Welcome to
RhyPiBoMo 2015 Day 6
Julie Hedlund
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Today’s guest blogger is a very busy lady who I had the pleasure of meeting last summer at the L.A. SCBWI Conference. It was her 12 x 12 gathering I was heading to attend when some tricky stairs had another plan entirely. I am happy she is here to share her thoughts on figurative language.
Welcome Julie Hedlund!
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As I sat down to write this post about using figurative language in rhyming picture books, I came across this handy image from writeworld.org. When we think of figurative language, the first examples that come to mind are simile and metaphor, but those are just two of the tools in a whole shed full of others.
Rhyming picture books (and indeed all poetry) are such fertile ground for figurative language. Mix in the fact that anything can happen in a children’s book and you’ve got a recipe for making writing fun.
Let’s begin with the most familiar…
SIMILE AND METAPHOR
Similes and metaphors are often used to show strong, complicated emotions—such as love—that are difficult to express.
For example, the book I LOVE YOU AS MUCH by Lauri Krauss Melmud uses similes throughout.
Said the mother horse to her child, I love you as much as a warm summer breeze.
Said the mother bear to her child, I love you as much as the forest has trees.
I make use of metaphors in my own book, MY LOVE FOR YOU IS THE SUN.
My love for you is the sun.
Rising in your tender heart,
It shines on you when we’re apart.
My use of metaphor vs. simile was deliberate. Even the youngest child knows the sun is a constant, powerful force, gives us warmth, and comes up every day. By saying my love IS the sun, the reader gets a sense of its power.
Each verse of MY LOVE FOR YOU IS THE SUN also contains PERSONIFICATION. I’m giving human qualities to inanimate objects.
My love for you is a star.
Sparkling gemstone in the sky,
It keeps you under watchful eye.
Similes and metaphors aren’t only the domain of loving, quiet books, however. Debbie Diesen uses simile in the refrain of THE POUT-POUT FISH IN THE BIG-BIG DARK:
I’m fast as a sailfish,
I’m strong as a shark,
I’m smart as a dolphin …
But I’m scared of the dark.
Deb Lund makes use of simile, metaphor, AND invented words in ALL ABOARD THE DINOTRAIN:
The engine coughs and dinochugs.
The train moves like a line of slugs.
“We haven’t traveled very far.
Let’s dinopush each railroad car.”
IDIOM, CLICHÉ and SYMBOL
One of the lovely tricks of verse is that idioms and clichés can be made fresh when they’re used to interrupt expectations and/or add humor. Corey Rosen Schwartz does this with great mastery in THE THREE NINJA PIGS:
For months, she’d persisted in earnest
Until she had paid all her dues.
How happy she felt
When she earned her last belt.
“I’ll make that wolf shake in his shoes.”
In another verse…
The wolf looked quite shaken,
But hollered, “Yo, Bacon.
I’m not at all scared of your tricks.”
In this case, Bacon becomes a hilarious symbol for the pig, and also plays on the fact that pigs symbolize food to the wolf.
HYPERBOLE
Phrases that exaggerate to make a point can also be used to great effect in rhyming books. Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen uses this technique in HAMPIRE.
As Duck raced Red to Pony’s stall,
They heard the Hampire screaming.
“I’m starved, of course—
I’d eat a horse!”
His pointy fangs were gleaming.
What makes this verse even funnier (and creepier too) is that there is an actual horse in the story, so it’s a double play on words with a dash of mystery. Is this a figure of speech, or does he really want to eat the horse?
It’s true that rhyming well requires a great deal of work—proper use of meter and scansion, not falling into the traps of easy rhyme and inverted sentence structures, etc.
Figurative language gives you the chance to take a break from the mechanics and step inside a sandbox to construct castles from words. Allow yourself to play with your words and language, and your writing will be the richer.
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About Julie:
Julie is a monthly contributor on author/illustrator Katie Davis’ Brain Burps About Books children’s literature podcast, a PAL member of SCBWI, and a contributing editor on the subject of 21st Century Publishing for Children’s Book Insider.
Julie Hedlund is an award-winning children’s book author, founder of the 12 x 12 Picture Book Writing Challenge, blogger, and a regular speaker at SCBWI and other industry events.
Her picture book, A TROOP IS A GROUP OF MONKEYS, Little Bahalia Publishing, 2013, first published as an interactive storybook app, was the recipient of the 2014 Independent Book Publisher’s Association Benjamin Franklin Digital Gold Award. Her storybook app, A SHIVER OF SHARKS, Little Bahalia Publishing, 2013, was a 2014 Digital Book Award winner. Her next book, MY LOVE FOR YOU IS THE SUN, released in September 2014 from Little Bahalia.
Buy it Here
Buy it Here
Book Trailer
RhyPiBoMo 2015 Optional Writing Prompt:6
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This is NOT part of the pledge. It is an option for a writing exercise for those interested. You will not publically share this as part of RhyPiBoMo but may keep a journal of your writing this month for your own review.
Today’s writing prompt is to write a poem using at least 2 of the figurative language choices above.*
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Rhyming Critique Groups
If you are interested in joining a rhyming critique group go to the RhyPiBoMo Facebook group and add your name to the post concerning critique groups. Dawn Young will organize the groups and contact you once your group is formed and ready to go. We will need one person in each group to volunteer to be the Admin for the group so please state that you are interested in your comment on Facebook.
Thank you Dawn for organizing and running these groups!
We have several groups still going strong from last year!
We will not organize critique groups outside of Facebook this year. If you are interested in forming a critique group outside of Facebook, please comment about that in your reply to this post and add your name and email address so anyone else interested can contact you directly.
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The RhyPiBoMo 2015 Barnes and Noble BookFair is this Saturday, April 11th!
I have been asked to give a talk at my local Barnes and Noble in Evansville, Indiana on Maya Angelou during Educator’s Week. I combined my talk to include tidbits about Maya’s life and poetry with diversity in children’s books. What a wonderful opportunity to discuss poetry and diversity all in one talk! Thus, Barnes and Noble agreed to offer a BookFair all day on April 11th and 20% of all the sales that day will go to WE NEED DIVERSE BOOKS for all who use this coupon. It is good for sales in store and on-line so PLEASE support this worthy non-profit and buy lots and lots of books! Pass out coupons to friends and family too! Let’s support poetry and diversity in children’s books!
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PLEASE REMEMBER!!!
Add both your FIRST and LAST names to your daily comment! This is what enables you to be eligible for a prize that day. Many people are forgetting!! I request this because the reply section doesn’t give me your name unless it’s a part of your email address. And even then sometimes it’s very hard for me to figure out the exact name.
How I choose daily winners…Late each Saturday night, I will go back to Monday’s comments and count how many there are. I then type that number into a randomizer program that choose a number for me. I count from the first post down to that number and that is the daily winner. If that post doesn’t have a first and last name listed it will not win. I will then go to the next post that has a first and last name listed. I will do this for each day of the week and announce the winners on the following Monday.
Please DO NOT go back now and add another comment now as I need each person to only comment one time to keep things fair. Thanks!
Good Luck and ADD YOR FIRST and LAST NAME to your comment!!!! = )
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Official RhyPiBoMo 2015 Registration ends TODAY, April 8th, Midnight Central Time
so register now!
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If you are not officially registered you will not be able to participate in the Golden Quill Poetry Contest, in Rhyming Critique Groups or will not be eligible for daily prizes.
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To see if you are registered go to the Master Registration List on the drop down menu under the RhyPiBoMo Blog tab above.
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Registration Link:
https://angiekarcher.wordpress.com/rhypibomo-2015-registration/
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Thank you Julie! Such a good refresher and so many fun things to play with! -Maria Oka
You’re very welcome, Maria!
As always, Julie, you created a masterful post with helpful, concise examples to help us use more figurative language in our picture books. Thank you for the guideposts. Maria Marshall
Thank you for the lovely comment, Maria!
Julie, Thank you for the figurative language review.An important part of poetry and prose, it gives such a luster to our writing. – Judy Rubin
Luster is a great word, too! 🙂
Rachel Hamby – Thanks for these tips, Julie!
Very welcome, Rachel!
Loved this lesson. All these blogs are great sharpeners. Can we compile them in a printable form so we can create little educational books out of them?
MaDonna Maurer
Thanks so much for this list and examples where they are used.
Great examples! Thanks for these, Julie!
Zainab Khan: Thanks Julie for sharing insight on metaphors and personification.
You are very welcome ladies! Thanks so much for your comments.
Lori Mozdzierz:
Julie, thanks for the handy dandy defining image! Great tips and examples given.
Thanks Lori! I love that little bookmark too.
Elaine Hillson – Great examples Julie. Thank you for sharing your insight into using figurative language. Another post for me to put on my reference list.
I’m honored to be on your reference list, Elaine!
Linda Schueler: I love this: “Figurative language gives you the chance to take a break from the mechanics and step inside a sandbox to construct castles from words.” I’m going to go and play.
Go play, Linda, and have fun! 🙂
Appreciations from Jan Annino / Bookseedstudio for Angie & Julie!
It’s fun to see favorite titles & learn new ones in these groovy eyedeers shared.
Groovy indeed. Thank you, Jan!
Thanks, Julie, for another informative post, including examples from books we should add to our mentor lists. Marianne Gage
Pat Haapaniemi: Thanks for the great tips, Julie!
Thanks, Julie. I loved all the examples of figurative language!
Daryl Gottier
Thanks for your comments, Marianne, Pat, and Daryl!
Ginger Weddle
Julie, Thanks for the clear and concise descriptions of figurative language. I love the “handy image” from writeworld.org. Great post!
Thanks, Ginger! I was so excited when I found that image. I’m using it for reference myself.
Thanks for the great pointers, Julie!
Maria Gianferrari
You’re very welcome, Maria!
Rita Allmon– Hi, Julie. I enjoyed this wonderful post regarding figurative language. Thanks for leading us to the sandbox for our future word castles.
Thanks, Rita! Go build those castles. 🙂
Julie, this figurative language post was a fantastic reminder for me! Now to write a poem with some figurative language—it’s going to double as an exercise and a last minute birthday present for my husband 🙂
How sweet, Kirsti! Your husband is a lucky man. 🙂
Manju Howard: Julie, thanks for giving examples of figurative language terms. I read Corey Rosen Schwartz’s THE THREE NINJA PIGS during ReFoReMo. I love the lines –
The wolf looked quite shaken,
But hollered, “Yo, Bacon.
That line is my favorite too!
-Kenda Henthorn
Thanks for the wonderful technique refresher, Julie!! Great reminders!!
The reminder to play with words and language even as we manage the details of poetry and lyrical prose by working through the mechanics is important. Thanks, Julie. Val McCammon
Pat Likins
Loved the lesson, thank you!
Thanks for the comments Kenda, Val, and Pat! Much appreciated.
I’ll dust my brain off cobwebs and refresh my mind on some of these literature terms 🙂 also the bookmark is a good find, thank you.
Mandy Yates
Great examples. That line from Corey’s book was always one of my favorites!
The wolf looked quite shaken,
But hollered, “Yo, Bacon.
I’m not at all scared of your tricks.”
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I know! It’s just such a brilliant verse.
Great examples, I’m going to try incorporating some of the techniques into my writing that I haven’t used yet.
Marla Lesage
That’s great, Maria! It’s fun to play with figurative language.
Tanja Bauerle –
Thank you Julie, for your great post and wonderful examples. I especially love the graphic you found explaining the various figurative language tools. It is now printed out and hanging on my message board on my desk for quick reference. 🙂 Hugs.T
Hi Tanja – I’m so glad that reference image is as useful for you as it is to me.
Sandy Powel — Thank you for the examples, they will help me when I write in rhyme.
These are great examples of figurative language. Thanks, Julie.
Thanks Sandy and Sydney! 🙂
Natasha Garnett
Julie, thanks for the excellent refresher on figurative language. The examples were the greatest thing since sliced bread.
Ha ha! Good one, Natasha! 🙂
Maria Bostian:
Julie, I loved the lesson on Figurative Language. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome, Maria!
This was great, Julie! Such a wealth of poetic devices and a wonderful refresher. Thank you! –Sadee Schilling
It’s always good to think beyond just simile and metaphor. Glad you liked the post, Sadee!
Sara Green Great post, lots of food for thought, thanks Julie!
Vicki Wilke
Great reminders Julie! Thanks for the framework as well as examples!
Terry Pierce– Great post, Julie. Thanks for the terrific examples.
Thank you Sara, Vicki, and Terry for your comments! 🙂
Melanie Ellsworth – Thank you, Julie, for the figurative language chart and the examples to go with each area! Good refresher.
You’re very welcome, Melanie!
Charlotte Dixon- Julie, thank you for the insights about figurative language and the excellent examples.
You’re welcome, Charlotte. I had fun putting the examples together. 🙂
Great reminders. I’ve used quite a few of these in my latest manuscripst.
It’s so fun to play with these, right Linda? 🙂
Sarah Harroff
Thank you for demonstrating these elements, Julie. I love the rhythms of each of your selections.
Thank you, Sarah! I love how the same tools can be used in such different ways.
Kathy Mazurowski
I have a new favorite image: step inside a sandbox to construct castles from words. Thanks you!
Thank you, Kathy! I am glad that image resonates with you.
Thanks, Julie! It’s a great reminder for us to move beyond simile and metaphor in our figurative language.
Thanks, Patricia! There are so many ways to play with language in poetry and rhyme. I’m glad you’re inspired to try some. 🙂
Julia Maisen
Great info, I will definitely look to incorporate this into my current project.
Have fun, Julia! 🙂
Lynn Alpert – Thanks Julie.
She’s smart as a whip,
And wise like an owl.
She gives great advice
Oh, what a doll!
First, thank you, Lynn for those kind words. Second, way to go incorporating figurative language into your poetic comment! 🙂
Thanks for the post and all your great examples. Katie Gast
You’re welcome, Katie!
Great lessons and I love the poster. May have to print it and post it in my writing space. Gail Cartee
Hi Gail – I think you can order that image as a bookmark too.
Thanks, Julie. I must use more figurative language.
Rosemary Basham
Great examples. Really informative, as terms are sometimes hard to keep straight
Thanks for your comments, Mona and Rosemary! The terms ARE hard to keep straight sometimes, but many times we use these tools instinctively. So no need to memorize the names. 😉
Ann Kelley – Thanks Julie for another great, informative post! I appreciated reading PB examples.
Very welcome, Ann! Thanks for your comment.
Joanne Sher is positive this is great stuff – LOVE figurative language – it’s so fun to play with. Thanks for the post, Julie – and for 12 x 12. 🙂
Thanks to you, Joanne, for your own fantabulous contributions to 12 x 12. 🙂
Kristi Veitenheimer – Thanks for the post. I always appreciate it when concrete examples go along with the lesson items! And I thoroughly enjoyed your course, Julie, The Lyrical Language Lab! I highly recommend it to everyone.
Thanks, Kristi! However, I can’t take credit for The Lyrical Language Lab. That’s the uber-fab Renee LaTulippe. 🙂