Architect.
47.  A Sick Day for Amos McGee – 2010 Being a friend means showing up, and no other picture book demonstrates that as beautifully as this story does. Caldecott 2011
48. St. George and the Dragon 1984 retold by Margaret Hodges and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman. This story is based on the legend of Saint George and the Dragon. It is full of bravery, selfless acts, determination, and triumph.  Caldecott 1985
49. Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon – This is perfect for preparing kids how to handle themselves when another kid picks on them. Poor Ronald Durkin.
50.  Stick and Stone – This is a cute story about the power of friendship, and adults love the puns.
51.  The Stray Dog – Kids never seem to get tired of this award-winning picture book, which isn’t always a given with the award winners. And it’s such a perfectly sweet story that you’ll love it, too.
52.  Strictly No Elephants – This cute book helps kids think about the ramifications of excluding others and how that makes others feel.
53. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (1963)
54.  Wolfie the Bunny – If you’re expecting another child, this is the best picture book about becoming a big sibling that I’ve ever come across. Kids and adults will giggle at this one!

Original list: by Kelly Sikkema

In RED: by Soutenus

From: 36 All-Time Best Picture Books Most Loved by Kids And Parents