Rhyme Doctors
  • Home
  • About
  • Services
  • Fees
  • Contact
  • HOUSE CALLS

This section will not be visible in live published website. Below are your current settings (click inside this section to edit the settings):


Current Number Of Columns are = 2

Expand Posts Area = 1

Gap/Space Between Posts = 7px

Blog Post Style = card

Use of custom card colors instead of default colors =

Blog Post Card Background Color = current color

Blog Post Card Shadow Color = current color

Blog Post Card Border Color = current color

Publish the website and visit your blog page to see the results

MENTOR TEXT REFERRAL: LYRICAL BOOKS BY JULIE FOGLIANO

9/4/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Ask Mr Google for the "definition of a lyrical book" and you will not get a definitive answer. The top results on my search turned up phrases like: song-like, poetic, deeply evocative, beautifully full of emotion, effective use of poetic techniques
To the above, I say YES,YES, and YES! A well-written lyrical book contains all of these.

Two of my favorite lyrical books were written by Julie Fogliano. She is a former kindergarten teacher and an award-winning, New York Times best-selling author. Her picture books include a poetry collection and picture books that are rhyming and lyrical.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
For me, two of her lyrical picture books stand out as stellar examples of how to incorporate the musicality of meter with occasions of rhyme and clever use of poetic devices. This combination results in these two books that emotionally connect with the reader and are so very satisfying to read.
WHEN'S MY BIRTHDAY, illustrated by Christian Robinson, was published by Neal Porter Books,  The theme is a child's anticipation of their birthday. Let's take a look at techniques that Julie Fogliano uses in this lyrical book.

​Meter
Nearly all of the lines in this book consistently alternate stressed and unstressed syllables, which adds to its musicality.

​Questions and repetition
By using questions and repetition, the author perfectly captures the spirit of a child who is SO EXCITED for their big day! Here is a passage from the middle of the book:

​i'd like some wishes on my birthday.
i'd like some kisses on my birthday.
i'd like some berries on my birthday
and tiny sandwiches with soup.
Picture
The repetition is a poetic device called anaphora. In this case it emphasizes the child's barely-containable excitement. The last line here stops the reader one beat short of the established rhythm, which allows for a pause and breath before launching into the next burst of comments from the birthday child.

(Notice also the assonance of the vowels in "wishes" and "kisses", as well as the alliteration of B in berries/birthday and S in sandwiches and soup. More poetic devices!)
​
Altering line length
The last lines in the book are shorter than the preceding ones, which quickens the pace - the final push before the satisfying ending. They are infused with giddiness:
​it's the daytime!
here's my birthday!
happy happy!
hee! hee! hee!
time for cakey

wakey wakey  


             [page turn --------------->]
​​              happy happy day to me!
Picture
Picture
Another terrific lyrical book by Julie Fogliano employs the same poetic techniques. A HOUSE THAT ONCE WAS is illustrated by Lane Smith and published by Roaring Brook Press.
Let's look at the opening stanza:

Deep in the woods
is a house
just a house
that once was
but now isn't 
a home.
Can you feel the meter? The first word is a stressed syllable that is followed by two unstressed syllables. This pattern generally continues through the book.
Anaphora is used in this book as well. On this page, notice the repetition of "A window that...".
Throughout the book, you will also find the repetition of a pair of words-- "once" and "now"-- that toggles the reader between the past and present.

After the children climb through this window into the abandoned house, they pause to wonder about the previous owners. The author uses a series of questions to draw the reader into their imagining.
Picture
Julie Fogliano uses more rhyme in this book than the birthday book. When the children in the book are finished with their imagining, they depart:

So back through the window
we climb as we wonder.
Back down the path that is tangled with thorns.
Back to the house where our dinner is waiting.
Back to the home that is cozy and warm.


​(The rhyme here is a near rhyme ("thorns/warm"). An occasional use of near rhyme can work when it follows many pages of exact rhyme.)

The book ends by circling back to the original opening, contrasting the coziness of the children's home with the abandoned one they had found. This contrast stirs up emotions of both comfort and loss or sadness.

If you are interested in writing lyrical picture books, study books by authors like Julie Fogliano to see how they use meter, rhyme, and poetic devices. Rhyme Doctor Eileen Meyer has also been explaining poetic devices in a series of Poetry Prescription posts here on the HOUSE CALLS blog. Click here to read the post about anaphora.

​Happy writing!
Patricia Toht

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Hello from THE RHYME DOCTORS!
    We're expert picture book authors. We love providing critiques of rhyming and lyrical picture books. In this blog, we share poetry prescriptions, mentor text referrals, and occasion posts from visiting "doctors" to help you get your manuscript in tip-top shape! ​
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • About
  • Services
  • Fees
  • Contact
  • HOUSE CALLS