Lyrical Picture Book Strategies in Meadows of the Sea

​Did you know that March 1st is World Seagrass Day? “What’s seagrass?” you ask. Seagrass is a little-known ecosystem that has big implications for the health of our planet. And, it’s the topic of my upcoming picture book Meadows of the Sea: The Wonders of Seagrass, illustrated by Khoa Le and releasing with Sleeping Bear Press on April 15th, 2026.  

I first learned about seagrass meadows from this article that popped up in my Google feed. When I read that seagrass “shapes life on Earth, from the food we eat to the air we breathe,” I was intrigued. Then I discovered that there weren’t any picture books on this vital ecosystem, so I decided to write one.

But how to present the plethora of information on the benefits of seagrass meadows, some of it scientifically dense, in an accessible, poetic format? I admit that was quite a process, but I’ll share two strategies that played a big role in shaping the book.

The first strategy I used was to rely on side bars to do the factual “heavy lifting.” This freed me up to focus on kid-friendly, image-evoking details for the main text and present them in a free-flowing lyrical way.

​Here’s a spread from early in the book.  The left page presents the main text, which paints the image of seagrass leaves “waltzing with the current.” The right page contains prose sidebars, which explain specific facts about the location and physical attributes of seagrass.

Let's look more closely at the main text: 

Meadows filled with seagrass
in a soothing dance of leaves.
Watch them swivel,
twist,
and curl;
billow,
bend,
unfurl.
Leaves like spoons that flutter.
Ribbon leaves that stream.
Noodle tendrils.
Ferny fronds.
Waltzing with the current in the
meadows of the sea.

You’ll notice that I use many of the poetic devices the Rhyme Doctors have highlighted in posts over the years. For example, I use alliteration and consonance (when I repeat the "s" sound) and assonance (when I repeat the long "e" sound.) These sounds create a soothing and mesmerizing underwater feel. I also use specific, tangible verbs (swivel, twist,  curl, billow, etc.) to enhance the tranquil, fluid energy of the leaves. Finally, I weave in similes and metaphors (comparing leaves to spoons, ribbons, noodles, and ferns) so readers can picture the many different shapes that seagrass leaves can take.

In addition to focusing on lyrical language in the main text and facts in the side bars, I also used repetition to provide structure for my text. In essence, Meadows of the Sea follows a list/survey structure, with each spread highlighting a specific environmental benefit of seagrass. To emphasis those benefits, I conclude each spread with two lines, one that explains the benefit, and the final line, which is always the phrase “meadows of the sea.” (This type of repetition, where a word or phrase is repeated at the end of a sentence, line, or stanza is called epistrophe.) Here are two examples from the book: 

In this example, which focuses on seagrass meadows’ importance as nursery habitats, the final lines are  “All seek a leafy haven in the /meadows of the sea.” 

In this example, which discusses how seagrass meadows act as carbon sinks by pulling carbon from the air, the final lines are “slowing global warming with the/meadows of the sea.”

​These repeated lines do a lot of work! They they sum up the most important idea on the page, provide a refrain for readers to anticipate, and echo the title.
 
I hope this glimpse into Meadows of the Sea has provided you with some ideas for tackling your own nonfiction picture book in a lyrical style . . .
 
and inspired you to learn more about this wondrous ecosystem!