TO RHYME OR NOT TO RHYME: SIX THINGS TO CONSIDER

William Shakespeare’s character Hamlet (in the play of the same name) utters these famous words: “To be or not to be, that is the question . . .”  as he grapples with thoughts of life and death.
 
Children’s book writers who love rhythm and rhyme often pose a similar (though less existential) question as we begin a new project:
 
To rhyme or not to rhyme, that is the question. . . .​

​Like young Hamlet, I don’t claim to have all the answers. I can share a list of six things to consider before beginning a new picture book project if this question is on your mind. But first, let’s take a step back and discuss why we write in rhyme.

​Children love rhyme. Rhyming picture books are popular and promote early literacy. (The repetition of sounds and words aids language development. Additionally, phonemic awareness skills—the ability to identify individual sounds within words—help children learn to read and spell.) We know from reading aloud to children that rhyming text engages kids. They ENJOY it! It’s FUN!
 
So, should every project be written in rhyme?
​Of course not. 

​Here are some questions to consider:
 
1. Who will be reading your book?
 
For young listeners and readers, the predictable meter found in rhyming picture books is a great fit. If your project is intended for older readers, a less constrained approach may work better. Consider using lyrical text (looser, not strictly patterned), or prose, which may be a better match.
 
2. What word choices are needed to tell your story?
 
What is your story about? Consider the words you will need to effectively tell your story. (Crafting a word bank is always a handy tool before writing.) Will you be able to create interesting rhymes to be read aloud? If your project contains very specific language, such as science terms or history-related names and places, those might not fit well in rhyming text. (Also consider if those words could instead be featured in the illustrations and left out of the text.)
 
3. What tone do you want to achieve?
 
Light-hearted? Serious? Humorous? Sad? Curious? Inspirational? Worried? . . . The list continues.  A bouncy rhythm, such as an iambic meter, might be the right fit for the funny tale of a picnic at the park gone horribly wrong but out of bounds for a story about the sadness of losing the family’s pet. A lyrical flow might mesh better for serious topics. 

​4. Is your project a narrative or character-driven picture book?
 
Narrative and character-driven picture books can be a perfect fit with rhyming text. But your meter pattern can also lengthen the word count to fit the defined structure. Rhyming picture book examples: The Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast books by Josh Funk, illustrated by Brendan Kearney; The Questioneers series, including Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts; and some of Julia Donaldson’s picture books. These books are great examples to study plot, characters, voice and pacing. One of the challenging things about being a rhyming author is that the meter and rhyme must be secondary to story. Story comes first —no amount of stellar rhythm and rhyme will make up for story issues. (Because we like to rhyme, we work twice as hard!) So, make sure that your story elements are working well before you craft your rhyming text.
 
5. Do you intend to reach a global audience?
 
Rhyming text can be harder to translate into different languages. What might work beautifully as a rhyme in one language may be much more difficult in another. Editors may bring this point up, and it is a consideration if you see your picture book reaching a global audience.

​6. Could you write part of your story in rhyme?  
 
Maybe your story doesn’t need to be completely written in rhyme. Think about other options. Here are a few examples that use what I call a “hybrid” approach – part prose, part rhyme. Check out the classic book, Ugly Pie by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Heather Solomon. Wheeler advances the plot in prose, but character Ol’ Bear utters a rhyming refrain (and a cumulative refrain that changes as the story builds) during his search. Another title to look at is The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen. While the story is told in prose, the troll’s distinctive voice is revealed in rhyme.
 
These are just a few questions to ponder as you prepare to dig into that shiny new project.
Can you think of others?
 
To rhyme or not to rhyme. . . .
 
 
By Eileen Meyer, Rhyme Doctor