The top 10 finalists for The 2015 Best in Rhyme Award have

been announced! The committee and I are thrilled to share reviews of each of these

wonderful rhyming picture books!

Please support these authors and illustrators by

purchasing their books this holiday season!

*

The Top 10 RPB finalists for The 2015 Best in Rhyme Award

The Announcement Video link

*

*

These reviews are done by the Best in Rhyme Committee in no particular order. The winner and honor books will be named on December 4th in NYC in a live-streaming announcement from Julie Gribble’s KidLitTV Studio. We are so appreciative of Julie’s support of our event!

Thank you Julie!

I present

the 2015 Best in Rhyme Award

top 10 book reviews!

Watch for more reviews all month!

 

WHAT ABOUT MOOSE?

Authors: Corey Rosen Schwartz and Rebecca J. Gomez

Illustrator : Keika Yamaguchi

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

*Review by Mandy Yates

* 

WHAT ABOUT MOOSE? by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Rebecca J. Gomez is a fine example of a picture book that makes great use of tier II words. This would be a wonderful example even if this book were written in prose. However, Corey and Rebecca’s rhymes are never predictable, always clever, and go beyond the simple one-syllable rhymes.

(Example: work zone/megaphone, concern/stern, all imperfections/careful inspections, advice/precise, straighter/dictator, pounded/surrounded.)

This book has it all!

-Flawed, yet likable character.

-Strong character want and problem.

-Clever, original rhyme.

-A never stumbling, perfect meter.

-(I hate using LOL, but the humor in this book is literally the laugh out loud kind.)

-Perfect pacing.

-Satisfying ending.

-And for a book that is geared toward a younger audience, the use of vocabulary will make your four year old smarter (as well as your ten year old.)

Check out some of the stunning vocabulary used in this amazing picture book:

divvied

trotted

announced

caution

commands

crank

pace

concern

overseeing

stern

jotted

imperfections

careful

inspections

spouted

advice

precise

glare

tromping

mumbled

dictator

manned

clambered

complete

hefted

surrounded

hollered

muffled

hopeless

groaned

grumbled

huddled

plotting

What About Moose?

Well, it’s simply splendid, engaging,

and full of stunning vocabulary!

 *

I urge you to find

WHAT ABOUT MOOSE?

to read to your little bossy ones!

*

About Corey:

Corey Rosen Schwartz is the author of THE THREE NINJA PIGS and several other rhyming picture books. She has no formal ninja training, but she sure can kick butt in Scrabble.  Corey lives with three knuckleheads in Warren, NJ. 

Corey’s Website

 

About Rebecca:

My first book, WHAT ABOUT MOOSE?, which I co-wrote with Corey Rosen Schwartz, is a rhyming picture book for kids 4-8, published in the summer of 2015 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

I’d love to hear from you! If you like, you can connect with me through Facebook or Twitter via the links in the side bar or you can email me at rebgowriter @ gmail dot com.

Rebecca’s Website

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

 

This wonderful review was written by Mandy Yates, a Best in Rhyme Committee member. Thank you Mandy!

Mandy allowed us to share part of her previous blog post, Stunning Vocabulary in Picture Books is Important, from 8/11/2015.

You can see the full blog post here.

 

The top 10 finalists for The 2015 Best in Rhyme Award have

been announced! The committee and I are thrilled to share reviews of each of these

wonderful rhyming picture books!

Please support these authors and illustrators by

purchasing their books this holiday season!

*

The Top 10 RPB finalists for The 2015 Best in Rhyme Award

The Announcement Video link

*

*

These reviews are done by the Best in Rhyme Committee in no particular order. The winner and honor books will be named on December 4th in NYC in a live-streaming announcement from Julie Gribble’s KidLitTV Studio. We are so appreciative of Julie’s support of our event!

Thank you Julie!

I present

the 2015 Best in Rhyme Award

top 10 book reviews!

Watch for more reviews all month!

IT’S ONLY STANLEY

Author and Illustrator : Jon Agee

Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers

*Review by Lori Degman

Told with perfect meter and rhyme, It’s Only Stanley is a simple story of the Wimbledon family and their dog, Stanley.

 

All throughout the night, disturbing sounds wake up different members of the family, until they’re finally all awake and in their parent’s bedroom.

With each disturbance, Walter Wimbledon (the father) replies,

“That’s very odd,” and heads off to investigate

the source of the sound.

And each time, he reports back, “It’s only Stanley,”

 

howling at the moon;

fixing the oil tank;

making catfish stew . . .

 

The book has one of those surprise endings that make you go back to the beginning and read it over again (I won’t tell you what it is, but I guarantee you’ll love it)!

 

The last thing I’ll say about

It’s Only Stanley is – it’s only fabulous!!

&

*

I urge you to find

IT’S ONLY STANLEY

to read to your little night owls!

*

About Jon:

I grew up in Nyack, New York, just up the street from the Hudson River. In our house, there was always an art project going on.

My early drawings were very animated: a lot of stuff zipping around, airplanes, racing cars, football players. No surprise my first published drawing was a pack of rats running along a highway (The Rat Race). I did that for the New York Times Op Ed page when I was still in high school.

I went to college at The Cooper Union School of Art in New York City. I studied painting, sculpture and filmmaking, but what I loved doing most—in my spare time—was drawing cartoons and comic strips.

That was all a long time ago. Since then I’ve written several other picture books, illustrated a few by other authors, and created a series of offbeat wordplay books, beginning with the book of palindromes, GO HANG A SALAMI! I’M A LASAGNA HOG!

I visit schools across the country and sometimes around the globe. I live with my wife, Audrey, in San Francisco.

Amazon

 Barnes and Noble

Jon’s Website

 

 

This wonderful review was written by Lori Degman, a Best in Rhyme Committee member. Thank you Lori!

 

The top 10 finalists for The 2015 Best in Rhyme Award have

been announced! The committee and I are thrilled to share reviews of each of these

wonderful rhyming picture books!

Please support these authors and illustrators by

purchasing their books this holiday season!

*

The Top 10 RPB finalists for The 2015 Best in Rhyme Award

The Announcement Video link

*

*

These reviews are done by the Best in Rhyme Committee in no particular order. The winner and honor books will be named on December 4th in NYC in a live-streaming announcement from Julie Gribble’s KidLitTV Studio. We are so appreciative of Julie’s support of our event!

Thank you Julie!

I present

the 2015 Best in Rhyme Award

top 10 book reviews!

Watch for more reviews all month!

PIRATE’S LULLABY: MUTINY AT BEDTIME

Author: Marcie Wessels

Illustrator: Tim Bowers

Publisher: Doubleday Books for Young Readers

*Review by Suzy Leopold

“Yo, ho, ho! Me lad, heave ho! It’s time to go to bed.”

With this opening line, by Papa Pirate, a reader will become immediately hooked.

Bedtime for many kids can be a long drawn out nightly routine. First mate, Ned is not-so-sleepy and wants to play longer on the high-seas. He postpones his bedtime by requesting just ten more minutes to sail the Seven Seas before getting some shut eye.

Since it is nearly half past eight, Papa Pirate reminds Ned that it is time to get a bit of rest and continues to coax Ned to his bunk. But first they must swab the deck, stow the gear, and lock the treasure chest.

 

Ned continues to use stalling tactics to avoid his bunk. He can’t find his teddy bear, Captain Teddy, he shimmies up the mainmast, he’s thirsty and wants Papa Pirate to spin a yarn or two. Will Ned every close his eyes to catch 40 winks?

 

The colorful illustrations are playful and whimsical and the endpapers of the book match Ned’s pajamas! The clever rhyme, use of action verbs and pirate dialect make for an excellent read aloud, especially at bedtime.

&

I urge you to find

PIRATE’S LULLABY: MUTINY AT BEDTIME

to read to your little buccaneers!

*

 

About Marcie:

Marcie Wessels was born in Wisconsin and surprised her family by arriving two months earlier than expected and weighed only 2 pounds and 13 ounces!

Marcie loved to visit the library with her mother and to sit in the stacks and pick out books to take home.  Although she admired writers, she never thought she could grow up to be one.  Marcie decided to do the next best thing – she became a teacher because they get to read, write and talk about books.

She didn’t pursue her dream until after her children were born. Marcie lives in San Diego with her husband and their two children. PIRATE’S LULLABY: MUTINY AT BEDTIME (Doubleday Books for Young Readers, August 25, 2015) is Marcie’s first picture book.

Amazon

 Barnes and Noble

Marcie’s Website

 

 

This wonderful review was written by Suzy Leopold, a Best in Rhyme Committee member. Thank you Suzy!

Suzy’s Website

 

*

*

The top 10 finalists for The 2015 Best in Rhyme Award have

been announced! The committee and I are thrilled to share reviews of each of these

wonderful rhyming picture books!

Please support these authors and illustrators by

purchasing their books this holiday season!

*

The Top 10 RPB finalists for The 2015 Best in Rhyme Award

The Announcement Video link

*

*

These reviews are done by the Best in Rhyme Committee in no particular order. The winner and honor books will be named on December 4th in NYC in a live-streaming announcement from Julie Gribble’s KidLitTV Studio. We are so appreciative of Julie’s support of our event!

Thank you Julie!

I present

the 2015 Best in Rhyme Award

top 10 book reviews!

Watch for more reviews all month!

 

There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight

Author: Penny Parker Klostermann

Illustrator: Ben Mantle

Publisher: Random House

*Review by Gayle Krause

 

There was an old dragon who needed a lesson in table manners!

 

I mean really, he swallowed everything in sight, and much to the delight of young readers, burped them all up again.

 

This rollicking retelling of a well-known children’s song has perfect meter, action verbs, and a rhyme scheme that makes the story roll off the tongue. Children especially LOVE the refrain.

 

As an adult, I’ve used this book as an introduction to cumulative tales in my 3^rd grade writing class for Young Author’s Day at a local college and the children loved the lyrical language and easily understood the concept.

 

Nominated as one of the ten best rhyming picture books of 2015, There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight may lumber away having eaten yet another item, the inaugural Best Rhyming Picture Book Award.

 

About Penny:

Author Penny Parker Klostermann is a teacher, author and lover of picture books, especially rhyming ones. She’s a member of The Poets’ Garage, where she hones her rhyming skills.

For more information on Penny follow the link to Gayle’s interview with her in September.

 

I urge you to find There Was an Old Dragon

Who Swallowed a Knight

to read to your little dragons!

*

About Penny

She loves all kinds of books, but especially loves very silly picture books that make her laugh. She has been known to hug her favorite picture books and seriously hopes that someday her books will gain huggable status too.

Penny is a member of SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators). She was named the 2012 Barbara Karlin Grant Runner-up. She is represented by Tricia Lawrence of the Erin Murphy Literary Agency.

Penny grew up in Colorado and now lives in Abilene, Texas-the Storybook Capital of Texas!

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Penny’s Website

 

This wonderful review was written by Gayle Krause, a Best in Rhyme Committee member. Thank you Gayle!

Gayle’s Website: The Storyteller’s Scroll

http://www.gayleckrause.com

*

*

 

 

 

 

 

The top 10 finalists for The 2015 Best in Rhyme Award have been announced! The committee and I are thrilled to share reviews of each of these

wonderful rhyming picture books!

Please support these authors and illustrators by

purchasing their books this holiday season!

*

The Top 10 RPB finalists for The 2015 Best in Rhyme Award

The Announcement Video link

*

*

These reviews are done by the Best in Rhyme Committee in no particular order. The winner and honor books will be named on December 4th in NYC in a live-streaming announcement from Julie Gribble’s KidLitTV Studio. We are so appreciative of Julie’s support of our event!

Thank you Julie!

*

I present

the 2015 Best in Rhyme Award

top 10 book reviews!

Watch for more reviews all month!

*

Sharing the Bread

By Author Pat Zietlow Miller

and Illustrator Jill McElmurray

*

As Thanksgiving is approaching, I felt it only proper to begin our Best in Rhyme Top 10 book reviews with Pat Zietlow Miller’s SHARING THE BREAD: An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving Story.

This story reminds me of a song we sang in elementary school that brings back fond memories…”Over the river and through the woods, to grandmother’s house we go…”

Every time I hear that song, it warms my heart, remembering visits to my own grandmother’s house during the holidays. Cousins. Pumpkin Pie. Potato peeling. Aprons. The silly looking turkey baster. Hot cider. Candles. The kid’s table. FOOD! Football. Nap.

This is my favorite spread…you feel the chaotic excitement!

*

Now, when I think of Thanksgiving I will think of this special book! Pat has a way of writing heartwarming stories that bring a smile to your face while reading them. This Thanksgiving story about an early American family’s celebration is not that different from the way we celebrate today.

*

Everyone helps prepare for dinner!

*

Minus the wood stove, most families carry on traditions each year with their loved ones. A hurried chaos in the kitchen leads to a quiet calm of prayers and eating. Children running underfoot are bibbed and settled into high chairs next to aunts, uncles and grandparents who relish their time spent together.

This sweet dog hopes some turkey falls on the floor.

*

Pat’s rhythmic verses coupled with repetitive phrases make this wonderful rhyming picture book a joy to read aloud. The Illustrations by Jill McElmurray add another gorgeous layer of heart! The warmth and details of the illustrations will keep adults and children searching for all the happenings of the celebration.

*

Even the pets like Thanksgiving dinner!

*

I urge you to find SHARING THE BREAD: An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving Story

to read to your little Pilgrims this Thanksgiving!

*

About Pat:

Pat Zietlow Miller knew she wanted to be a writer ever since her seventh-grade English teacher read her paper about square-dancing skirts out loud in class and said: “This is the first time anything a student has written has given me chills.” (Thanks, Mrs. Mueller! You rock!)

Pat started out as a newspaper reporter and wrote about everything from dartball and deer-hunting to diets and decoupage. Then, she joined an insurance company and edited its newsletter and magazine.

Now, she writes insurance information by day and children’s books by night.

Pat has one wonderful husband, two delightful daughters and two pampered cats. She doesn’t watch much TV, but she does love “Glee” and “Chopped.” Pat lives in Madison, Wisconsin.

*

Pat’s Website

Find it on Amazon

Barnes and Noble

 

*

*

Welcome to

RhyPiBoMo 2015 Day 24

Agent Kendra Marcus

*

  

*

 Today’s guest blogger is my wonderful agent! Forgive me as I tell a short story about my journey in hopes that it may help someone out there…

I am so blessed to have met her last summer in Georgia at Kristen Fulton’s WOW Conference. The really scary thing is that I almost didn’t go to that conference. Money was tight and I had already paid for the LA SCBWI Conference, which was on my bucket list, and my husband needed convincing that this week-long conference was that important…

Thank goodness I went. I met all my closest writing friends face-to-face, I signed with Kendra and I almost sold a picture book that week. Can you imagine if I hadn’t gone? I probably would not be writing now. My point is, if you feel strongly that you must do something to further your career…do it if you can. Fortunately, I had the joy of calling my husband to tell him that I finally signed with an agent after 20 years of writing! I’ll never forget that moment, sitting by a lake, crying, and telling him that the stars aligned in Georgia. They really did!

*

This is the lodge where Kendra and I met.

This is Kendra’s session and we had not yet met, but I loved her already!

Angie Karcher, Darshana Khiani, Kristen Fulton and Karen Brueggeman

*

This is what I was wearing for a cookout/costume contest, with my fake campfire and all, when she tapped me on the shoulder and said, “You need an agent!” Can you imagine what that felt like? It was surreal and I said, “Yes, yes I do!” That was pretty much it. She liked my writing, liked me for being me and I liked her professionalism and fun, witty personality. It was a perfect match. I am blessed and, though my hand accident in LA was a setback, we are working hard to put my work out  into the universe for all to see! She is a wonderful person and completely dedicated to me. I know she represents many other very successful writers, but she makes me feel like I am the only one she represents…what a lady!

Please meet

Kendra Marcus.

*

Tough Time Selling Rhyme

*

You would think that rhyming picture books would be snapped up by publishers.  Who doesn’t take delight in repeating Mother Goose and other rhymes over and over.  My grandmother at 90 years old easily recited all the rhymed ditties she’d learned in her childhood.  Rhymed verse sticks with us and its predictability is often helpful as a child learns to read.

So, why do we have a really tough time selling rhyme to publishers?  And why do so many publishers specifically say they do not want to see picture books in rhyme?  And why do we see so many rhyming picture books on the shelves in bookstores?

The answer is that it is a challenge to integrate rhyme into plot, setting and character–the basic building blocks of a picture book.   And, since rhyming picture books are some of the most difficult to craft, it is no wonder that publishers shy away from them.

Uninitiated writers ask, how difficult can it be to write a picture book. After all, they say, it’s only a five page manuscript and it wouldn’t take more than a few hours, at most, to whip out good story.

But, picture books, even without rhyme, are deceiving.  They need to catch the attention of a wiggly three to five year old without using many words.  It is, indeed, a challenge to develop convincing characters, distinct voices and plot in just a few pages.  In a rhyming picture book not only do you need to craft all of the fore mentioned items, but you have the added challenge of crafting them all in perfect rhyme, with rhythm, cadence and flow that scans perfectly.

*
Remember, not every picture book needs to be in rhyme.  Rhymes are good for the very young because they tend to be straightforward and easy to understand, without a lot of clauses and complicated sentences.

Some common pitfalls of rhyming picture books are mundane and overly predictable rhymes, meaningless and forced rhymes, and distorted sentence structure (to maintain the rhyme scheme).

Consider these examples:
He rushed to the bus in the nick of time
it was just taking off but stopped on a dime

(Did the bus really stop on a dime? Will a child understand this? Is this fact important to the story?) I suspect the writer was looking for a word that rhymed with time and figured out that he could add this irrelevant detail so the rhyme would work.

She was often the last to arrive at a show.
Did she know something that no one else did know?

(usually we would use the word knew but clearly, the writer needed a rhyme for show?)

*
We often see rhyming manuscripts that are heavy with descriptions that tend to slow the pace of the story.  Description is an easy crutch for the writer who is searching for the right rhyming word and has to wander off course to find it.

Imagine the mountains of manuscripts editors and agents face every day.  We are all looking to clear our desks so we can get to the real work.  If the first few rhyming stanzas of a manuscript are purely descriptive and filled with forced rhymes and distorted sentences, it is abundantly clear that the author hasn’t mastered his craft.  The easy solution for an editor is to dismiss such a manuscript quickly and get on with the next one.  But, you ask, what if it was basically a good story?  It may be a case where a good story was hidden by bad rhyme but an editor doesn’t have the time to wade through it all.  Don’t let this happen to your manuscript.

For solidly crafted rhyming books I urge you to study two of my favorites, GOODNIGHT, GOODNIGHT, CONSTRUCTION SITE by Sherri Duskey Rinker and THE THREE NINJA PIGS by Corey Rosen Schwartz.

*
A good rhyming book needs to conform to all the basic tenets of good picture book writing (plot, setting, character and voice) AND it needs to scan well with good meter, syllables and stress.  The rhythm, cadence and flow should enable a smooth and engaging read by whomever picks it up.

*
So, before you submit your rhyming manuscript to an editor, ask yourself if the rhyming really contributes to the storytelling and the reader’s experience of the book. Then listen to readings by a variety of readers.  If those readers stumble on your rhymes or word choices or meter …you still have some reworking to do!

*

There’s one thing you all need to know, if you’re going to write like a pro.
If the story is weak, not shiny and sleek, but the rhyme has spectacular glow,
it will be detected and quickly rejected because…

“IT’S NOT ABOUT THE RHYME!”

*

*

*

*

*

About Kendra:

Kendra Marcus started BookStop Literary Agency in 1984 and since then the agency has grown to be one of the most well-known and well respected agencies for children’s book writers and illustrators.
Kendra gravitates toward quirky and funny picture books, fiction with unforgettable characters and stories that will bring her to tears. Unusual non-fiction, especially science presented in new ways and little gems of history are also her cup of tea. Stories with Hispanic or Latino characters are always welcome, and she is thrilled to find accomplished illustrators with a fresh style who can tell a strong story in pictures to accompany a text.

RhyPiBoMo 2015 Optional Writing Prompt: 23

*

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.

*and

Today’s writing prompt is to complete that rhyming picture book manuscript that you have been working on, apply all the tips you learned this month and submit it to a publisher or agent.  But, don’t send it until the story is clever, unique and has that magic, read-it-out-loud-ability! Don’t send it until the meter is perfect, the rhyme is brilliant and poetic techniques are obvious to the one reading it that they are intentional and effective!

I wish you the best of luck and please let us know, on the RhyPiBoMo Facebook Group, if you have a rhyming picture book or poetry book published!!

I can’t believe this month is over!

First of all…Thank you to all our Amazing Golden Quill Guest Bloggers!

Thanks to all of you who came everyday to read, learn and celebrate RPBs and Poetry with me!

Here is the badge of RhyPiBoMo Honor for participation and support of this event! You earned it! Please post it on your blog, your Facebook Page and anywhere you like.

Isn’t this so adorable!!! Tanja Bauerle, you rock!

*

*

Watch this spectacular clip of fireworks in New York City to celebrate as this Ray Charles Version of America The Beautiful seems so fitting today as I announce the winners of the

Golden Quill Poetry Contest with a theme of Freedom!

*

https://youtu.be/YSJQR-0AYPg

*

Congratulations and thank you to all the winners

and all who submitted poems!

Also, a huge thanks to our

Golden Quill Poetry Contest Judges

Jackie Wellington, Dianna White and Iza Trapani!

You ladies are all so busy and I thank you for your help with this contest!

Golden Quill Poetry Contest Winners

*

 The 1st Place winner of  a manuscript critique

by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen is

Ann MaGee

 

WHERE IS FREEDOM? AN ESCAPING SLAVE’S TRIOLET

by Ann Magee

*

In the whisper of hummingbird wings

Where lanterns beam and dreams soar

She trusts the star and all it brings.

In the whisper of hummingbird wings

Listen and dream as the stream sings

A promise of something more . . .

In the whisper of hummingbird wings

Where lanterns beam and dreams soar.

**

*

2nd place winner of a scholarship for Non-Fiction Archeology by Kristen Fulton is

Darlene Ivy

*

Breakout Poem

by Darlene Ivy

*

Laces loosened. One boot. Two.

Wedging, wrestling. Off with you!

Thick knit socks! You’re next to go.

Bunched up blobs – two balls to throw.

Giggling, wriggling winter toes

sunning . . . drumming. There she goes.

Spinning, splashing, splattering,

barefoot girl’s first dance of spring.

3rd place winner of a scholarship for Pacing Picture Books to WOW! Class by agent Jodell Sadler is

Sherri Rivers

THE KENNEL OF DOOM

by Sherri Rivers

*

The clanging door is quickly clicked in place.

She knows the drill, still hates this locked-up space.

Inside the confines, whimpers, whines, and wails—

The scratch, scratch, scratch of dirty doggy nails.

The hours drag inside her lonely tomb.

She’s trapped behind the bars of dreaded doom.

But, then, a hand unlocks the leaden latch.

Two happy yelps—“You throw the ball, I’ll catch.”

Congratulations to our Honor Poem winners in no particular order!

*

FINALLY FREE

by Rebcca Colby

*

Destitute, she lives alone,

forced to make it on her own.

Works two jobs to pay the rent,

for years on end until she’s spent.

Tired and grey, ill health, bad knee,

but can’t retire at seventy.

Trapped and strapped to constant strife;

she freed herself…she took her life.

*

*

WISTFUL WISH FOR THE WIZARD

by Stephanie Salkin

*

Oh for Oz, where wrongs are righted,

hurts are healed, blind are sighted,

justice lives, kindness thrives,

people lead enlightened lives.

Oh for Oz, no tyrants here,

no witches spreading hate and fear.

Oh for Oz, where wizardry

may grant me freedom—to be me!

*

*

FLOWER GIRL FREEDOM

by Karen Affholter

*

Will this wedding ever end?

This dress is just the WORST!

It’s itchy, scratchy and too tight.

The seams are bound to burst!

Can’t we get these “I-do’s” done?

I need this dress off, FAST!

The bride and groom best close their eyes ….

Aaaaaaaaaaah! Freedom, at last.

*

*

FLOOR AND PEAS

by Natalee Creech

*

On a fine china dish beside lemon and fish

Sat a succulent portion of peas.

Lightly buttered and salted, then highly exalted,

One orb felt a sense of unease.

Shouting, “There shall be freedom for those in my pea-dom!”

He plunged to the floor down below.

Did our plump little friend meet a fortunate end?

The dog came… regrettably, no.

*

*

Free as can Bee Poem

by Maria Oka

*

Holding fast to balloon strings, I jump, then I fly.

I tip-toe ‘cross clouds, and I soar through the sky.

I swing from the strings while I wave at a car.

The passengers gawk like I’m something bizarre.

Then trouble comes at me in thousands of bees,

Their stingers are out, but I hide in the trees.

I flutter away, floating low over town.

I’m free, yes I’m FREE! And I’ll never come….{POP!}

*

*

*

 Congratulations to Week 5 Prize Winners

Monday      Copy of WRITING RHYMING PICTURE BOOKS Donated by Laura Purdie Salas and Lisa Bullard

Winner: Judy Rubin

 **

Tuesday      Copy of GOODNIGHT GOODNIGHT CONSTRUCTION SITE and Game Donated by Sherri D. Rinker

Winner: Annie Bailey

 *

Wednesday Copy of

STEAM TRAIN, DREAM TRAIN and Puzzle Donated by Sherri D. Rinker

Winner: Sarah Haroff

 *

Thursday    Manuscript Critique by Kristen Fulton

Winner: Val McCammon

*

Winners, PLEASE message me your information on Facebook

or email it to Angiekarcherrpbm@gmail.com

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Don’t Miss the

Friday Night BIG Finale Rhyming Party!

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*

The amount donated to We Need Diverse Books from the Barnes and Noble BookFair for will be available soon so watch on Facebook for the amount. Thank you for all the support for this wonderful organization!

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*

Watch the

RhyPiBoMo

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT

Here on Youtube!

Please share this link!

http://youtu.be/y84jT9FE0Wg

We are pleased to announce the

RhyPiBoMo 2015

Best in Rhyme Award Committee!

Thank you Tanja Bauerle for your beautiful award designs!

This committee of dedicated RhyPiBoMo members is busy reading, reviewing and nominating the best rhyming picture books and poetry books of 2015. Only members of the RhyPiBoMo Facebook Group may nominate books to the committee for consideration. There will be much more information coming soon with specific guidelines and voting requirements!

*

Thank you to the 15 members of this committee!

Dawn Young – Co-chair

Mandy Yates – Co-chair

Deirdre Sheridan Englehart – Co-chair

Kenda Henthorn – Co-chair

Danna York

Annie Bailey

Patricia Toht

Gayle C. Krause

Deb Williams

Corey Rosen Schwartz

Darlene Ivy

Lori Degman

Suzy Leopold

Angie Karcher – Founder

Tanja Bauerle – Illustrator

*

Angie will soon be blogging about some of the best rhyming picture books and poetry books we come across, so please contact her if you want your book to be highlighted.

Angiekarcherrpbm@gmail.com

*

*

**

ONLY 1 spot left!

The $99.00 discounted price ends Thursday.

Do you enjoy writing rhyming picture books?

Do you find rhyme challenging?

Do you want to pep up your prose with poetic techniques?

Then this is the class for you!

Writing in Rhyme to WOW! is a 4 week course,

M-F with daily lessons, writing prompts, rhyme journaling, creating tools you will use, group poetry readings, webinars and critique groups, and a one-on-one webinar critique with Angie.

Each class begins on the first Monday of the month and the weekly group webinars are on Thursdays at 8:00 p.m. Central Standard Time, (Chicago Time) or at a time that best suits the group due to time zones of those involved.

I am beginning to sign people up for June and July!

If you register now for June or July, I will give you the $99.00 price!

Contact Angie with questions.

Sign up now before the classes are full!

Click here for more information!

*

*

*

Need a Rhyming Picture Book Critique?

Angie offers

rhyming picture book and poetry manuscript critiques.

A One Time critique is ($25.00) or a Twice Look critique is ($35.00)

See the tab above or click here for more information.

*

*A

RhyPiBoMo Gift Shop is Open!

http://www.cafepress.com/rhypibomogiftshop

Please stop by and see what’s available this year. There are notebooks, mugs, buttons and more. All proceeds will go to WE NEED DIVERSE BOOKS!

Thank you Tanja Bauerle for these gorgeous images!!!

*

*

Official RhyPiBoMo 2015 Registration ended on April 8th.

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.

To see if you registered in time go to the Master Registration List on the drop down menu under the RhyPiBoMo Blog tab above.

*

YouPlease comment below. You MUST add your FIRST and LAST names

You to be eligible for today’s prize!

Welcome to

RhyPiBoMo 2015 Day 23

Kwame Alexander

*

*

 Today’s guest blogger is a man of many talents.

One of them happens to be writing a Newbery Award Winning book for kids!

*

               

If you have not read THE CROSSOVER, go, right now and find it, if you can, and read it! It took me about 6 weeks to get my copy and I read it cover to cover the day I received it in the mail. As a mother of 2 teenage boys, a mother of 2 teenage girls who date boys, and as a friend of a family who recently lost their father much too soon…this book is moving, relevant and so, so powerful in it’s playfulness with words. This is a book that will bring teens to poetry for years to come. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to meet Kwame in person this summer at the LA SCBWI Conference. I was one of the lucky few who got into his intensive and I will be sitting there, taking notes, listening to every single word and waiting patiently until I can give a proper hug to Kwame Alexander. His book, his integrity and his genuine care for children make me proud to be a children’s author! Plus I am so happy that his favorite word is…Yes!

I am over the moon

to introduce

Kwame Alexander

As I contacted Kwame to be a guest blogger, honestly thinking that I wouldn’t get a response as he was nominated for The Newbery Award and so busy. I reached out via Facebook message, which by the way is how I snag most of my amazing guest bloggers, and he immediately responded. We agreed on a blog post topic and all was set.

Then he won.

He kindly messaged me at around 3:00 am two days later and very sweetly said, I haven’t slept, I’m not sure what town I’m in right now. I have barely eaten anything and I still want to help you but what can we do to simplify this?

As I am always on my toes, I said,” What if my 14 year old son Mitch comes up with 20 one word answer questions for you and we’ll call it 20 Questions with Kwame?

“YES!”

he said.

So, I am proud of my youngest son for enthusiastically coming up with some fun questions and am happy to say he was equally as enthusiastic to hear the responses, and…is reading The Crossover right now. Thank you Mitch! I’m pretty sure he did this whole thing without even one eye roll! = )

Kwame told me that another Newbery Award winner told him that the price of winning this award is a book. He will be speaking, touring, conferencing and honored at banquet after banquet for at least a full year. He tells me he still writes but it’s tough. Thank you Kwame Alexander for saying yes and for giving the youth of today a literal, literary hero to look up to!

I give you

Kwame Alexander

20 Questions for Kwame

by Mitch Karcher

                  

          Mitch Karcher         Kwame Alexander

*

Mitch: What is your favorite time of day?
Kwame: 6 am, when no one else is awake, and I can return emails, listen to jazz, and plan my day.

*

What is your junk food of choice?
RED. VELVET. CUPCAKES.

*

Who inspires you?
My daughters. Students. The energy and innocence and freedom of youth.

*

What are you reading now?
These questions…Seriously.

I am reading Margarita Engle’s new memoir in verse. WOW!

*

What is your favorite sport?
To watch: Basketball
To play: Tennis

*

What do you order to eat/drink at Panera Bread?
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Large Lemonade. No ice.

*

Do you prefer the mountains or the beach?
The beach.

*

What book would you like to see made into a movie, besides The Crossover?
Ha! Very funny! My next one…

*

Are you a cat person or dog person?
Neither.

*

Are you an early riser or a night owl?
Both.

*

If you weren’t a writer what career would you choose?
A pediatrician by day, stand-up comedian by night. (I have a friend who is a cardiologist and a country music star. Check out Cleve Francis)

*

Who was your favorite teacher?
Nikki Giovanni

*

What kind of music do you listen to?
Jazz. Country. Hip Hop. Soul. Classical. Everything else.

*

What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?
Double fudge chocolate

*

What is your favorite thing to do with your family?
Play Uno. Also, travel.

*

What is your favorite word?
Yes.

*

What is your favorite dance move?
My wife teachers Zumba. Every move she does when she’s teaching. Pretty cool!

*

What is one piece of advice you have for kids?
Never listen to advice from people who make up stories for a living…Also READ a lot.

*

What country would you like to visit?
Antarctica. Is that a country?

*

Finish this sentence: If I had a million dollars I would:
buy a cupcakery.

*

*

Here you go Kwame!

*

*

About Kwame:

Kwame Alexander is a poet and author of eighteen books, most recently THE CROSSOVER, which received the 2015 John Newbery Medal for the Most Distinguished Contribution to American literature for Children. His other works include the award-winning children’s picture book “Acoustic Rooster and His Barnyard Band,” recently optioned as a children’s television show, and the Junior Library Selection, “He Said She Said,” a YA novel. Alexander believes that poetry can change the world, and he uses it to inspire and empower young people through his Book-in-a-Day literacy program which has created more than 3,000 student authors at 69 schools across the US, Canada, and the Caribbean. A regular speaker and workshop presenter at conferences in the U.S., he also travels the world planting seeds of literary love (Brazil, Italy, France, and Turkey). Recently, Alexander led a delegation of 20 writers and activists to Ghana, where they delivered books, built a library, and provided literacy professional development to 300 teachers, as a part of LEAP for Ghana, an International literacy program he co-founded. The Kwame Alexander Papers, a collection of his writings, correspondence, and other professional and personal documents is held at the George Washington University Gelman Library. In 2015, Kwame will serve as Bank Street College of Education’s first writer-in-residence. Visit him at KwameAlexander.com.

Buy It Here

*

Buy It Here

Buy It Here

Buy It Here

*

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
The Crossover: A Novel (2014)
He Said, She Said: A Novel (2013)
Acoustic Rooster and His Barnyard Band (2011) (NAACP Image Award Nominee)
Indigo Blume and the Garden City (2010) (NAACP Image Award Nominee)
And Then You Know: New and Selected Poems (2008)
Family Pictures: Poems and Photographs Celebrating Our Loved Ones, ed. (2007)
Crush: Love Poems (2007)
The Way I Walk: short stories and poems for Young Adults, ed. (2006)
Dancing Naked on the Floor: poems and essays (2005)
Do The Write Thing: 7 Steps to Publishing Success (2002)
Kupenda: Love Poems (2000)
360°: A Revolution of Black Poets, ed. (1998)
Tough Love: Cultural Criticism and Familial Observations on the Life and Death of
Tupac Shakur, ed. (1996)
Just Us: Poems & Counterpoems, 1986-1995 (1995)
The Flow: New Black Poets in Motion, ed. (1994)

*

*

SELECTED PRESENTATIONS
SCBWI Winter Conference (Keynote Speaker)
NCTE/ALAN (Keynote Speaker)
American Library Association (Featured Author)
Long Island Literacy Council (Keynote Speaker)
International Reading Association (Featured Presenter)
Arkansas Reading Association (Keynote Speaker)
New York State Reading Association (Keynote Speaker)
Virginia State Reading Association (Keynote Speaker)
Miss Ghana Tourism Pageant (Judge)
Florida Council of English Teachers Conference (Keynote Speaker)
Library of Congress “Afternoon Poetry Series” (Guest Poet)
Oscar Smith High School, Chesapeake, VA (Poet-in-Residence)
Cass Technical High School, Detroit High School (Book-in-a-Day)
New York State English Council Annual Conference (Keynote Speaker)
Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH (National Poetry Month Speaker)
Howard University, Washington, DC (Publishing Workshop)
Northern Virginia Community College (Poetry/Publishing Workshop)
Virginia Teachers of English, Annual Conference (Keynote Speaker)
Long Island City High School, Astoria, NY (Literacy Professional Development)
Stafford Middle School, Plattsburg, NY (Writer-in-Residence)
West Babylon Junior High School, Long Island, NY (Poet-in-Residence)
Crossland High School, Temple Hills, MD (Book-in-a-Day)
Great Bridge High School, Chesapeake, VA (Poet-in-the-Schools)
Great Bridge Intermediate, Chesapeake, VA (Poet-in-the-Schools)
Arlington Public Schools, Arlington, VA (Literacy Professional Development)
Washington & Lee High School, Arlington, VA (Poet-in-the-Schools)
Central High School, Little Rock, AK (Poet-in-the-Schools)
Duke Ellington School for the Arts, Washington, DC (Poet-in-the-Schools)
Wilson High School, Washington, DC (Poet-in-the-Schools)
Oyster School, Washington, DC (Poet-in-the-Schools)
Niskayuna High School, Niskayuna, NY (Poet-in-Residence)
South Carolina Library Association, Annual Conference (Keynote Speaker)
National Council for Teachers of English (Workshop Presenter)

RhyPiBoMo 2015 Optional Writing Prompt: 23

*

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.

*and

Today’s writing prompt is to take the day off and eat cupcakes! Red. Velvet. Cupcakes.

Enjoy!

*

Watch the

RhyPiBoMo

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT

Here on Youtube!

Please share this link!

http://youtu.be/y84jT9FE0Wg

 

We are pleased to announce the

RhyPiBoMo 2015

Best in Rhyme Award Committee!

Thank you Tanja Bauerle for your beautiful award designs!

This committee of dedicated RhyPiBoMo members is busy reading, reviewing and nominating the best rhyming picture books and poetry books of 2015. Only members of the RhyPiBoMo Facebook Group may nominate books to the committee for consideration. There will be much more information coming soon with specific guidelines and voting  requirements!

*

Thank you to the 15 members of this committee!

Dawn Young – Co-chair

Mandy Yates – Co-chair

Deirdre Sheridan Englehart – Co-chair

Kenda Henthorn – Co-chair

Danna York

Annie Bailey

Patricia Toht

Gayle C. Krause

Deb Williams

Corey Rosen Schwartz

Darlene Ivy

Lori Degman

Suzy Leopold

Angie Karcher – Founder

Tanja Bauerle – Illustrator

*

Angie will soon be blogging about some of the best rhyming picture books and poetry books we come across, so please contact her if you want your book to be highlighted.

Angiekarcherrpbm@gmail.com

 

*

*

What a month! What a week! What a day!

Don’t Miss the

Friday Night BIG Finale Rhyming Party!

**

Today is Poem In Your Pocket Day!

Print out copies of your favorite poem and hand them out to friends, family, co-workers and neighbors. Let’s all celebrate Poetry by actively making a difference in someone’s day by reading a poem.

Share! Share! Share!

Sponsored by Poets.org

More info on Poem In Your Pocket Day

**

ONLY 1 spot left!

The $99.00 discounted price ends Thursday.

Do you enjoy writing rhyming picture books?

Do you find rhyme challenging?

Do you want to pep up your prose with poetic techniques?

Then this is the class for you!

Writing in Rhyme to WOW! is a 4 week course,

M-F with daily lessons, writing prompts, rhyme journaling, creating tools you will use, group poetry readings, webinars and critique groups, and a one-on-one webinar critique with Angie.

Each class begins on the first Monday of the month and the weekly group webinars are on Thursdays at 8:00 p.m. Central Standard Time, (Chicago Time) or at a time that best suits the group due to time zones of those involved.

I am beginning to sign people up for June and July!

If you register now for June or July, I will give you the $99.00 price!

Contact Angie with questions.

Sign up now before the classes are full!

Click here for more information!

*

*

*

Need a Rhyming Picture Book Critique?

Angie offers

rhyming picture book and poetry manuscript critiques.

A One Time critique is ($25.00) or a Twice Look critique is ($35.00)

See the tab above or click here for more information.

*

*A

RhyPiBoMo Gift Shop is Open!

http://www.cafepress.com/rhypibomogiftshop

Please stop by and see what’s available this year. There are notebooks, mugs, buttons and more. All proceeds will go to WE NEED DIVERSE BOOKS!

Thank you Tanja Bauerle for these gorgeous images!!!

*

*

Official RhyPiBoMo 2015 Registration ended on April 8th.

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.

To see if you registered in time go to the Master Registration List on the drop down menu under the RhyPiBoMo Blog tab above.

*

YouPlease comment below. You MUST add your FIRST and LAST names

You to be eligible for today’s prize!

Welcome to

RhyPiBoMo 2015 Day 22

Ed DeCaria

*

 

I am please to introduce

today’s guest blogger

Ed DeCaria

*

*

How To Get Your Readers Past Line One

*

*

First lines are like fangs.

*

They break your readers’ skin, take hold deep within, and draw them — willingly or not — into your world.

*

I asked Angie to skip her customary guest introduction so that I could illustrate a key point about first lines. As the author of this post, displaced by time and space, I had absolutely no idea what you as the reader would have been doing one minute ago. Some of you might have just made a pot of coffee, others of you might have just finished a meeting, still others might have laid a kid down to nap or hopped on a bus or sat on a toilet. How could I have known?

*

What I did know is that I needed a strong first line that would give me a chance of grabbing and keeping your attention regardless of your point of entry. Whether or not you would even “like” my sharp-toothed opening didn’t matter to me – what mattered was that you wouldn’t keep scrolling right to Angie’s next post. That you wouldn’t bounce to another website or app. That you wouldn’t put down your device completely. That you would stay with me until line two.

*

I like to believe that, from line two until the end of a poem or story, writers can control readers’ minds. We set up scenes, cast doubts, foreshadow conflicts, etc., each element placed perfectly after last and before next. Once readers are in, they’re in, and they submit themselves to our whims. But before that, between real life and line one, we have no such control. We first have to coerce it away.

*

This, in and of itself, is not a revelation. However, if you audit the children’s poems and picture books in your house/library/bookstore – and perhaps your own manuscripts, too – you may notice that these types of works often miss their opportunity to hook readers right there on line one. It is as if authors take for granted that they already have readers’ full attention, and that readers WILL read each poem or story in its entirety, when one or both of these may be untrue.

*

I first shared this observation with the Poetry Friday community a few years back, and posed the open question http://www.thinkkidthink.com/are-the-first-lines-of-kids-poems-memorable/ Are the First Lines of Kids’ Poems Memorable? This sparked an interesting conversation and elicited many examples of first lines that readers perceived as “compelling, urgent, and/or unusual” – three criteria proposed elsewhere as characteristics of a great first line. (If you haven’t read that post or the comments below it, you may wish to do so quickly now, but make sure you come back!)

*

Since then, I have paid much closer attention to how poets and picture book authors begin their works. One excellent (and efficient) way to experience first lines in action is to browse children’s poetry anthologies. Not only do most anthologies feature a wide variety of poets and styles, many also include a gift-wrapped package near the end of the book called an “Index of First Lines.” Every once in awhile, I like to open an anthology to this index and just read the first lines, one after the other, until I come across one that I can’t help but flip back to continue reading the rest of the poem immediately (because when a first line is really good I CAN’T NOT read the rest). After reading it, I reflect on why I chose that poem in that moment. What about that single line drew me to that poem? I didn’t know the author, couldn’t read the title, had no sense of form or length, could see no accompanying photo or illustration. I had nothing to go on … except that magical first line. What made it so special to me?

*

While classifying great first lines as “compelling, urgent, and/or unusual” holds up in abstract, as I reenact my readings of great first lines in my head, I find that those terms do not truly describe my experiences in those moments, which are always much more concrete. These firsthand emotions, reactions, and thoughts are (by definition) impossible to summarize in a handful of terms, so what may be more helpful is to start looking at some examples.

*

Here is the Index of First Lines from the anthology Forget-Me-Nots, edited by Mary Ann Hoberman:

*

*

My experiences from these first lines included:

*

• Imagining an origami world. An origami universe!
• Fearing going down that horrible street, but wanting a quick peek to see why it is so horrible.
• Predicting whether or not she’s gonna go talk to the famous man eating soup or not …
• Wanting to meet this promiscuous Jenny girl.
• Imagining slowly sinking my feet into that dark brown river …
• Picturing myself holding the actual earth in my hands, with the moon on one side and beaming, rising sun on the other. What power I have!

*

Here’s another, the Index of First Lines from the anthology Climb Into My Lap, edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins:

*

My experiences from these first lines included:

*

• Remembering all of the times I’ve drawn chalk pictures all over my sidewalks at home.
• Picturing a cartoon-like stick figure dog that’s actually a real-life dog. How skinny is he, really?
• Thinking of all different kinds of skin – slimy fish skin, soft baby skin, leathery sunburnt skin, etc.
• Being transported mid-climb into a tree in front of my old house.
• Closing my eyes, willing those talkers to Just. Stop. Talking.
• Mumbling “What the heck does ‘brillig’ mean? And what are ‘slithy toves’?”

*

And finally, this is the Index of First Lines from the anthology A Family of Poems edited by Caroline Kennedy:

*

My experiences with these first lines included:

*

• Imagining how this hound is going to deal with that porcupine …
• Wondering just who is this tough kid talking to and why is he addressing him as “Sir”?
• Realizing I have no idea what masons do when they start upon a building. What do they do???
• Sighing and agreeing YES – please compare me to a summer’s day …
• Picturing wind in all of its manifestations – leaves blowing wildly, flags waving, umbrellas flipping inside out …
• Trying to conceive of how maggie and milly and molly and may all came to be together …

Those were just a few of my first line experiences. What about YOU? Among those shown above, which first lines spoke to you? Which did you just gloss right over or, worse yet, actively dismiss? Did any of them make you start writing your own line two right there in your head? Did any of them send you off into full-on daydreams? Are any of them still driving you crazy because you don’t have the book in front of you right NOW?!?!?

*

THAT is the reaction you need to strive for in your first lines. Make readers want more. Drive them crazy. If I’m holding your book in a store and randomly open it to page 18, then the poem on page 18 better start with a great first line. If not, then I’ll probably flip to page 19 and see what’s there. If I’m still not feeling it, maybe I jump to another page and read one more opening. But if that still doesn’t pull me in, then that book is probably going back on the shelf … never to be picked up again.

*

Picture book authors: This applies to you, too. When I pick up a book off the shelf (or get a sneak preview online or whatever) and read your first page – it had better be good! The hardest part is over – I am already holding your book in my hands, and I am committed to reading page one. But it’s on you to get me to page two.

*

I have one final point for you to consider: New technologies will likely make first lines even more critical for authors as time goes on. Though I haven’t yet found any software products/sites/apps that are delivering tremendous value to readers in the poetry or picture book space, they are getting better, and the “search and discovery” space will continue to heat up. For now, I’ll use the current Poetry Foundation app as a rough example of where I think things are headed …

Get the App

Here I typed only the keyword “thief” and twenty-six poems came up. It’s a smartphone app, so screen real estate is at a premium, so I had to choose one – and only one – way to view the poems. When I tapped First Line, this is what I saw, a straight list of first lines. Naked. Alone. Exposed. The only thing left to do is to scroll up, scroll down, or tap to read a poem.

*

Which first line will sink its fangs into my neck first?

*k

*

*

About Ed:

Founder of Think, Kid, Think! January 2012

http://www.thinkkidthink.com/

– Launched March Madness Poetry (#MMPoetry), an “epic event” that has been embraced by a global community of kids’ poetry writers and fans.
– Generated over 400,000 site visits, 20,000 Facebook likes, and nearly 8,000 reader comments in just twelve weeks (March 2012, 2013, and 2014 combined). Growing 50-60% year over year — all word of mouth.
– Featured on CBS TV, in USA Today, The Boston Globe, poetryfoundation.org, scbwi.org, poetry4kids.com, and countless other smaller newspapers, websites, and blogs.
– More fun in the works. Stay tuned!

*

*

 Thank you Ed!

I have known Ed through The #MMPoetry Contest for the past two years as a contestant. He is unbelievably great with poetry and numbers as he runs this amazing contest beginning with 64 “Authletes” and ending with one final winner, in a matter of a few weeks. There are kids in classrooms voting, the public votes and even the Authletes vote in a bracket style competition, to determine winners each round. I am always amazed at the amount of balls he must be juggling throughout this process, and he has a full-time job too! WOW!

I am proud to say  that last year I applied and was accepted into the contest, losing my first round to a wonderful author, Elizabeth McBride . This year, again I was accepted and made it through 2 rounds before going down to Carol Samuelson-Woodson with my word “funereal.” Try using that in a kids poem! LOL

It is great fun and I’ve enjoyed participating both years. Maybe the blessing for me is in the losing, as RhyPiBoMo is steaming full speed ahead, mid March, about the time Round 3 begins…at least I’m consoled knowing that losing eases my stress level! Ha!

You must all check it out next year! Sometimes a little pressure is good for our writing!

 *

*

RhyPiBoMo 2015 Optional Writing Prompt: 22

*

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.

*and

Today’s writing prompt is to pull out your favorite manuscripts and poems.

1) Make a list of the first lines.

2) Now, use your fangs…write new first lines that will kiss your reader, vampire style, and not let them go!

 

*

We have a

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT

on Thursday

so don’t miss the blog!

Hmmm…I wonder what it is? Hee Hee!

**

*

*

 

Don’t Miss the

Friday Night BIG Finale Rhyming Party!

**

 

April 30th is Poem In Your Pocket Day!

Print out copies of your favorite poem and hand them out on Thursday to friends, family, co-workers and neighbors. Let’s all celebrate Poetry by actively making a difference in someone’s day by reading a poem.

Share! Share! Share!

Sponsored by Poets.org

More info on Poem In Your Pocket Day

**

ONLY 1 spot left!

The $99.00 discounted price ends Thursday.

Do you enjoy writing rhyming picture books?

Do you find rhyme challenging?

Do you want to pep up your prose with poetic techniques?

Then this is the class for you!

Writing in Rhyme to WOW! is a 4 week course,

M-F with daily lessons, writing prompts, rhyme journaling, creating tools you will use, group poetry readings, webinars and critique groups, and a one-on-one webinar critique with Angie.

Each class begins on the first Monday of the month and the weekly group webinars are on Thursdays at 8:00 p.m. Central Standard Time, (Chicago Time) or at a time that best suits the group due to time zones of those involved.

I am beginning to sign people up for June and July!

If you register now for June or July, I will give you the $99.00 price!

Contact Angie with questions.

Sign up now before the classes are full!

Click here for more information!

*

*

*

Need a Rhyming Picture Book Critique?

Angie offers

rhyming picture book and poetry manuscript critiques.

A One Time critique is ($25.00) or a Twice Look critique is ($35.00)

See the tab above or click here for more information.

*

*A

RhyPiBoMo Gift Shop is Open!

http://www.cafepress.com/rhypibomogiftshop

Please stop by and see what’s available this year. There are notebooks, mugs, buttons and more. All proceeds will go to WE NEED DIVERSE BOOKS!

Thank you Tanja Bauerle for these gorgeous images!!!

*

*

Official RhyPiBoMo 2015 Registration ended on April 8th.

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.

To see if you registered in time go to the Master Registration List on the drop down menu under the RhyPiBoMo Blog tab above.

*

YouPlease comment below. You MUST add your FIRST and LAST names

You to be eligible for today’s prize!

Welcome to

RhyPiBoMo 2015 Day 21

Sherri Duskey Rinker

*

 

 Today’s guest blogger is a New York Times Best Selling author who has, I’m sure, more award winning picture books up her sleeve! I absolutely love her books and the rhyme in them is…perfection! GOODNIGHT GOODNIGHT CONSTRUCTION SITE has been mentioned multiple times this month, by multiple authors, as one to read and study as a mentor text.

I am please

to introduce

Sherri Duskey Rinker.

*

Picture Book: Read It Out Loud!

 

As I child, I loved it when people read to me, and I ESPECIALLY loved rhyming books. There was a song-quality in the meter; a special kind of rhythm that allowed the child-me to often predict the final word in the sentence, or to be able to “sing” along with a refrain. There was comfort and great fun in that. So perhaps that’s why, in part at least, I’m particularly attracted to WRITING the read-aloud rhythm that a rhyming book creates.

Many (but not all) of my soon-to-be-picture-books manuscripts are written in verse, at least partially. Why? I’m not completely sure, but to (badly) quote my friend and brilliant fellow author, Andrea Beaty: “That’s just the way a particular story comes to me.” Andrea and I are in agreement here: It’s nearly impossible to turn a verse book into prose. Just like those TV commercial jingles or the refrains of Taylor Swift songs, once it’s in my head, I’m stuck with it. The rhythm has tangled itself into my brain; I can’t unwrap it. But, I can finesse it…

As I’ve written more (and more), I’ve learned a few things along the way, thanks to the insights and assistance of a few spectacular editors. The learning curve has been painful — even excruciating — at times, and I’ve spent countless hours fighting for (and admittedly sometimes boo-hooing over) syllables that an editor assures me must go: sometimes for the sake of the meter, sometimes for the sake of structure. But, with painful experience has come some knowledge, and, for whatever it’s worth, I’d love to share some insights…

First, the easiest and most straightforward tip for creating solid picture book verse is to simply count out the meter:

He came into the house. (6 syllables)
And then he saw a mouse. (6 syllables)

This is a VERY simple example, but it illustrates a good starting point. It’s not a fail-proof system, (and, arguably, it can be a little stale) but it’s a solid place from which to begin. Just keep in mind that rhyming lines can be a syllable or two (or sometimes more) off, and still work, especially if the lines are longer. That’s simply because our typical speech pattern pushes compound words together or speeds though several small one-syllable words, etc. BUT, if you look closely at a book like Anna Dewdney’s Llama, Llama Red Pajama you’ll see that the verse is almost totally mathematical. With almost no exception, there are exactly the same number of syllables in rhyming lines, making it almost impossible to not hit the meter correctly — and making it just one of the reasons that it’s an approachable, enjoyable read-aloud and a great early reader choice.

 

And now, I come to the title of this post: Since picture books are often read out loud, it seems logical that that’s what we, the writers, need to do. Actually, let me rephrase that: IT’S IMPERATIVE. And, it’s certainly what I do, constantly. And, not only do I read my manuscripts-in-progress aloud ALONE (like some kind of crazy woman constantly speaking to her computer screen as if it’s a small child), I capture everyone I can find and force them to endure bits-and-pieces as I work through the manuscript.

Sample of actual dialog:

Me: I need to read this to you.
Kid: (insert eye roll and huff): Ok.
Me: Bla, bla, bla…
Kid: You read that to me yesterday.
Me: It’s not the same, I revised it.
Kid: Mom, can’t you read it to (other kid) then? You read it to me yesterday.
Me: It’ll just take a second.
Kid: (insert eye roll and huff): Fine.
Me: Bla, bla, bla… Ok, wait, that’s off. Here, ok (scribble note on page) … Let me start over…
Kid: Mom, are we out of Wheat Thins?

Here’s my point: You’ve read it out loud twenty times, but something changes when you read it to someone else. You are trying to get the CONTENT to come across and CREATE INTEREST WITH INFLECTION and, in doing that, you notice issues with the meter. Trying to make your point that the dog is SO FILTHY can throw off the pace of the entire couplet — and it needs to be fixed. (My other point is that my children don’t appreciate me, but that’s a story for another blog post.)

And then, once you’ve annoyed and alienated every person in your inner circle and a few strangers on the street, the next step is: Give it to someone who has never read it, and ask them to read it out loud to you. THIS is where your text is made or broken. THIS is where you discover stops and stumbles that you so smoothly are able to breeze over because it’s so familiar to you. THIS is where you find that you can quickly push together the syllables in “Unappreciated,” while it causes others to read it in such a way that makes the meter of the entire line two beats off. THIS is where you discover that your sister in North Carolina says “tired” as two syllables… (Again, probably a subject for another post…).

My editors tell me that they’ve passed the manuscript and, later, the layout around the office for read-alouds, even in the early/rough layout stages. There’s huge value in that step. My first request with every editor on each new project is this: “Once it is edited and the text is inserted into the layout, I’d like to have someone who has never seen or read it before read it aloud to both of us, on a conference call.” Every editor has been completely open to this step, and it offers both of us the assurance that it will read smoothly for every parent, teacher and librarian who picks it up to read. Sometimes, I request that a syllable be added or removed (take off the word, “then” on that line, or change “big” to “giant.”) Sometimes, we find problems with how the text is set in with the illustration (i.e. The reader didn’t see the word “flea” behind the dog’s ear.). We’ve both seen it so many times that it never occurred to us. But, thankfully, this final step is final peace-of-mind. (And, I’m not sleep-deprived with worry for the next year while it’s being printed and shipped from China.)

My final suggestion is tricky, because editors like their manuscripts formatted a certain way before they send them to copy-editing or off to agents for illustrator look-sees. But, writer-to-writer, I think it’s important that, if you want a certain word/phrase emphasized (bigger, bolder, hand-drawn, etc) or whispered (smaller, lighter, italicized, etc.) for the sake of meter (or content), include that note in your original manuscript and make sure to comment on it occasionally throughout the process. Most illustrators will likely do something special with the word, “EARTHQUAKE!!!” anyway — but it can’t hurt to make your thoughts known.

And so, to simply review: Count it out (literally), read it aloud (to yourself and anyone that will stand still), have someone new read it aloud — in manuscript AND in layout form, make suggestions for the illustrator or typesetter so that the final pages are read correctly.

As completely obvious as this all might seem (and, reading through it, I keep thinking that I’m incredibly dense that it took me so long to figure some of it out!), it’s reflective of a tremendous amount of frustration and trial-and-error. But I can happily report that, as of today, I have ten picture books in various stages of production, so, hopefully, there might be a small fleck of wisdom here that the next writer can find helpful. 

Happy writing, happy rhyming!
Sherri

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Buy Here            Buy Here

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About Sherri:
Sherri is the author of two #1 bestselling picture books, Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site and Steam Train, Dream Train. Cumulatively, these two books have spent over four years on the NYT Bestseller List.

Additionally, Sherri has numerous other projects in production, including Since There Was You, illustrated by Patrick McDonnell (spring 2016) and a sequel to Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site (spring 2017).

Sherri is passionate about children’s literacy and has had a life-long love of books. Her exciting school presentation, “Books Are Magic!” is designed to encourage and support students on the wondrous journey of reading and writing.

Email: visits@sherririnker.com

Like: facebook.com/GoodnightConstructionSite

Visit: SherriDuskeyRinker.com

RhyPiBoMo 2015 Optional Writing Prompt: 21

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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.

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Today’s writing prompt is to choose your favorite rhyming picture book manuscript and read it out loud 20 times.

Next, find 5 people to read it out loud to you while you mark where they stumble or trip and on the words.

Revise and repeat until it is flawless!

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We have a

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT

on Thursday

so don’t miss the blog!

Hmmm…I wonder what it is? Hee Hee!

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Congratulations to Week 4 Prize Winners

Monday Manuscript Critique by Kristy Dempsey(Under 500 words)

Winner – Stephanie Salkin

Tuesday Copy of BLUE ON BLUE Donated by Dianne White

Winner – Charlotte Dixon

Wednesday Copy of A POETRY HANDBOOK Donated by Dianne White

Winner – Carrie Charley Brown

Thursday Manuscript Critique by Lori Mortensen (under 1000 words)

Winner – Al Lane

Friday Copy of The 20th CENTURY CHILDREN’S POETRY TREASURE Donated by Dianne White

Winner – Sherri Jones Rivers

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Winners, PLEASE message me your information on Facebook

or email it to Angiekarcherrpbm@gmail.com

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 Don’t Miss the 

Friday Night BIG Finale Rhyming Party!

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ONLY 1 spot left!

The $99.00 discounted price ends Thursday.

Do you enjoy writing rhyming picture books?

Do you find rhyme challenging?

Do you want to pep up your prose with poetic techniques?

Then this is the class for you!

Writing in Rhyme to WOW! is a 4 week course,

M-F with daily lessons, writing prompts, rhyme journaling, creating tools you will use, group poetry readings, webinars and critique groups, and a one-on-one webinar critique with Angie.

Each class begins on the first Monday of the month and the weekly group webinars are on Thursdays at 8:00 p.m. Central Standard Time, (Chicago Time) or at a time that best suits the group due to time zones of those involved.

I am beginning to sign people up for June and July!

If you register now for June or July, I will give you the $99.00 price!

Contact Angie with questions.

Sign up now before the classes are full!

Click here for more information!

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Need a Rhyming Picture Book Critique?

Angie offers

rhyming picture book and poetry manuscript critiques.

A One Time critique is ($25.00) or a Twice Look critique is ($35.00)

See the tab above or click here for more information.

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RhyPiBoMo Gift Shop is Open!

http://www.cafepress.com/rhypibomogiftshop

Please stop by and see what’s available this year. There are notebooks, mugs, buttons and more. All proceeds will go to WE NEED DIVERSE BOOKS!

Thank you Tanja Bauerle for these gorgeous images!!!

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Official RhyPiBoMo 2015 Registration ended on April 8th.

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.

To see if you registered in time go to the Master Registration List on the drop down menu under the RhyPiBoMo Blog tab above.

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YouPlease comment below. You MUST add your FIRST and LAST names

You to be eligible for today’s prize!