5 Pro-Tips About Back Matter

 

5 Pro-tips on Back Matter

by Kim Tomsic

What is Back Matter:

Readers love back matter (so do editors)! Back matter is the information you find after the final page of the story (after "the end"). It’s something that teachers often use as a teacher's guide, and readers use when they are craving more information. Back matter is most often found in nonfiction; however, you can find it in fiction and concept books, too.

Why Have Back Matter:

You’ll likely find backmatter in nonfiction picture books or picture books that are based on a true story, because it’s impossible to pack all aspects of a true story into one picture book. Wise authors know that it serves picture book readers best to focus on a key aspect of the story experience rather than cover everything. The back matter is a space for the additional gems and nuggets that didn’t have a proper spot in the storytelling.

Five pro-tips that might help you when consider including back matter:  

1.        Back matter helps reviewers appreciate your story on a deeper level. For example, if your story takes place on the continent of Africa, you might include back matter to identify the country and/or uniqueness of the region as well as its biome.

2.       Back matter is not part of your word count when you submit.

3.       EasyBib is a wonderful website where you can create a properly formatted running bibliography while writing a nonfiction book.

4.       Back matter provides another reason for schools and libraries to want your book. Teachers and librarians use back matter material for additional activities and/or book displays.

5.       Some Examples of back matter that you might choose to include: 

o   Glossaries  Room for Everyone by Naaz Khan and Merce Lopez 

o   Author note/artist note - see Watercress by Andrea Wang and Jason Chin

o   "More About ___(subject matter) see Up in the Garden and Down inthe Dirt by Kate Messner and Christopher Silas Neal   (check out the entire series - it's wonderful!)

o   Afterword" Magic Ramen by Andrea Wang and Kana Urbanowicz 

o   Timelines - see The Great Stink: How Joseph Bazalgette Solved London's Poop Pollution Problem by Colleen Paeff and Nancy Carpenter. Based on my school visits and questions from children, kids LOVE timelines! 

o   Recipes - see Cooler Than Lemonade by Harshita Jerath & Chloe Burgett

o   Bibliography -  A Mind of Her Own: The Story of Mystery Writer Agatha Christie by Robyn McGrath and Liz Wong 

o   List of personal interviews and site visits -The People's Painter:

How Ben Shahn Fought for Justice with Art by Cynthia Levinson and Evan Turk 

o   Further reading suggestions Josephine by Patricia Hruby Powell and Christian Robinson 

o   Pronunciation guide Magic Ramen by Andrea Wang and Kana Urbanowicz).

Kid Lit for Haiti Online Auction #KidLitForHaiti

What is Kid-Lit for Haiti?

Kid Lit for Haiti is an online auction featuring talent donated by authors, illustrators, editors, art directors, and agents.  100% of the proceeds benefit the students supported by the 501c3 Nonprofit organization called The Friends of HaitiInc. 
All money from this auction will be used for scholarships for students in Haiti.

This auction has ended! 

UPDATE: Thank you so much for participating in the 2014 Kid Lit for Haiti online auction. Please check back in 2015 -or subscribe to this blog so you can be notified when we offer this opportunity again!

2014 Kid Lit for Haiti raised over $3,500.00 in donations! Thank you!

What kinds of things are included in the 2014 Kid Lit for Haiti auction?

Manuscript critiques, Mentorships, Signed Books, Advanced reader copy books, Portfolio reviews, Book club set, Social Media Consultation, Membership in 12x12, and access to an online seminar.

Who is participating?

Melissa Manlove, Editor from Chronicle Children’s Books—manuscript critique (2000 words = up to five of your picture books critiqued!!!) Last chance to bid is today-December 14 2014!!****this auction item has closed. Thank you!

Jennifer Rofé, Agent from Andrea Brown Literary Agency (ABLA)—Five Page PB, MG or YA critique this auction item has closed. Thank you!

Denise Vega,award-winning author/teacher/mentor— picture book critique  this auction item has closed. Thank you!

Denise Vega, awardwinning author/teacher/mentor—critique of first fifteen pages of YA or MG this auction item has closed. Thank you!

Denise Vega, award-winning author/teacher/mentor—set of 8 books to use for book club or classroom this auction item has closed. Thank you!

Denise Vega, award-winning author/teacher/mentor—set of four novels in hard cover this auction item has closed. Thank you!

Tricia Lawrence, Agent at Erin Murphy Literary Agency (EMLA)—Fifteen page MG or YA critique this auction item has closed. Thank you!

Julie Hedlund,author/creator/social media guru—offering 2015 Silver membership in 12x12 this auction item has closed. Thank you!

Julie Hedlund,author/creator/social-media guru—course How to Make Money as a Writer this auction item has closed. Thank you!

Kate Messner, award-winning writer/teacher/TED talk celeb—signed ARCs (advanced reader copy) ofboth of her Jan. 2015 publications This auction item has closed! Thank you. 

Dan Lazar, Agent at Writers House— critique of three chapters (up to fifty pages!) This auction item has closed! Thank you.

Lindsay Eland, award-winning author, RA for the RMC SCBWI, mentor—offering critiqueThis auction item has closed! Thank you.

Lindsay Eland, award-winning author, RA for the RMC SCBWI,mentor--two signed books this auction item has closed. Thank you!

Stephen Mooser (!!!!),award-winning author and co-founder of the SCBWI—signed bookThis auction item has closed! Thank you.

Stephen Mooser (!!!),award-winning author and co-founder of the SCBWI—critique This auction item has closed! Thank you.

Ingrid Law, Newbery Honor winning author—offering two signed books This auction item has closed! Thank you.

Matt de la Peña, award-winning author—offering two signed books This auction item has closed. Thank you!

Giuseppe Castellano, Art Director at Penguin Random House, award winning illustrator, SCBWI mentor --Giuseppe is offering an illustrator's portfolio review This auction item has closed. Thank you!

Giuseppe Castellano, Art Director at Penguin Random House, award winning illustrator, SCBWI --he is also offering an illustrator mentorship in which he will work with an illustrator to bring one illustration from sketch to final--offering in-depth critiques at each stage (via email or on-line face-to-face platform.This auction item has closed! Thank you.

Debbie Ridpath Ohi, critically acclaimed illustrator, and now author-illustrator--signed and doodled copy of any book she has illustrated PLUS social media platform critiqueThis auction item has closed. Thank you!

Six Separate Critiques on the first 10 pages of your PB, MG, or YA ManuscriptThis auction item has closed! Thank you.

Signed and Doodled board book set from Illustrator Julie Rowan-ZochThis auction item has closed! Thank you.

WIN a copy of CHAINED by Lynne Kelly (click to read the glowing reviews)This auction item has closed! Thank you.

Help spread the word and you could WIN a copy of CHAINED by Lynne Kelly!

Please support #KidLitForHaiti by sharing about it on Twitter or Facebook. Then place a comment on the bottom of this post and me know where you shared. One lucky winner will receive a copy a Lynne Kelly's book, signed and personalized (shipped to a U.S. address).

REMEMBER: 1. TWEET or Facebook
                         2. Comment below, and tell me where you posted.

idea for sharing (you can copy and paste this)

CRITIQUES from Authors/Editors/Agents/Art Directors/Illustrators available on #KidLitForHaiti online auction! at http://bit.ly/10Zv9YZ

or:
Signed ARCs + signed and doodled books available from authors and illustrators supporting #KidLitForHaiti at this site  http://bit.ly/10Zv9YZ 

or
Get a CRITIQUE, a PORTFOLIO review, membership in 12x12, signed ARCs and more at #KidLitForHaiti auction http://bit.ly/10Zv9YZ  

or 

Kid Lit Publishing folks donating their talent to support #KidLitForHaiti auction  http://bit.ly/10Zv9YZ

or 

Illustrators supporting #KidLitForHaiti You can bid for #illustrator items at  http://bit.ly/10Zv9YZ

or

Authors giving away Books or Critique or Class! Why-to help students at #KidLitForHaiti here  http://bit.ly/10Zv9YZ

Auction closing times: 11:59pm Mountain Standard Time

How to bid:

Click on the above hyperlinks to bid and discover details about the generous auction donations. Bidding will take place in the comment section on the individual post where details about the participant and the item they are offering are found. 

When does the auction open and close?

The auction is now open! Items have varying closing dates. Please check each item for respective closing date (ranging from December 11, 2014 to December 16, 2014).

Tell me more about the charity Kid-Lit for Haiti supports.

THE CHARITY is a “mom & pop” nonprofit 501 (c)3 charity called The Friends ofHaiti Inc. (TFOHI). My father started this charity after he helped build a community center in 2009/2010 in Pignon, Haiti (a community with a water poverty index even lower than that of Calcutta, India). After he built the community center, he continued volunteering in Haiti and couldn’t help but notice the lack of medical care—one hospital he visited had a total of four doctors for the entire city. It didn’t take long for my dad to have his big idea—to form a charity to provide scholarships for Haitian students who want to go to medical school to become a doctor or nurse.

The terms of the scholarships we provide for the Haitian students require the student to remain in and work in Haiti for a minimum of five years upon graduation. We hope this will be a step in helping Haiti become a self-sustaining nation. Our scholarship students were hand selected from a pool of bright individuals who had no funds for school, because they’d lost either one or both parent in the 2011 earthquake; or they come from a family with a monthly income of less than $30/month (if you’d like to learn more about Christila—a young lady who my Colorado student-volunteers support—click here)

The charity is all-volunteer based; nobody in the charity takes a salary—100% of your money will directly support a student. I call it a “mom and pop” charity because, well, my dad, my stepmom, my brother and I are all involved. Furthermore, my father takes a personal interest in the life of every student we support. He visits their home, he brings them food and clothing, he visits with their teachers, and he follows up on their grades.

Last December, my father and stepmom spent the entire holiday month flying several trips from Nevada to Florida, delivering dozens and dozens of pieces of luggage to Food for the Poor, since Food for the Poor offered to share space on their plane flying from Florida to Haiti. Each tattered piece of luggage was jam-packed with medical supplies, rice, clothing and used computers—all donations for the students and their community.

Once the Food for the Poor plane landed in Port au Prince, a representative of The Friends of Haiti Inc. met the flight and received the donations to distribute to the students. Why fly—it was less expensive than shipping—and my dad and stepmom did this on their own dime. Furthermore, they didn’t just give away their time in December, 2013; in December, 2012 they also flew back and forth until they succeeded at delivering 45 pieces of luggage so the students, the school, and the Haitian community could have some essentials.

If you’d like to donate to the charity, but you did not win an auction item, please contact Kim Tomsic at:
 ktomsic @gmail.com.

Why Kid-Lit for Haiti?

I once listened to Sherman Alexie speak at a sold-out SCBWI conference; the speech came after he won the National Book Award in Young People’s Literature for his novel The Absolutely True Story of a Part Time Indian. His speech received laughter, tears and a standing ovation—behaviors for which he expressed surprise. Sherman Alexie typically writes for the adult market, and so he acted shocked at the goodwill and generosity of folks from the children’s literature industry. Perhaps a joke, but he said something like—wow, you people root for one another. But it’s true—you’ll not find a better bunch than those in kid-lit.

The people in the kid lit industry are simply kind and generous—so it shouldn’t be shocking that I got a fast and easy YES from the folks whom I asked to participate in an auction to support a charity that finances students in Haiti.

How to bid:

Click on the above hyperlinks to discover details about the generous auction donations. Want to bid? Find the post featuring the particular item for which you'd like to bid; then add a bid by writing in the "comment" section your increased bid and your contact information. 

When does the auction open and close?

The auction is now open! Items have varying closing dates. Please check each item for respective closing date (ranging from December 11, 2014 to December 16, 2014).

What happens if I win?

Winners will be notified and must be prepared to make a donation in the amount of the high bid payable directly to TheFriends of Haiti Inc. Because there are a handful of charities all named The Friends of Haiti Inc. be sure to use the PayPal button I provide for you or follow the hyperlink in this post. Our charity is based out of Henderson, Nevada. Remember our charity name has “Inc” and also it is a “(dot) Org”. www.thefriendsofhaitiinc.org  Payment from the highest bidder is to take place immediately following the auction. After you make the payment, you’ll forward a copy of the receipt to me at ktomsic@gmail.com, and I will put you in contact with the person who is donating your winning item.

Who is the organizer behind this event ?

Hi! I’m Kim Tomsic. I volunteer in many capacities with the SCBWI. Though this is not an SCBWI event, it’s all SCBWI members donating to it. I am an author and a philanthropist, and I serve on the board of directors for my father’s “Mom and Pop” charity called The Friends of Haiti Inc. . 
WHO ELSE IS BEHIND THIS: An incredible group of high school volunteers:  Cayman Tomsic, Mei  Zachwieja, Jason Fontillas, Andrea Staehelin, and Patrick Simpson.

Corporte Sponsors of Kid Lit for Haiti: 

Thank you, thank you, thank you: 

Rock Creek Spine and Rehabilitation, 

                                Ben Oliver of Four Star Realty

                                                                                Boulder Shares. 

THESE folks have generously sponsored our students in Haiti for three years in a row:

ROCK CREEK SPINE AND REHABILITATION

Click Here to learn more about Rock Creek Spine and Rehabilitation 
Click here to learn more about BEN OLIVER of Four Star Realty
Click here to learn more about Boulder Shares and Leslie Sosnowski

BEN OLIVER,
FOUR STAR REALTY

Signed Advanced Reader Copies from Kate Messner #KidLitForHaiti

KATE MESSNER 

 

KID LIT FOR HAITI:  Kate is donating signed advanced reader copies (ARCs) of her two January 2015 books, ALL THE ANSWERS (Bloombery) and RANGER IN TIME (Scholastic). She will mail the books directly to highest bidder; bidder must have U.S. mailing address.

I became a huge fan of Kate Messner after I heard her speak at an SCBWI awards ceremony. Her beautiful book OVER AND UNDER THE SNOW won the Golden Kite Award for nonfiction picture book text.  Kate Messner has a colossal fan-base—she has almost a million views on her TED talk “How to Build a Fictional World.”

More about the books you’ll win in this auction:

ALL THE ANSWERS: What if your pencil had all the answers? Would you ace
every test? Would you know what your teachers were thinking? When Ava
Anderson finds a scratched up pencil she doodles like she would with any
other pencil. But when she writes a question in the margin of her math
quiz, she hears a clear answer in a voice no one else seems to hear.
With the help of her friend Sophie, Ava figures out that the pencil will
answer factual questions only – those with definite right or wrong answers
– but won't predict the future. Ava and Sophie discover all kinds of uses
for the pencil, and Ava's confidence grows with each answer. But it's
getting shorter with every sharpening, and when the pencil reveals a scary
truth about Ava's family, she realizes that sometimes the bravest people
are the ones who live without all the answers...

RANGER IN TIME: RESCUE ON THE OREGON TRAIL: Meet Ranger! He's a
time-traveling golden retriever who has a nose for trouble . . . and always
saves the day! Ranger has been trained as a search-and-rescue dog, but
can't officially pass the test because he's always getting distracted by
squirrels during exercises. One day, he finds a mysterious first aid kit in
the garden and is transported to the year 1850, where he meets a young boy
named Sam Abbott. Sam's family is migrating west on the Oregon Trail, and
soon after Ranger arrives he helps the boy save his little sister. Ranger
thinks his job is done, but the Oregon Trail can be dangerous, and the
Abbotts need Ranger's help more than they realize! 

More about Kate:

More about Kate from her publishing house bio:

“Kate Messner grew up in Medina, a small town in western New York. She received her bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism from Syracuse University and spent seven years as a television news producer and on-air reporter before returning to her family's passion of teaching. "I grew up in a family of educators, but it took me a little time to find my way to the field," Kate says. "Somehow I felt the classroom was calling me, so I went back to school to get my teaching degree."

Kate's been teaching middle school English in Plattsburgh, New York, since 1996. She says that her favorite part of teaching is reading and writing with her students. "My classroom is very workshop oriented, so we're all on this reading-writing journey together. We share books, conference about our reading, recommend titles in person and on Goodreads, and spend lots of time reading and reflecting."

Her first national book for young readers, The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z., was published in 2009; since then, she's written more than a dozen other books for young readers. "I write every night at home and I share both my successes and my struggles with my kids," says Kate. "I bring in revision letters from my editors so they get a good look at revision in the real world and know that it's not just a classroom exercise."

Kate is a National Board Certified teacher. She lives on Lake Champlain with her husband and two kids and loves spending time outside--cross-country skiing and skating in the winter, and hiking, swimming, biking, and kayaking in the summer.”

This auction item: signed advanced reader copies (ARCs) of Kate Messner’s two January 2015 books, ALL THE ANSWERS (Bloombery) and RANGER IN TIME (Scholastic). She will mail the books directly to highest bidder; bidder must have U.S. mailing address.

How do I bid?

Place your bid in the comment section by increasing the previous bid. Please include information about how I may contact you if you are the winning bidder; you can ask me question here or at  ktomsic@gmail.com . 

When does this item auction close?

**This Auction will close on December 12, 2014** at 11:59PM

Official UPDATE: Auction items close on their respective date at 11:59 PM Mountain Standard Time (MST)

here's the math time for U.S. residents (you can simply Google the time comparison if you live somewhere else in the world) :

 Pacific Time is one hour behind mountain time; central time is one hour ahead of mountain time; eastern time is two hours ahead of mountain time so:

11:59 om MST = 10:59 pm Pacific Time or 12:59 am Central Standard Time or 1:59 am Eastern Time

What are other items on the Kid Lit for Hait (#KidLitForHaiti) Auction?


To Visit a full list of all the auction items featured on Kid Lit for Haiti: PLEASE CLICK HERE

What happens if I win an auction item?

I will contact the winning bidder (remember to provide your contact information!). You will make your donation at this donationlink and then you will email a copy of your receipt to me at ktomsic@gmail.com Then I will put you in touch with Kate  

How do I know when new auction items are posted to this blog:

You can receive emails when new auction items are listed. Simply enter your email address in the upper left corner of this blog where it says "Follow by email". You will only receive an email when a new post is created on this blog.