Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Writing a Rhyming Nonfiction Picture Book: A Game of Jenga™

WELCOME TO NF FEST 2023! Learn the art of writing nonfiction for children one blog post at a time. To start the month off, we have an excellent post from Debra Kempf Shumaker about writing in rhyme. 


By Debra Kempf Shumaker

Writing rhyme is fun, but challenging. Writing a nonfiction rhyming picture book adds another layer to the challenge, since not only do the rhyme and meter need to work, it has to be accurate as well!

Two of my books—FREAKY, FUNKY FISH and PECULIAR PRIMATES—are rhyming nonfiction. They start with common features for fish or primates, then progress to strange ways they look and act.

For me, writing a nonfiction rhyming book is a lot like playing a solo game of Jenga™—trying to keep my story from falling apart as I shift, slide, and add text.

First step: Taking Notes—Preparing My “Blocks”

I prepare my “blocks” by taking pages and pages of notes from websites, books, and articles. Any feature/behavior that seems unique is listed.

After I have a lot of facts, I jot down words/phrases connected to those facts that can be stated briefly. In this phase, I’m trying to find the base for rhymes.

For instance, for PECULIAR PRIMATES, I noted that proboscis monkeys had really large noses and that they could swim, which is rare for primates. So I wrote:

Droopy nose.

One has a nose
that hangs far down.

One can swim.


I frequently write the same feature in different ways, never knowing which word I’ll find a rhyme for. If any potential rhymes pop in my head, I write them down. My paper gets very messy. These lines and partial lines become my “blocks.”

Second Step: Writing a First Draft—Building My Tower

To write my first draft, I skim all of my lines and partial lines, looking for potential pairs to write a rhyming stanza. At this point, I don’t focus on meter. I just want to be sure I can find features/behaviors that rhyme. My rhyming dictionary and thesaurus get a work-out here.

I “stack” the pairs of rhyme into a rough draft.

While my final goal is 12 - 14 stanzas for a finished manuscript, I start by writing at least twenty. At this point, the same animal may be in the story twice or more, but I use them anyway, knowing that when I’m revising, I’ll fix that.

For instance, in my first draft of PECULIAR PRIMATES, I had the proboscis monkey twice:

One kind has
a droopy nose. <proboscis monkey>

One has teeth
that always grows. <aye-aye>

One kind likes
to sit and soak. <Japanese macaque>

One has learned
the doggy stroke! <proboscis monkey>


Third Step: Revision—Moving Blocks

Once I have a draft of twenty or more stanzas built, it’s time to revise and focus on meter. If the meter is off, can I change any word that will provide the right syllables to get the meter to work? My thesaurus becomes crucial. If I can’t get the meter to work, I remove that “block” and slide in another. Thankfully I have “blocks” to spare.

I also might find new facts and write more stanzas. About halfway through my revision process, my document has an “Other Possibilities” section, sort of like a second Jenga™ tower. It comes in very handy in my next stage.

Fourth Step: Polishing—Ensuring the Balance

After I have enough polished stanzas, I step back and look at the overall “tower” to ensure a balance of several things:

• Are my facts unique and “fun” enough?

• Is there a balance between animal appearance and animal behaviors?

• Have I used the same animal too often?

• Do I have at least two legitimate sources to support each fun fact?

In my earlier example, I had the proboscis monkey twice. I decided the big nose was much more fun than the fact that it swims. But I loved the visual of Japanese macaques soaking in hot springs and wanted to keep that animal if I could. I needed to find another animal feature to pair it with.

So I looked at my notes and saw that chimpanzees can learn basic math. Hmmm. . . I could rhyme “bath” and “math”. So I changed “soak” to “bath” and came up with:

One can learn
some basic math. <chimpanzee>

One kind even
likes a bath! <Japanese macaque>


But, I wanted the primates to be in their natural habitat. If the chimpanzee is learning math, it’s with humans. I slid out chimpanzee. Using word associations for bath, I wondered if I could rhyme “splash.” Aha! Reading my notes, I found a primate with a mustache.

One primate wears
a cute mustache. <Emperor tamarin>

Another likes to
soak and splash. <Japanese macaque>


Every time I fixed one stanza, I had to see if it impacted any others. Frequently it did. If the same animal was in the book twice, or I couldn’t verify a fact with two sources, or a feature wasn’t unique enough, I moved stanzas out and slid in new ones from my “Other Possibilities” section. Then repeated the process.

At times I worried my manuscript was wobbly and would completely fall apart. Could I get it to work? But after eight or nine revisions, I finally had a solid “tower” with perfect meter and a balance of interesting and fun facts.

Phew!

Finally, it was time to focus on the back matter. But that’s a blog post for another day. :-)



Meet the Author:


Debra Kempf Shumaker loves weird and fascinating facts. When she isn’t reading or writing, she enjoys hiking, gardening, and watching Jeopardy. She lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, three sons, and two cats. She is the author of FREAKY, FUNKY FISH (2021), TELL SOMEONE (2021), and PECULIAR PRIMATES (2022). Visit her online at www.debrashumaker.com, on Twitter at @ShumakerDebra, and on Instagram at @debrakshumaker.

140 comments:

  1. Great blog, Debra! I like the way you tackle rhyme and double-check the facts.

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  2. Thank you for sharing your process. This is so helpful!

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  3. Thanks for showing us how you write NF in rhyme. I'm very impressed by your books, Debra!

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  4. DEBRA: Jenga with words! I LOVE it! I usually think in terms of "one STEP at a time" to keep me moving forward, but seeing words/ideas as blocks building upon blocks to form the right story--TRULY INSPIRED! THANK YOU for walking us through the process to show us how to build the PERFECT story!

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  5. I enjoyed your fascinating look into getting rhyme and nonfiction to work! Thanks.

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  6. As someone who has never written nonfiction for children (hopefully NFFest will help), AND who is intimidated by writing rhyme, I found you description of your process fascinating. Thank you for sharing.

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  7. What a relatable description of your process! Thanks for giving us a peek behind the scenes.

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  8. Absolutely love the Jenga comparison! Makes perfect sense to me.

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  9. Loved this post. Thank you so much for sharing your process with us.

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  10. Wow! What a great description of your process. Very helpful. Thanks!

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  11. Debra, thank you for sharing your process! I'm writing NF in rhyme also and have found myself using very similar strategies as yours. Reading your complete step-by-step will help me move forward!

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    1. Best of luck to you! It's challenging but fun. :-)

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  12. Love reading about your process!! I don't write in rhyme but love the idea of it. Thank you.

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  13. Thank you for sharing your process. I recently wrote a non-fiction book about toucans. It didn't rhyme but had a lot of word play. I followed a similar path to revise my ms.

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  14. I enjoyed reading about your writing process. Thank you for letting me observe from afar!

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  15. Thank you, Debra, for starting us off write (or is that right?) with this first excellent post for Nonfiction Fest 2023.

    Suzy Leopold

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  16. This is a great review! I've done something similar with a nonfiction poem.

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  17. Wow! What a great way to start the month of Feb. I have a few pretty good ideas from StoryStorm. I'm thinking of one in particular that I'll try writing in rhyme using your Jenga stack. Thanks so much, Debra, for this fun and informative post.

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    1. I don't want to be anonymous anymore! I want you to know that I love Debra's post and will follow Nonfiction Fest all month!!!

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    2. So glad you found the post helpful Mona. Good luck with your manuscript!

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  18. Great post, Debra! I'm always impressed by authors who can write an entire STEM manuscript in meter and rhyme. One of the reasons I mix different poetic forms for my STEM book is that it freed me from sticking to the same meter and rhyme scheme, plus it reflects the diversity of the animal kingdom. Fascinating to read about your process!

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  19. Deb, love how this process is like solitary Jenga. Really thorough look at your process. Thank you.

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  20. Thank you for sharing your process, Debra! Very helpful and yes, I'm in awe. The analogy to building a tower is spot on.

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  21. Facts and rhymes - amazing! But you make it look step by step. Thanks.

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  22. Yes! Thank you so much for breaking this down.

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  23. Thanks for sharing your process, Debra. I absolutely love FREAKY FUNKY FISH! I need to get my hands on PRIMATES now. :-)

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    1. Awww, thanks. I hope you enjoy PECULIAR PRIMATES just as much! :-)

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  24. Super post! It's such a talent to be able to write a nonfiction book in rhyme!

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  25. Debra thanks for all the examples of shifting your blocks. That was amazing and humbling (when I think how did that for 14 stanzas!) Love these two books. Can't wait to see your next Jenga tower.

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    1. Thanks so much. It's a lot of work but so much fun. I hope to have more Jenga towers publish, LOL.

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  26. Great Post. Debra. I love the way you manage to pack so much into such "simple" rhyme. Simple for us to read aloud - but not so simple to create!

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  27. Wonderful post! Love the Jenga analogy and all your specific examples - thank you for sharing your process.

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  28. Wow, Debra! You took us through your Jenga process and it's amazing! Rhyming is hard but you make it look easy. I love Freaky Funky Fish and have to check out Peculiar Primates!

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  29. Thank you, Debra, for sharing your process with us! :)

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  30. This was so helpful. I have some concrete ways to tackle my next topic!

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    1. I'm glad you found it helpful. Good luck on your project!

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  31. Your process makes a ton of sense. I especially like the thought of writing more blocks than are necessary.

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    1. Thanks! Those extra blocks came in handy so many times.

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  32. Thanks, Debra! It's nice to see your PB includes a proboscis monkey. I have researched and written an info-fiction PB about them. But so few seem to know that Borneo exists, let alone a long-nosed monkey.

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    1. I read PECULIAR PRIMATES for WRAD today in some classes and the giggles I got from the proboscis monkey was heartwarming. I'll have to check out your book on them! They are fascinating!

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  33. You make it sound so easy! Love your books!

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  34. I love the idea of writing more blocks than eventually needed and always having at least two sources to support your facts! Thank you for sharing your process!

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  35. Debra, Thanks for your post. Peculiar Primates is a great book!

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  36. Loved FFF and looking forward to this one!! I was just thinking about attempting to revise a NF rhyming draft for my next critique group meeting. This seems like a sign that I should! Hannah Roy LaGrone

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  37. Delighted to have found this blog, and such a useful first post to read. Thank you.

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  38. Thank you for breaking down and sharing your process.

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  39. Thanks for breaking down your process, with real-life examples from your work to boot! Fantastic!

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  40. Such a great peek into your process! :) Love this!

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  41. Debra, thank you for this enlightening and helpful post. Your examples make it useful for anyone who wants to try writing nonfiction in verse.
    Thank you, Nonfiction Ninjas for helping us fledgling nonfiction writers with this incredible month of learning. I think the contest idea is fantastic!

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  42. I think writing a NF picture book like this is a great idea. A couple summers ago I sat outside and took pictures of our hummingbirds. I put those pictures in my rhyming PB manuscript and added sidebar information. It worked out perfectly.

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  43. Sorry, I forgot to put my name in my above anonymous comment.

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  44. Thanks for a wonderful, informative post. You have a great process, and I love the examples.

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  45. Outstanding post! Thanks for sharing your fascinating process, Deborah!

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  46. Fabulous post and great kick off for NFFest!! Thank you!

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  47. Thank you for sharing your rhyming process, and breaking it down!
    Your book looks wonderful!

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  48. Wow! What fun to see your process. Thank you for sharing.

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  49. It's so great to learn your process. Thanks.

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  50. This was very helpful Debra. Thank you.

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  51. Thanks for breaking it down this like! I have a tendency to try rhyming upfront, but this is a really helpful reminder.

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  52. Wow! What a wonderful step-by-step process of something that can be so difficult to do. Thank you!

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  53. Thanks for sharing your process

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  54. Debra, as a nonfiction rhymer myself, I found your Jenga metaphor to be spot on! Thanks for sharing your process. So helpful and interesting!

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  55. Thanks for a great post, Debra! I love your books! It was so helpful to peek behind the scenes at your rhyming process!

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  56. I loved reading about your process, Debra. Thank you for the masterclass in tower building!

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  57. I love the specifics in this post, Debra. Thank you!

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  58. I believe I will have to invest in a rhyming dictionary. Thanks for the tip.

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    1. The website "Rhymezone" works just as well, but I still love and use my rhyming dictionary.

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  59. Such a great analogy using blocks and sliding. Your process is so helpful and accurate. It is hard to remove a block and keep the flow. Your explanations help so much. Thank you.

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    1. So glad you found it helpful. Thanks for reading!

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  60. The above anonymous is me, sorry learning how to do this…

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  61. As a first grade teacher I love this so much! Thank you for sharing your process and for providing non fiction science books with weird facts: my absolute favorite books to share with my students! May I ask what criteria you use to determine credible sources?

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    1. I feel comfortable using websites like National Geographic, the Smithsonian Museums, other museums and websites that end in gov, edu, org. When I find information I want to use, I look for two different sources that confirm the fact. If I'm reading more of a "general" website or article, I try to find their source of information, which is usually an article in a scientific journal.

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  62. Debra, it's so nice to see your step by step way of creating, so insightful, thank you!

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  63. Debra, thank you for sharing specific examples in your post. As a visual learner this really hits home!

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    1. I'm so glad you found it helpful! Thanks for reading!

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  64. I'm not usually a rhymer but I do love a good process post! This is awesome.

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  65. Thank you, Debra, for sharing your process. I'm inspired by your interesting approach to break down the information to create rhyming nonfiction.

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  66. Really loved seeing your writing process broken down. Such great info here!! Thank you for sharing.

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  67. Thanks so much for sharing your process. I greatly appreciate your insights!!

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  68. Karyn Friedman-EverhamFebruary 5, 2023 at 3:24 PM

    Thank you so very much for breaking down your process. So helpful.

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  69. Debra, love your tips and writing process. You created such visuals as I read your revision methods. Thank you!

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  70. Thank your for sharing your Jenga approach. Very refreshing!

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  71. Thanks for the Jenga analogy. Rhyme is not an easy layer to add!

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  72. This was a wonderful post. I also write nonfiction in rhyme. I was intrigued with your process. I will certainly give it a try! Your books sound great! I can't wait to read them. Thanks!

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  73. Rhyming is so hard to begin with, but with non-fiction-Yikes. Some people are so talented!

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  74. Brilliant image

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  75. Thank you for sharing your step by step process with examples. Writing extra rhymes and keeping an other possibilities list are both great strategies

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  76. This is incredibly detailed and easy to process. Thank you so very much.

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  77. Came on over to check things out because my critique partner Mona Pease has been raving about Nonfiction fest. After reading this post I can see why. Looking forward to catching up on all I've missed.

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