Pepping up Picture Book Prose with Poetic Elements

​Here at the Rhyme Doctors we're big fans of rhyming and lyrical picture books. But we also know that strict metered rhyme and even loose, free-verse lyricism are not always the best choice for a project.

Especially if you are writing a narrative, trying to make all the story elements (character, problem, escalating tension, etc.) work within the confines of rhyme can be tricky. (Although it can be done, and done well, as Andrea Beatty proves with her Questioneers series.) Still, sometimes good old prose is the way to go!

Choosing to write with traditional paragraphs and sentences does not mean you have to abandon your poetic proclivities. Weaving poetic elements into prose can elevate your picture book project from banal to brilliant!

Let’s look closely at two recent prose picture books that really grabbed my attention. Both incorporate specific poetic elements to make them oh-so-enjoyable read alouds.

​Narwhal Vs. Kindergaten, by Vanessa Roeder. In this twist on first day of kindergarten jitters, Narwhal worries that his oversized tusk will end up causing trouble. And indeed it does! In addition to humor and word play, what makes this book so delightful is Roeder’s adept use of alliteration. She peppers beginning letter sounds throughout, choosing words that are fun and funny to read.  (For more on alliteration see THIS RHYME DOCTORS POST.)
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​Look at all the fun “c”​ and “f” sounds in this spread!

​Not only does Roeder's use of alliteration add musicality to her words, it also creates a sense of cohesion that pulls readers through each scene. Fun. Funny. Fabulous!

​Forts by Katie Venit and illustrated by Kenard Pak. In this book, organized with a list/survey structure, a child explores the wonder of forts. Each page describes a different type of fort, from those found outside behind a waterfall or in an ancient hollow to those hiding inside under beds or behind curtains.

Katie Venit entwines her sentences with several poetic devices to create magic.

​This particular page is filled with alliteration: forts, forests, fir, fallen-over, saplings, stretched, assonance: hide, wild, room, roots, and metaphor: comparing roots to hairs and saplings to arches. (For more on assonance, see THIS RHYME DOCTORS POST and for metaphor, see THIS RHYME DOCTORS POST.) 

​This page packs in more alliteration and assonance and adds some onomatopoeia: plink, plunk, whoosh, for good measure. (For more on onomatopoeia, see THIS RHYME DOCTORS POST.) 

​Although Forts is written in traditional sentences, it sounds like a poem when read out loud.

In both Narwhal Vs. Kindergarten and Forts, the authors carefully chose words for the way they sounded with the other words around them, relying heavily on the poetic elements of alliteration, assonance, and onomatopoeia.
 
The result is prose books that pulse with the heart of a poem!

-Rhyme Doctor Michelle Schaub