Field mice come
On bitty toes.
Tickle Baby’s
Ears and nose.
This was actually one of four verses that both Jane and my editor suggested be cut in an effort to streamline the story. A total of 43 words were cut, bringing the final word count to a slim 256.
At first I thought I would miss this mouse-y verse as well as the others, but I don’t. In the process of finalizing these last edits, Jane said something to the effect that if an action is described in the text, it MUST be included within the pages. But, if it’s not, the illustrator can still make a nod to it in the illustrations. And that’s exactly what Jane has done with the humorous inclusion of the mice.
For little readers, it’s engaging to look for the mice on each page spread. And as writers, they are serve as a cute visual reminder of the importance of leaving room for the illustrations to tell part of the story.
Happy writing and reading!
Post written by Laura Sassi