This time of year, it always feels to me that Thanksgiving is being squeezed into a smaller and smaller space by Halloween and Christmas. Looking at the holiday picture book section of my library shows the same -- multiple shelves packed with Halloween and Christmas books, but only a few rows of Thanksgiving titles wedged between them.

Luckily, more books that celebrate Thanksgiving, harvest, and gathering together are being added each year. And books that are at the edges of Thanksgiving, (like those about turkeys, pies, feasts), are also more plentiful. Here are three newer titles that fit the (turkey) bill.

​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.

​I’m delighted to share that I’m beginning a new blog series about POETRY FORMS. Some are well-known (haiku, list poem, acrostic, and limerick, for example) and others may be more obscure (ever heard of double dactyl or diamante?) The structure of these forms may be simple or quite complex. Many require following strict rules about length, rhythm, and rhyme. With each post, I’ll dive deeper and share some background about a featured form, then provide children’s books showcasing it. We’ll start with haiku.

I recently worked with a client whose manuscript involved a new baby. As part of our check-ups, the Rhyme Doctors recommend mentor texts, so a trip to the library and bookstore was in order.
I found many books written in rhyme that featured babies. The authors of these three diverse titles  found a new twist on the theme of babies and wrote books that I really enjoyed.

Last week brought a blast of crisp weather that reminded me autumn is on its way. I love this time of year, but it always passes too quickly! Back-to-school time fades and farmers begin their harvest. Too soon, time tumbles us into the fun of Halloween.

The nudge of cooler weather always propels me to the library, too. Summer distractions are over and I can get back to reading and writing. Today, I'm sharing a few fall finds from my recent haul.

It’s pack-your-lunchboxes, sharpen-your-pencils, wake-up-bright-and-early, back-to-school time!

The House Calls blog will be taking a break for the summer! But before we say, "See you later, Alligator!", we'd like to share a few rhyming/lyrical picture books for you to enjoy this summer. Each Rhyme Doctor has chosen two books -- one of their own books, plus another favorite.

Michelle's book, A Place for Rain, illustrated by Blanca Gómez (Norton Young Readers, 2024) focuses on pouring rains, stormwater runoff, and the plans to build a rain garden to constructively deal with all of the rain. Although the story is primarily set in springtime, the theme also fits the "gullywasher" storms on summer days in Illinois, where Michelle grew up, 

A favorite of Michelle's is From Park to Playa: the Trails That Connect Us, by Nell Cross Beckerman, illlustrated by Sophie Diao (Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2024). In addition to being a poet, Michelle is a nature-lover and hiker, so this book speaks to her. She says:

​Here at the Rhyme Doctors, we’re big fans of mentor texts. Studying published picture books while working on your own picture book is a great way to gain all sorts of insights, from fresh ways to approach a topic to unexpected structural strategies. That’s why we suggest specific mentor texts to clients. And it’s why we use mentor texts ALL THE TIME while writing our own picture books.

When the Rhyme Doctors work with clients, we urge them 1) to polish meter to flow consistently and smoothly and 2) to use true (exact) rhymes. Recently, two picture books have hit the market that ignore the second part of this advice. They rhyme properly in some places but not in other spots. This was hardly done in error -- the authors did so on purpose, and to wonderful effect!