When I was young, our family owned a big book of nursery and Mother Goose rhymes. I recall being especially fond of the rhymes that were riddles. "Humpty Dumpty" may be the best known of these. Here are a few others that I liked:

Riddle rhymes are poems that describe something (or someone) without naming it. I tried my own hand at writing some riddles, and these four themed couplets were shared in Ladybug Magazine in March 2014.

We hope you enjoy lots of lemonade and apple pie this Fourth of July. Oh, and of course, some poetry too! Here are a few of our favorite America-themed rhyming picture books and poetry collections to get you in the holiday groove. 

Rhyme Doctor Eileen Meyer has been exploring poetic devices on the House Calls blog, and a November 2022 post features onomatopoeia. It’s a tough word to spell, but a fun device to use when writing in rhyme. As Eileen tells us, onomatopoetic words imitate the sounds of what they mean – for example, squish, purr, whoop, twang. Use of these words can be very effective, adding fun and interest to your rhyme.
 
Onomatopoeia can become the inspiration for poems, picture books, and poetry collections.

If you've been writing for a while, you've likely experienced it.

You have a great idea! You brainstorm. You research. You write and rewrite and rewrite again. You pour your heart and soul into your great idea. Then you see in announcement of an upcoming book or pop into a bookstore to discover a new book with the EXACT SAME THEME!

With March being the month of St. Patrick's Day and all things lucky, I thought I'd thank my   lucky stars for these three books. As a picture book writer, I know how lucky it is to hit upon an idea that can generate a sequel. PICK A PERFECT EGG, recently released into the world, is a follow-up on two previous book: PICK A PINE TREE and PICK A PUMPKIN. 

ONCE UPON ANOTHER TIME, written by Charles Ghigna and Matt Forrest Esenwine, and illustrated by Andrés F. Landazábal, garnered high praise from award-winning poet Nikki Grimes: "Ghigna and Esenwine provide a vehicle to ferry young readers back to a time when the wonders of nature called to them more powerfully than any computer screen ever could. Once Upon Another Time's glorious poetry and paintings are a perfect pairing." 

In this previous HOUSE CALLS post, we looked at the elements of bedtime books that make them conducive to children's writers who enjoy writing in rhyme: soothing language, soft cadence, a canvas ripe for poetic devices such as alliteration and assonance. 

​WINTER LULLABY, by Dianne White, illustrated by Amy Schimler-Safford, is a wonderful mentor text for writers wishing to explore the bedtime book genre. In this cozy book, all the forest animals are busy preparing for winter. Little Bear wants to stay active too. With each page turn, Mama Bear gently coaxes Little Bear into a long winter's nap. Snuggle in, and let's take a look what makes WINTER LULLABY such a beautiful bedtime book. ​