Backmatter: It’s Not Just for Nonfiction

When I’m coaching picture book writers, I often get asked the question, should I add backmatter to my fiction story? My answer is: give it a shot!

Why? Because editors love backmatter. It’s a great selling point for teachers and parents. And if the editor doesn’t want backmatter, they’ll simply cut it.

I have two fiction picture books being published this year, PAPA AND PEARL with Free Spirit Publishing about a girl coping with change after her parents’ divorce; and HOORAY IT’S THREE KINGS DAY! with Familius, which celebrates the Latinx holiday of Epiphany.

In HOORAY, I used FRY BREAD as a mentor text for backmatter. I was nervous to write the book because the holiday is celebrated differently depending on your Latinx background. Like Maillard, I created an author’s note. This was a great place to explain how my Puerto Rican family celebrated the holiday, and how others may have different traditions.

In total, my pitch to Familius contained four pages of “Optional Backmatter.” These included an Author’s Note, About Three Kings Day, a Recipe, and a Spanish Glossary. I wanted the editor to have options in case they didn’t like some of my ideas. Once it was acquired, I figured Familius might pick one page to keep. Nope, they kept all four pages and made very few changes.

For PEARL, I read the publisher’s guidelines and knew they specifically wanted backmatter. I had thought about adding backmatter many times before, but didn’t get serious about writing it until I subbed to Free Spirit. Because my book was SEL focused on divorce, I wrote tips for children going through their parents’ divorce, which I wrote out bullet-point style. Not only did the editor love it, she asked me to add tips for parents and write an intro and wrap up. It ended up being 2.5 pages worth of backmatter in the book.

There are so many different styles of backmatter; tips, authors’ notes, timelines, weird or interesting facts, crafts/activities, recipes, “all about,” etc. So which one is right for your book? There isn’t a right or wrong answer. Go with what intrigues you, and if you’re feeling overwhelmed, try out several options to get a feel for what works best.

One thing I’ve learned is that editors like it when you have a vision. While you can add a line that says “possible backmatter could include X” and leave it at that, in my experience, editors want to see your vision laid out on the page. Editors are exhausted, just like us writers. Have confidence in your backmatter and don’t be afraid to get creative. Take something off an editor’s plate and let them know you have a vision that will work. And this goes without saying but do your research and use reputable sources. Cite the sources you’ve used as well. While this doesn’t have to be in your pitch, you should have it handy.  

For a story about a little known Latinx holiday, backmatter made sense, but what about straight fiction? There are many instances where backmatter can be used to enhance the main text. If your story has an SEL theme, such as friendship, emotions, or grief, those topics could be explored further with coping strategies, an author’s note, or facts. If your book explores kindness, backmatter including ways to show kindness in the classroom, at home, or in your community could make for an interesting addition.

Books with an animal protagonist could include animal facts. In Tracy C. Gold’s TRICK OR TREAT BUGS TO EAT a little bat flies out Halloween night seeking crunchy bugs to eat, rather than candy. Tracy created backmatter featuring bat facts and labeled bat body parts. I have named this, “pointy arrow backmatter.” I’m sure there’s an official name, but pointy arrow backmatter has a nice ring to it.

If you’re stuck on what type of backmatter to include, list out all the themes/hooks in your book to help spark ideas.

Below are two examples of picture books I’ve sent to my agent and how I worked in backmatter:

PB 1: A fiction PB with humor and an animal protagonist

Pitch: A scraggly possum is worried they are too weird to make friends with the cute woodland creatures.

Themes: friendships, fitting in, being yourself, animals.

Backmatter Ideas:

• Tips for Making Friends
• Weird and Wonderful Possum Facts
• Author’s Note About Differences/Being Yourself

PB 2: Heartwarming fictional PB with income differences

Pitch: After attending her classmates posh party, a girl from a low-income home worries her “homespun” birthday party won’t be fun.

Themes: Low-income, birthdays, classmates, jealousy, embarrassment/self-consciousness

Backmatter Ideas:

• Fun and Free Birthday Party Games
• Income Facts
• A Note about Income Differences

And lastly, read at least 10-20 books with backmatter for ideas and inspiration. Check out these recommendations below.

• Papa and Pearl, by Annette M. Clayton
• Hooray It’s Three Kings Day! by Annette M. Clayton
• My Grandpa, My Tree, and Me by Roxanne Troup
• Paula’s Patches by Gabriella Aldeman
• This Could Be You by Cindy William Schrauben
• It Will Be OK by Lisa Katzenberger
• Miso Magic by Moni Ritchie
• Oh Deer! By Phaea Crede
• Moonlight Memories by Amanda Davis
• Tiny Tern Take Flight by Donna B. McKinney
• This is My Bag: A Story of the Unhoused by Roxanne Chester
• Buffalo Wild! by Deidre Havrelock
• La Mala Suerte Is Following Me by Ana Siqueira
• Wishes of the World by Melissa Stiveson
• The Christmas Elephant by Maria Antonia
• Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard