Category: News

That Doesn’t Sound Right to Me

When you read poems, you will sometimes come across things that don’t sound right to you. Often, this is because people pronounce some words differently depending on where they grew up. The writer of the poem may have grown up somewhere that they pronounce things a little differently than you do.

Probably the most well-known example is the word “tomato.” In Britain, this word is pronounced “toe-MAH-toe,” whereas in America it is pronounced “toe-MAY-toe.”

Similarly, “pajamas” is pronounced “puh-JAW-muhz” (rhymes with “llamas”) in Britain, but can be pronounced either “puh-JAM-uhz” (rhymes with “panoramas”) or “puh-JAW-muhz” in America. And, in America, “dance” rhymes with “France,” while in Britain “dance” is often pronounced “dahns.”

I once wrote a poem for a publisher in India where I rhymed “face” with “vase.” (In America, these two words rhyme with one another.) My publisher was very confused because in India, as well as Britain and much of the world, “vase” is pronounced “vahz” (rhymes with “jaws”).

When I read poems by British authors, sometimes I am surprised by their rhyme choices. For example, I recently saw “speedier” rhymed with “media” because Brits often do not pronounce the r’s at the ends of words.

A New Look for Poetry4kids

After many, many years with the same look, a look that was beginning to get a little long in the tooth, I have completely redesigned the look of Poetry4kids.com. It was a big project that took most of the summer, and it’s something I’ve been wanting to do for years.

In addition to a more modern look and easier-to-navigate menus, the new Poetry4kids is also mobile-friendly, adapting to any display size, from desktop to tablet to mobile phone. And, to make sure your visit to Poetry4kids is always secure, I have added an SSL certificate to the website, and updated our Privacy Policy and cookies notifications to be in compliance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation.

Of course, as with all big projects, there’s still some cleanup to do. Over the coming weeks I will be going through the site’s many hundreds of pages to ensure that everything is working just as it should.

In the meantime, I’d love to hear your feedback. Like what you see? Can’t find something you’re looking for? Come across something that isn’t working? Please drop me a line and let me know.

Video – My Brother Ate My Smartphone

Here’s another video of a funny poem from my book My Cat Knows Karate. This one is called “My Brother Ate My Smartphone” and it’s about a boy who swallows a smartphone and suddenly becomes the smartest kid on the planet.

In a way, this poem is like a movie I saw when I was young. It was called, “The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes” and it was about a college student who became a genius after an accident involving his school’s computer. Of course, this could never really happen, so please don’t eat your brother’s phone. Instead, just enjoy the poem and maybe a few more while you’re at it!

Video – My Cat Knows Karate

Here’s a video of me reciting the title poem from my book, My Cat Knows Karate. This new book has a number of poems about pets, animals, and sports, and this poem brings all three ideas together into a single poem.

I have always liked the idea of animals doing sports. So much so that I wrote an entire book of poems about it, The Tighty-Whitey Spider. And, if you like this poem, you might also enjoy my poem, “My Puppy Punched Me in the Eye” from my book My Hippo Has the Hiccups.

New Book: My Cat Knows Karate

I’m very excited to announce the publication of my newest book, My Cat Knows Karate. This collection includes seventy new poems about goofy gadgets, kooky characters, funny families, absurd situations. Beautifully illustrated by Rafael Domingos, My Cat Knows Karate is chock-full of the ridiculous rhymes, wacky wordplay, preposterous punchlines, and guaranteed giggles that kids love to read.

My Cat Knows Karate is available now from Amazon.com in both paperback and Kindle formats. The book should be available from other booksellers, including Barnes & Noble and your local independent bookseller in about a week.

Words and Phrases that Rhyme with Themselves

Sometimes when you’re writing a rhyming poem, you may want to include a word or phrase that rhymes with itself, such as itsy-bitsy or super-duper. Also called “close rhymes,” these are what are known as “reduplicated” words or phrases. “Reduplication” is the term for words or phrases that are created by repeating sounds. Here is a list of rhyming reduplicated words and phrases that may come in handy to you sometime.

  • abracadabra
  • ants’ pants
  • argle-bargle
  • argy-bargy
  • artsy-fartsy
  • backpack
  • backtrack
  • bandstand
  • bed head
  • bee’s knees
  • big rig
  • bigwig
  • blackjack
  • blame game
  • blues clues
  • bolo
  • boo-hoo
  • boogie-woogie
  • boot scoot
  • bowwow
  • boy toy
  • brain drain
  • bucket truck
  • chick-flick
  • chilly willy
  • chip dip
  • chock-a-block
  • chop shop
  • chug-a-lug
  • chunky monkey
  • claptrap
  • clean green
  • cookbook
  • crop top
  • cuddly-wuddly
  • cutie patootie
  • deadhead
  • ding-a-ling
  • ditch witch
  • double bubble
  • double trouble
  • downtown
  • drop crop
  • drop-top
  • dry fly
  • easy cheese
  • easy-peasey
  • eency-weency
  • even-steven
  • fair and square
  • fancy nancy
  • fancy-schmancy
  • fat cat
  • fender-bender
  • fiddle diddle
  • fight or flight
  • fit bit
  • flyby
  • fomo
  • fright night
  • fuddy-duddy
  • fun in the sun
  • fun run
  • funny money
  • fuzzy-wuzzy
  • gal pal
  • go low
  • go pro
  • go slow
  • great state
  • green bean
  • ground round
  • handstand
  • handy-dandy
  • hanky-panky
  • harum-scarum
  • heart smart
  • heebie-jeebies
  • helter skelter
  • heyday
  • hi-fi
  • higgledy-piggledy
  • high and dry
  • high fly
  • hinky dinky
  • hippy-dippy
  • hobby lobby
  • hobnob
  • hobo
  • hocus-pocus
  • hoddy-noddy
  • hodgepodge
  • hoi polloi
  • hoity-toity
  • hokey-pokey
  • holy cannoli
  • holy moly
  • hong kong
  • hoodoo
  • hooley-dooley
  • hot pot
  • hotshot
  • hotspot
  • hotsy-totsy
  • hubbub
  • huffing and puffing
  • hugger-mugger
  • hulu
  • humdrum
  • humpty dumpty
  • hurdy-gurdy
  • hurly-burly
  • hurry-scurry
  • hustle and bustle
  • itsy-bitsy
  • itty-bitty
  • jeepers creepers
  • jelly belly
  • jet set
  • kowtow
  • laffy taffy
  • lardy-dardy
  • lean and mean
  • lite brite
  • loosey-goosey
  • lovey-dovey
  • low and slow
  • low blow
  • low-flow
  • mai tai
  • maintain
  • make or break
  • mars bars
  • mayday
  • melee
  • mellow yellow
  • might makes right
  • mojo
  • mudblood
  • mukluk
  • mumbo-jumbo
  • namby-pamby
  • name game
  • naysay
  • neato burrito
  • night-light
  • night-night
  • nighty-night
  • nitty-gritty
  • nitwit
  • no-go
  • no pain, no gain
  • no-show
  • nutter butter
  • oingo boingo
  • okey dokey
  • one-ton
  • out and about
  • pall mall
  • payday
  • pedal to the metal
  • pell-mell
  • phony-baloney
  • pickwick
  • picnic
  • pie in the sky
  • piggly wiggly
  • plain jane
  • polo
  • pooper scooper
  • pop-top
  • powwow
  • prime-time
  • pump and dump
  • quick pick
  • quiet riot
  • quite a sight
  • ragtag
  • rat-tat
  • rat-a-tat
  • razzle-dazzle
  • razzmatazz
  • reese’s pieces
  • righty tighty
  • ring ding
  • rinky-dink
  • roly-poly
  • rom-com
  • rootin’ tootin’
  • rough and tough
  • rough stuff
  • scat cat
  • shake and bake
  • shock jock
  • shoe goo
  • shout out
  • silly-willy
  • single mingle
  • sky high
  • slim jim
  • sloppy copy
  • slow-mo
  • snack pack
  • snail mail
  • snow blow
  • soho
  • solo
  • space case
  • space race
  • spruce goose
  • steak ‘n shake
  • steer clear
  • stop and shop
  • study buddy
  • stun gun
  • sump pump
  • super-duper
  • surf and turf
  • tee-hee
  • teen scene
  • teenie-weenie
  • teensy-weensy
  • tepee
  • tex-mex
  • thin skin
  • tighty-whitey
  • tinky winky
  • tohubohu
  • top crop
  • tramp stamp
  • true blue
  • turkey jerky
  • tutti frutti
  • TV
  • undone
  • use it or lose it
  • voodoo
  • wall ball
  • walkie-talkie
  • waylay
  • wear and tear
  • white flight
  • white knight
  • wi-fi
  • willy-nilly
  • wing-ding
  • without a doubt
  • wonton
  • word nerd
  • yolo
  • yoo-hoo

Reduplicated Sentences

In addition to the above list of reduplicated words and phrases, there are also a number of common reduplicated idioms or catchphrases in English. Here are some of the most well known.

  • After a while, crocodile
  • Easy peasy, lemon squeezy
  • No muss, no fuss
  • No way, José
  • Not I said the fly
  • Not me said the flea
  • Okie dokie, artichokey
  • See you later, alligator
  • Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey
  • Winner, winner, chicken dinner

Non-Rhyming Reduplicated Words and Phrases

Some reduplicated words and phrases don’t quite rhyme because they contain different vowel sounds, such as ping-pong or zigzag. Technically, these are known as “ablaut reduplications.” Here is a list of reduplicated words and phrases that don’t rhyme.

  • bric-a-brac
  • chit-chat
  • clip-clop
  • crinkum-crankum
  • criss-cross
  • dig dug
  • dilly-dally
  • ding-dong
  • fiddle faddle
  • flimflam
  • flip-flop
  • harum-scarum
  • hee-haw
  • hip hop
  • jibber-jabber
  • jingle-jangle
  • king kong
  • kit kat
  • kitty cat
  • knickknack / nicknack
  • mishmash
  • ping-pong
  • pitter-patter
  • riffraff
  • seesaw
  • shilly-shally
  • shipshape
  • singsong
  • skimble-scamble
  • splish splash
  • teeny tiny
  • teetertotter
  • thingum-thangum
  • tic-tac
  • tick-tock
  • ticky-tacky
  • tip-top
  • tittle-tattle
  • trinkum-trankum
  • wibble-wobble
  • wiggle-waggle
  • winky dink
  • wishy-washy
  • zigzag

Exact Reduplications

Some reduplicated words and phrases repeat the exact same word or syllable, either for emphasis, continuity, or to create a rhythmic effect. These are called “exact reduplications.” Unlike rhyming reduplications like itsy-bitsy or non-rhyming ones like ping-pong, exact reduplications simply double the word without alteration, as in “through and through” or “step by step.” Often, these phrases reinforce meaning by emphasizing repetition or progression. Here is a list of exact reduplications that you may find useful in your writing.

  • again and again
  • back to back
  • better and better
  • bigger and bigger
  • bit by bit
  • blah blah
  • brick by brick
  • cancan
  • closer and closer
  • dada
  • day by day
  • deeper and deeper
  • dodo
  • drop by drop
  • end to end
  • eye to eye
  • face to face
  • farther and farther
  • faster and faster
  • gogo
  • ha ha
  • hand in hand
  • hee hee
  • higher and higher
  • ho ho
  • hour by hour
  • inch by inch
  • juju
  • layer by layer
  • less and less
  • line by line
  • little by little
  • louder and louder
  • lower and lower
  • mama
  • mile after mile
  • minute by minute
  • moment by moment
  • month by month
  • more and more
  • muumuu
  • nana
  • neck and neck
  • no-no
  • note for note
  • over and over
  • papa
  • piece by piece
  • piri-piri
  • point by point
  • second by second
  • shot for shot
  • shoulder to shoulder
  • side by side
  • slower and slower
  • smaller and smaller
  • step by step
  • stronger and stronger
  • through and through
  • time after time
  • toe to toe
  • tutu
  • turn by turn
  • weaker and weaker
  • week by week
  • wonga-wonga
  • word for word
  • worse and worse
  • yadda yadda
  • year after year

Click here for other lists of rhyming words.

If you know of any reduplications I have missed on these lists, please let me know so I can add them.

Poetry Reading at Barnes & Noble

On September 21, 2016, I did a poetry reading for a small group at Barnes & Noble in Spokane, Washington as part of a local program called “Poetry Rising.” I read a poem from each of my books, including my new anthology, One Minute Till Bedtime.

The folks at Poetry Rising were kind enough to send me  this video of the event.

Spring 2017 School Author Visits

Welcome Kenn Nesbitt

“Your presentation was the best we have ever had.”

“You by far surpassed our expectations.”

“Our students are still buzzing about it! The enthusiasm you generated is phenomonal!”

These are just a few comments from schools who have had me visit with their students. If you are considering having an author visit your school, I would love the opportunity to get your students excited about reading and writing.

My school visit calendar is filling up for the spring, but I still have dates available for an author visit to your school, whether in-person or online.

I will be visiting the following cities this spring and still have open days:

  • January 9-13 – Spokane, WA
  • February 13-17 – West Texas
  • February 20-24 – Portland, OR
  • March 13-17 – Baltimore, MD & Washington, DC
  • March 27-31 – San Antonio, TX
  • April 3-7 – Central California
  • April 17-21 – Connecticut
  • April 24-27 – Eastern Oregon
  • May 8-12 – Cedar Rapids, Iowa City & Davenport, IA

If your school is interested in booking an author visit during one of these trips, or any other week this school year, please contact me by filling out the information request form on this page.

You will find my calendar online here. Any dates not otherwise marked are probably available.

I look forward to hearing from you.

New Book: One Minute Till Bedtime

One Minute Till Bedtime

I’m thrilled to announce the release of my newest book, One Minute Till Bedtime. This is the first anthology that I have put together, and it has already received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal, plus it has been selected by Publishers Weekly as a Best Book of 2016.

One Minute Till Bedtime contains over 140 brand-new poems from more than 130 poets from around the world, including such luminaries as Jack Prelutsky, Jane YolenJon Scieszka, Joyce SidmanJudith Viorst, Lemony Snicket, Marilyn SingerNikki Grimes, and many, many others. Each of the poems in this collection–all perfect for bedtime–can be read in about a minute. With seven sections, each with roughly twenty poems, One Minute Till Bedtime holds a full week of 20-minute sleepytime readings.

The beautiful hardcover book is whimsically illustrated by the incomparable Christoph Niemann, whose witty, minimalist drawings compliment and enhance the poems, giving readers even more to ponder as they get ready to dream.

One Minute Till Bedtime is now available in the US wherever books are sold, including:

It is also available for purchase now in Australia:

In the UK, it will be available on December 8, 2016:

Whew!

2016-17 School Author Visits

Kenn Nesbitt Presenting

I hope you had a wonderful summer and are settling into the new school year nicely. With the 2016-17 school year underway, I’m now booking school author visits, both in-person and online.

If your school is looking for a way to inspire your kids to want to read and write, my high-energy poetry writing programs are just the ticket. You don’t need to take my word for it, though. Click here to see what other schools have said about my visits.

Upcoming Visits

You don’t need to wait for me to be in your area to book a visit. I cap my travel expenses, regardless of what it costs me to get there, so it won’t cost you extra if you are the first school in your area to book a visit.

However, here are some of the places I’m already scheduled to be this school year. I still have dates available each of these weeks.

  • WA, Bellingham – September 26-30, 2016
  • ID, Bonner’s Ferry – October 10-14, 2016
  • OR, Portland – October 24-26, 2016
  • TX, Odessa/Andrews – February 13-17, 2017
  • TX, San Antonio – March 27-31, 2017
  • CA, Porterville – April 3-7, 2017

You can view my full event calendar here. Any dates not otherwise marked are probably available for a visit to your school.

More Information

For more information about my programs and fees, simply fill out this form and I will contact you with further details. I look forward to hearing from you!