Category: News

List of Rhyming Animals

There have been many times that I have been writing a poem and needed a list of animal names that rhymed with one another. To make it easier, I have collected the following list of rhyming animal names. Feel free to use these in your own animal poems.

  • Alsatian / crustacean / dalmatian
  • Auk / hawk
  • Auks / fox / hawks / ox
  • Baboon / loon / raccoon
  • Bat / cat / gnat / rat
  • Beagle / eagle
  • Bear / hare / mare
  • Beaver / retriever / weaver
  • Bee / flea / manatee
  • Buck / duck / geoduck
  • Bug / pug / slug
  • Calf / giraffe
  • Camel / mammal
  • Caribou / cockatoo / ewe / gnu / kangaroo / kinkajou / shrew
  • Chick / tick
  • Chinchilla / gorilla
  • Clam / lamb / ram
  • Cockatiel / eel / seal
  • Cottontail / quail / snail / whale
  • Cow / sow
  • Crow / doe
  • Deer / steer
  • Dog / frog / hog / polliwog
  • Drake / snake
  • Eel / seal / teal
  • Fawn / prawn / swan
  • Ferret / parrot
  • Fowl / owl
  • Gander / salamander
  • Germ / worm
  • Goose / moose
  • Grice / lice / mice
  • Grouse / louse / mouse
  • Guppy / puppy
  • Hen / wren
  • Hippopotamus / rhinoceros
  • Jay / ray
  • Lark / shark
  • Lynx / minks / skinks
  • Man / orangutan
  • Mink / skink
  • Mole / oriole / vole
  • Moth / sloth
  • Nag / stag

Click here for other lists of rhyming words.

List of Rhyming Body Parts

It has happened more than once that I have needed to rhyme various parts of human or animal anatomy – body parts – in a poem. Here is the list that I refer to when I need it. I hope you find it useful as well.

  • Back / crack
  • Beak / cheek / physique
  • Biceps / triceps
  • Breast / chest
  • Butt / gut
  • Bum / gum / thumb / tum
  • Claw / jaw / maw / paw
  • Clothes / nose / toes
  • Chin / grin / shin / skin
  • Ear / rear / sneer
  • Eye / thigh
  • Eyelash / moustache / rash
  • Feet / seat
  • Fist / wrist
  • Groin / loin
  • Hide / inside / side
  • Hip / lip / fingertip
  • Lung / tongue
  • Nail / tail

Click here for other lists of rhyming words.

List of Rhyming First Names

Often when writing a poem, I find it’s handy to have a list of first names that rhyme with one another. Here are some common first names that rhyme that you could use in your own poems:

  • Aaron / Erin / Karen / Sharon
  • Adele / Belle / Darnell / Danielle / Giselle / Manuel / Marcel / Michelle / Miguel / Nell / Rachelle / Raquel
  • Andy / Brandy / Mandy / Randy / Sandy
  • Ann / Cheyenne / Dan / Fran / Jan / Luann / Nan / Roseann / Stan
  • Anna / Brianna / Hannah / Savanna
  • Annie / Danny / Fanny / Frannie / Manny
  • Bailey / Haley / Kaylie
  • Barry / Gary / Harry / Jerry / Keri / Larry / Mary / Perry / Sheri / Terri
  • Belinda / Linda / Lucinda / Melinda
  • Ben / Glenn / Gwen / Jen / Ken / Len
  • Benny / Denny / Jenny / Kenny / Lenny / Penny
  • Bernise / Clarice / Denise / Elise / Luis / Maurice / Reese
  • Bert / Kurt
  • Bill / Jill / Phil / Will
  • Billy / Lily / Millie / Willy
  • Bo / Flo / Joe / Moe
  • Bob / Rob
  • Bobby / Robbie
  • Bonnie / Connie / Donny / Johnny / Lonnie / Ronnie / Tawny
  • Boris / Doris / Horace / Morris
  • Braden / Hayden / Jaden
  • Brandon / Landon
  • Bree / Dee / Lee / Marie
  • Brynn / Flynn / Gwyn / Lynn / Quinn
  • Brody / Cody / Dodi / Jodie
  • Cam / Pam / Sam
  • Chloe / Joey / Zoe
  • Charlene / Christine / Colleen / Dean / Eileen /  Eugene / Francine / Irene / Janine / Jean / Kathleen / Maureen / Maxine / Nadine / Pauline
  • Cindy / Lindy / Mindy
  • Clancy / Nancy
  • Clarence / Terrence
  • Clark / Mark
  • Corey / Dory / Laurie / Morrie / Tori
  • Daniel / Nathaniel
  • Dawn / Don / Fawn / John / Lon / Ron / Sean / Vaughn
  • Dick / Mick / Nick / Rick / Vic
  • Dolly / Holly / Molly / Ollie / Paulie / Polly / Wally
  • Drew / Lou / Hugh / Stu / Sue
  • Ed / Fred / Jed / Ned / Red / Ted
  • Eddie / Freddie / Teddy
  • Faye / Jay / Kay / Mae / Ray / Trey
  • Florence / Lawrence
  • Ginnie / Minnie / Vinnie / Winnie
  • Jack / Mac / Zach
  • Jim / Kim / Tim
  • Jimmy / Timmy
  • Joan / Sloan
  • Joni / Tony
  • Kayla / Layla
  • Kendall / Wendell
  • Kiley / Miley / Riley / Wylie
  • Matt / Pat
  • Mickey / Nikki / Ricky
  • Paul / Saul
  • Thelma / Velma

Click here for other lists of rhyming words.

 

List of Rhyming Foods

If you ever find yourself writing a poem that involves food, especially a list poem, you may find it helpful to have a list of foods that rhyme with one another. Here are some common ones that you could use:

  • Alfredo / potato / tomato
  • Almond roca / mocha
  • Apple / scrapple / Snapple
  • Artichoke / Coke / egg yolk
  • Avocado / adobado / amontillado / dorado / muscovado
  • Baloney / cannelloni / macaroni / minestrone / pepperoni / rigatoni / spumoni
  • Beans / greens / nectarines / sardines / tangerines
  • Beet / meat / sweet / treat / wheat
  • Beef / leaf
  • Beef jerky / tofurkey / turkey
  • Berry / cherry / dairy
  • Blini / fettuccine / linguine / martini / panini / tortellini / zucchini
  • Bread / sandwich spread
  • Brunch / Crunch ‘n Munch / lunch / Nestles Crunch / punch
  • Brussels sprout / sauerkraut / trout
  • Burritos / Cheetos / Doritos / Fritos / taquitos / Tostitos
  • Butter brickle / pickle / pumpernickel
  • Cake / shake / steak
  • Candy cane / champagne / grain / romaine / sugar cane
  • Cannoli / guacamole / ravioli / stromboli
  • Casserole / fillet of sole / roll
  • Chai / fry / pie / rye
  • Cheese / peas
  • Chex mix / fish sticks / Hickory Sticks / Kix / Pixie Stix / Trix / Twix
  • Chicken legs / eggs
  • Chicken wings / onion rings
  • Chip / dip / licorice whip
  • Clam / ham / jam / lamb / Spam / yam
  • Crème brûlée / curds and whey / fish fillet / Milky Way / parfait / pâté / puree / sorbet / souffle
  • Crepe / grape
  • Crumb / gum / plum
  • Coffee / toffee
  • Cookie dough / sloppy joe
  • Custard / mustard
  • Dish / fish / knish
  • Éclair / gummi bear / pear
  • Empanada / enchilada / tostada
  • Fajita / margarita / pita / Velveeta
  • Falafel / offal / waffle
  • Filet mignon / Grey Poupon / Parmesan / pecan / prawn
  • Fondue / Mountain Dew / stew
  • Fries / pies
  • Fruits / roots / shoots
  • Gazpacho / nacho
  • Ghee / pea / tea
  • Giblet / riblet
  • Glaze / maize / mayonnaise
  • Goose / juice / mousse
  • Ice / rice / spice
  • Hash / mash / succotash
  • Jell-o / Mello Yello
  • Lemon drop / lollipop / soda pop / Tootsie Pop
  • Lime / thyme
  • Noodle / strudel
  • Pastrami / salami
  • Quesadilla / tortilla
  • Roast / toast

Click here for other lists of rhyming words.

Lists of Words that Rhyme

Rhyming Word Lists

While a rhyming dictionary is always a handy tool to have when writing poems, sometimes it’s also helpful to have lists of rhyming words that are all in the same category. These rhyming word lists focus on common categories to help you write poems more quickly and easily.

For example, if you are writing a poem that involves sports, it might be helpful to rhyme kickball with stickball or biking with hiking. If you were writing a poem about foods, you might want to rhyme beans with greens, sardines, or nectarines. And a poem about geographical locations might rhyme Alaska with Nebraska, Austin with Boston, or Bulgaria with Bavaria.

Here are a few rhyming word lists that I have created.  I hope you will find them useful in your own poetry.

Rhyming Word Lists

More Rhyming Resources

If you need more rhymes than the ones on these lists, you may prefer to use a rhyming dictionary, such as rhymenow.com or rhymezone.com.

You will also find plenty of poetry writing lessons, including a video on how to rhyme, here on poetry4kids.com.

Sea Star Wishes: Poems From the Coast

Sea Star Wishes: Poems From the Coast by Eric Ode

As Children’s Poet Laureate, one of my jobs is to select a collection of poetry each month to feature on the Poetry Foundation’s website. There you’ll find my monthly book picks, and those of the previous Children’s Poets Laureate.

My pick for July, 2013 is Sea Star Wishes: Poems from the Coast by Eric Ode, Illustrated by Erik Brooks.

In addition, I interviewed Erik Ode about his life as a poet and about his new book. Here is what he had to say.

Put your child in MORE BEARS!

MORE BEARS! Create Your Own Story Book

MORE BEARS! is now available in a special customizable hardcover edition from Put Me In the Story.

MORE BEARS! was written to be read (and yelled!) out loud. This delightfully silly, personalized story will have your child calling out “More Bears!” within the first few pages.  What’s even more exciting is that your son or daughter’s photo and name will appear throughout the ENTIRE story! This interactive book will have your kid eager for reading as well as for “More Bears!” Put Me In The Story allows you to quickly create your own personalized book with your child’s name, photo, and a personal dedication page.

Click here to tour the book and see what it will look like with your child’s photo and name incorporated into the story.

Kenn Nesbitt is the New Children’s Poet Laureate

Children's Poet Laureate, Kenn Nesbitt
On June 10, 2013, the Poetry Foundation announced that I will serve as the next Children’s Poet Laureate from now until June, 2015. I’m honored to accept this award and to be able to use this platform to help advance children’s poetry for the next two years. Over the coming months, I plan to announce new initiatives to help expose more kids throughout the U.S. and around the world to the joys of reading and writing poetry.

Visit the Poetry Foundation website to learn more about the Children’s Poet Laureate award. You can also read their press release announcing the new Children’s Poet Laureate, and you can read an interview I gave to outgoing Children’s Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis.

I look forward to the next couple of years of creating, sharing, and teaching poetry, and of spreading the art of poetry to kids everywhere.

Creativity Exercise – Describe the Sky

Poetic Description Exercise

Writers often say that your brain is a bit like a muscle—the more you exercise it, the stronger it gets. It’s good to give yourself some regular mental exercises to help build your creativity over time, so your poetry will keep developing and improving. (The good news is that brain exercises don’t make you ache as much as push-ups!)

A great exercise that doesn’t need any special equipment—and that you can do anywhere at any time—is to describe the color of the sky.

Sounds really simple, right?!

Well, it can be simple to begin with, but the reason this exercise works so well is because your descriptions can become more and more elaborate as your creative muscles get stronger. The idea is to make sure every description is different!

How to Create Book Spine Poetry

Book Spine Poetry

Have you heard of “book spine poetry?” It’s a kind of poetry that you don’t really write from scratch – instead, you “find” it by arranging book titles to make a poem. This type of poem can be serious or funny, just like in regular poetry.

Here’s the basic idea. Imagine that you’re sitting at a table with all of these books in front of you:

  • Green Eggs and Ham
  • Goodnight Moon
  • The Very Hungry Caterpillar
  • Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
  • Oh, The Places You’ll Go
  • Where the Wild Things Are
  • Good Night, Gorilla
  • Stone Soup

To make a book spine poem, you would start by moving these books around into stacks with the spines together so that the titles are like the lines of a poem. You would keep moving the book titles around into different stacks until you find the “lines” that go best together to make a poem. For example, one set of titles might describe a story: