14:14 IRON HORSE RHYME ELEMENT

For the 14:14 picture book challenge, I will focus on the element of RHYME.

The days of Dr. Seuss (the singy-songy rhyme) is not gone but placed on the back burners in our homes. Newly “rhymologists” (I made that word up, and I like it A LOT) – Verla Kay, Anna Dewdney, and Tanya Lee Stone – brought something different to the game and I appreciate it.

I cannot claim that I am a rhymologist by a long shot. The truth is, I don’t write in rhyme. It is not because I don’t like it. Simply put, I am not good at it. I love rhyme and rhythm – I am a fan of old school rap, Sesame Street, Reading Rainbow, and Michael Jackson’s “ABC”. But what I can appreciate is, there are ways to do it and these authors have mastered it very well.

TITLE : IRON HORSES

Author: Verla Kay
Illustrator: Michael McCurdy
Publisher : Putnam
Word Count: 191
Type: Nonfiction

Summary: This nonfiction book is written in rhyme and it is about the building of the railroad.

The firs page reads:
“Piercing whistles
Shrieking wheels.
Hot steam hissing,
High Pitch squeals.”

I love the ALLITERATION in the next stanza.
“Huffing, puffing,
SMOKING STACKS.
SCREECHING STOPPING
End of tracks.”
Personal Thoughts:

I don’t know how Verla Kay relay all this information in 191-words. #Amazing. This book is wonderfully written. Children will love it.