BUT….we all know that’s not entirely true because men always seem to remember the important stuff like the scores and plays from games of long, long ago - no matter the year, no matter the sport.  And those lines…those infamous lines from their favorite movies. You know the ones, Animal House, CaddyShack, Fast Times at Ridgemont High,…

Well, I have some favorite movie lines too…

"Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." Forrest Gump – where the alliteration and simile capture the essence of this poetic line.

 “You had me at ‘hello.’" Jerry Maguire – the message, with its brevity and alliteration, tugs at the heart.

Why do we have favorite lines? Why out of the two plus hours of well-written movie lines, do we remember these? Why do they stick, branded on the minds of movie-goers for years and years? 

Because they’re clever. They capture the mood and convey it so succinctly. They’re fun to repeat. They make you feel witty, powerful, funny, and poetic.

But movies aren't the only source of fabulous lines. Many unforgettable lines dwell in books as well, especially in picture books. 

I’ll share a few lines from some of my favorite PBs that skillfully employ poetic techniques to enhance the story. Hopefully you’ll enjoy them as much as I do.

The figurative language and rhyme in GIRAFFES CAN'T DANCE by Gile Andreae creates a playful, jazzy, melodious kind of mood, fitting for a story about dancing.    

 

Here are just a few of the lines I love in this story:

Alliteration: The warthogs started waltzing and the rhinos rock ‘n’ rolled.

Assonance: The lions danced a tango that was elegant and bold.

Alliteration and assonance:                         

The chimps all did a cha-cha, with a very Latin feel

and eight baboons then teamed up for a splendid Scottish reel.

Alliteration and consonance:

“Excuse me! Coughed a cricket who’d seen Gerald earlier on.

Alliteration, consonance and assonance:

To me the sweetest music is those branches in the breeze.

His neck was gently swaying, and his tail was swishing ‘round.

He threw his legs out sideways, and he swung them everywhere.

I love when the sounds of letters and the right words create or change the mood, tempo, movement, timing, etc…

Like this line from WHAT TIME IS IT MR. CROCODILE? By Judy Sierra

“Time to Cook? I’m too tired. I am so-o-o uninspired – ‘cause my plan to catch monkeys completely backfired.”
With its frolicking rhyme and fast paced rhythm, this story moves Mr. Crocodile’s day along quickly, until, this line brings it to a screeching halt. The way you breathe and pause when you read this line signals the change in the direction of the story. And notice the alliteration of the hard c sound. Game-changing! 

When you read picture books look for sounds, pacing, rhyme, and figurative language and study how they enhance the story and maybe they’ll inspire you to write the lines that capture the heart of some voracious, bright-eyed little booklover.

The next time Mira Resiberg and Sudipta Bradhan-Quallen’s course From Storyteller to Exquisite Writer: The Pleasures and Craft of Poetic Techniques! is available consider enrolling in it to get your poetic juices flowing!

In closing, I’d like to share a poem I wrote about the use of poetic techniques, - those powerful, magical, game-changing, luscious language  techniques… 

Poetic playground (by me)

Imagine a story that kids might adore-      

add in the magic of good metaphor,

simile, hyperbole (exaggeration),

sprinkle a bit of personification,

imagery used to create sense of place,

rhythm and meter, to render the pace,

sounds of the letters enhancing the mood,

like spices and sauces that flavor their food,

consonance, assonance, artfully strung,

where wonderful words simply roll off the tongue,

put it together and what have you got?

A poetic playground that kids love a lot.

Reciting those lyrical, warbling words, 

kids get to sound like melodious birds. 

Words jingle and jangle, they sparkle and chime.

They razzle and dazzle and some even rhyme.

Kids love to recite and kids love to impress.

When books are in rhyme, even wee ones can guess

the end words, and then, when their guessing is right

kids feel poetic, intelligent, bright.

Poetic techniques will do all that and more,

the magical key to unlock muse’s door.

Guest posted for Mandy by Dawn Young, Children’s Book Academy graduate (PB course) and participant in the From Storyteller to Exquisite Writer: The Pleasures and Craft of Poetic Techniques course.

Like most people, I’m hooked on the movie  Frozen - the action, the suspense, the singing, the characters, the humor – I love it, all of it. BUT…there was a period during the movie where I grew worried. I panicked, actually, when I heard, “Only an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart.  A true love’s kiss, perhaps.”  All I could think was , Oh no, here we go again. In my mind, I  pleaded with Disney, please don’t tell me that like Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Enchanted this movie ends with the prince saving the princess with (yet another) true love’s kiss. That would have been (yawn) predictable, a been-there-done-that ending that would have ruined an otherwise wonderful, beautiful, magical movie for me and many others (I assume).

Of course that’s not how it ends (sorry, if I spoiled that for you). Disney, is smarter than that, creating an ending that redefines (their) typical true love and I, as a movie-goer, love it and Disney for that. As writers, we owe our readers the same, we owe them a  magical ending….

An ending that makes the reader say wow! Whether it’s a heartfelt wow, a giggly wow or a surprising wow - a wow, just the same.

Endings act like the finishing touch to a fabulous meal, the delectable dessert, the one that leaves you smiling long after you've left the dinner table.  Not too sweet, not a bit bitter, and definitely not disconnected. 
Imagine dining at the most exquisite of restaurants, savoring  lobster served on a bed of the lightest, fluffiest  rice, infused with herbs, along with asparagus, grilled to perfection, sprinkled with butter and sea salt. Yum!   

You've finished your meal and imagine what delectable culinary delight could be awaiting you. You lick your lips, you sniff the air, you see...

a plate of Oreos??? How can that be?       Disconnect. 

They just don’t go together. And although the Oreos weren't expected (which is usually  a good thing), they were too much of a surprise - a shocker - not a good way to end the meal. Your ending should be delightfully unexpected, not shockingly unexpected.

So how do we as writers achieve that delightfully unexpected ending?


Be clever-

think loop,

ponder lead,

toy with twist...

make it magical!

I love clever endings. Not simply the happily ever after endings and certainly not “getting your message across” endings.  Endings that are much more than that… endings that are the elegant ribbon, adorning the gift, wrapping the present, so tightly, beautifully, and perfectly that we pause, mesmerized by its beauty. Endings that are fabulous finishing touches. I'll share two that I admire...

Sophie’s Squash by Pat Zietlow Miller has a fabulous ending that loops back to the beginning. Spoiler Alert

The squash that Sophie choses at the local farmer’s market becomes Sophie’s best friend when she decides that it’s is “just the right size to hold in her arms. Just the right size to bounce on her knee. Just the right size to love.” Sophie and Bernice, do everything together until one day when Bernice looks blotchy. After the man at the farmer’s market tells Sophie that fresh air, good clean dirt and a little love will keep a squash healthy, she buries Bernice in the yard. Later then spring when the Sophie spots a sprout, she spend times with it. Soon the spout grows two tiny squash, Bonnie and Baxter, who are “just the right size for Sophie to hold in her arms and  bounce on her knee. Just the right size to love.” Great loop back to the beginning!

I’m also intrigued by the stories with endings that lead the reader into thinking about a new situation, similar in premise, yet different somehow.

Mustache Baby by Bridget Heos has a fabulous ending, leading the reader elsewhere in the end.  Spoiler Alert

The story starts out with the birth of Baby Billy, sweet lovable Billy, who has a mustache? Yes, a mustache.  But, is it  bad guy mustache, you know the ones that curl up on the ends and scream sinister, or a good guy mustache, the exotic ones that beckon adventure and shout skill and mastery? 
The story is filled with humor and puns and darling illustrations. And in the end after Bill does his time behind bars, it seems like the neighborhood will live happily ever after until… the neighbor baby comes to play. The baby with a beard! Great lead to a bearded baby story!

I believe that the ability to create great endings comes from creativity cultivated by reading great endings, lots and lots of clever, brilliant wonderful, marvelous, impressive endings. If you're looking for some inspiration, go to the library or the store and borrow or buy books and read, read, read and study fabulous finishes.

I ask you…how will you end your story? Loop or lead or ???

However you decide to end your story, make it brilliant and redefine your act of true love! 

Guest posted for Mandy by Dawn Young, Children’s Book Academy graduate (PB course) and participant in the From Storyteller to Exquisite Writer: The Pleasures and Craft of Poetic Techniques course.

And don’t forget that the poetry fun continues with Mira and Sudipta! Starting off with a webinar.

“Why ALL Writers Need to Know Poetic Techniques and How to Use Them” webinar, on Monday, May12th, at 6:00 PM!

https://wj168.infusionsoft.com/app/page/free_poetry_webinar


And this amazing upcoming course!!!!

The Craft and Pleasures of Writing Poetry for Kids

http://www.childrensbookacademy.com/the-great-discounts-pleasures-and-craft-of-poetic-techniques.html

Be sure to check it out. It's not just for writers of poetry. In fact, if you've never written poetry this could be the class for you. You will learn poetic techniques that will benefit all types of writing. 

EARLY BIRD SPECIALS END TODAY, MAY 5TH!!!!!

Plus, there is a contest to win a scholarship to the course.  But hurry, it ends May 10th!!!

http://www.childrensbookacademy.com/why-kids-love-poetry-and-great-language-contest.html



And now check out these amazing books!

FANTASTIC NEW RHYMING PICTURE BOOKS

Check out this fantastic reading of Cock a Doodle Oops!