Rhyme, Wordplay, and three bears

Dr. Seuss was challenged to write books for beginning readers, using a limited vocabulary. 
Writing in rhyme, he used a total of 30 unique words in Hop on Pop and 49 unique words in Green Eggs and Ham. 

Can the same idea be applied to picture books? How many unique words would it take to tell a rhyming story in a picture book? You'd obviously need at least TWO, since rhyming words are a clear criterion. But how many more than that to tell a story with a beginning, middle, and end? How many more to have a problem/conflict/resolution? I analyzed these three books to help me explore the question.

(I found it interesting that the main character in all three books is a bear! Why is that? Maybe it's because bears are popular characters in picture books. But maybe it's also because BEAR has so many wonderful rhyming words.)

Orange, Pear, Apple, Bear by Emily Gravett

Orange, Pear, Apple, Bear by Emily Gravett (Simon & Schuster, 2005) is a book that delighted me from the first time I read it almost two decades ago. This book uses only FIVE unique words -- the four title words, plus the word THERE. The magic in storytelling happens through word combinations and clever use of the same word as both noun and adjective.

In the spread below, you can see that the words ORANGE and APPLE are now used as  descriptors of the pear and bear, respectively. 

The entire book is 31 words long, mixing and matching the initial 4 words, ending with a final word, "There!". I really enjoyed the wordplay in combination with the art. The story has a beginning (individual pages with art of the four words of the title), middle (the wordplay combinations), and end (the bear eats up the fruit, leaving a fruit peels and a departing bear), but no problem or conflict.

BEAR HAIR by Jeff Mack (Henry Holt & Company, 2026)

Bear Hare by Jeff Mack (Henry Holt & Company, 2026) is a recently released title from an author of more than fifty books. It uses TEN unique words. An important part of the story's wordplay uses four words that are homophones (BEAR/BARE and HAIR/HARE). This story has two characters and also uses varying word combinations to drive the story. I found that even writing down unique words as the appear in the book begins to tell a story:

BEAR
HAIR
BARE
HARE
ON
TEAR
SHARE
AND
​SO
​THERE

Working down the list, who has hair? 
Who does not?
Can you imagine various images created by combining the first five words in different ways? 

The various word combinations reveal that both characters want the floppy, Andy-Warhol-like wig of blue hair, stealing it from each other, which causes tension to rise. 

At the climax, the hair is torn. Can you choose the word from the list that is the resolution to the problem?
The total story contains 49 words in different combinations. With seven of the ten unique words being from the same word family, this book is certain to be a fun read-aloud!

I'll pause briefly to point out that creators who are both author and illustrator might have an upper hand in writing books with a low number of unique words. With the twists in wordplay, so much is portrayed through the illustrations.  Yet the next book proves that thought doesn't hold true. 

a bear, a bee, and a honey tree by author Daniel Bernstrom and illustrator Brandon James Scott (Hippo Park/Astra Books for Young Readers, 2022) is written using 34 unique words. The bear, the bee, and the tree all share the spotlight.

This book also has a word (honey) that is sometimes used as a noun and sometimes as an adjective. In addition to recombining words, the author also uses precise, descriptive words to convey mood and suggest action -- SNEAKY, FRETFUL, ANGRY, GRUMBLING, SEARCHING, HIDING. In some spots, adjectives will foreshadow something to some. The spread below begins some trouble!

In the two spreads that follow, the author says:

a very angry fuzzy bee
a grumbling bee
a rumbling tree

A "rumbling tree"? What does that mean? Turning the page reveals the bear looking in on a "million fuzzy buzzing bees." The entire story runs 116 words, using combinations of the 34 unique words. Truly, having limited words does not have to limit the story you can tell!

This author and illustrator team has written two additional books about this insatiable bear:
a bear, a fish, and a fishy wish (2024) and
a bear, a man, and a donut van (2026).

I love a challenge and may take a stab at writing a book with limited unique words. Here are six guidelines I've written for myself:

1. Choose a main character that has an easily rhyme-able name. (e.g. bear, cat, fly).
2. Perhaps add a second character that is also easily rhyme-able.
3. Write in very short sentences or phrases.
4. Weave in wordplay.
5. Aim for humor.
6. Cross my fingers and toes for an amazing illustrator pairing.

You are most welcome to join me in the challenge!

​~ Patricia Toht