Two of my favorite picture books are Owl Moon by Jane Yolen and Christmas in the Country by Cynthia Rylant. I can say the immediate draw for me is the mood these authors set in the opening lines.

It was late one winter night,
long past my bedtime,
when Pa and I went owling,
There was no wind. (Owl Moon)

In this opening line, Jane Yolen uses the “Once upon a time” idea but “late one winter night” creates an eerie night feel. Children love a creepy story that’s not too scary and I think this fits the bill. Farther down on the first page, she uses alliteration, “a train whistle blew long and low.” Then she uses repetition with alliteration, “like a sad, sad song.” The mood deepens. I can see the scene in my mind, hear the sounds, and feel the cold. Later in the book she uses personification for the trees, footprints, and the cold.

Cynthia Rylant uses some of the same techniques to create a different type of mood in Christmas in the Country. “When I was a little girl,” also gives the feel of Once upon a time. You feel Grandma pulling the child up in her lap and drifting away into long ago. Children may not believe Grandma was ever a little girl but they love stories of long ago full of imagery. The Grandma describes her house and a short bit of things that happen in spring and summer but then, “And in winter, I waited for Christmas.” I can feel the squirmy wriggle of a child anxious for Christmas. Mrs. Rylant uses a lot of alliteration describing the birds as silent and serious, and “Everyone is ready of something really special.” She describes the ornaments as “hard foam bells glued with green glitter.” She often uses repetition beginning the next page with a line from the last. She describes the Christmas season of the 1950s then packs it all back up saying

“Christmas in the country was over. There were spring walks and summer tomatoes and fall apples to look forward to now. But in that closet of wool and mothballs, there would be boxes of old ornaments, waiting.” (Christmas in the Country)

Two totally different books with totally different moods but authors using the same devices we rarely even consider other than acknowledging the appeal of the writing.

Whether choosing books for children, reading aloud, or writing them, making ourselves aware of the lyrical devices authors use will help us draw the readers into an appealing read.

Gail Cartee loves reading and writing for young children. Be sure to sign up to receive updates of each new post on our Christian Children’s Authors blog. Follow us for new book news, free resources, parenting tips, and encouragement! #christianchildrensauthors, #christianhomeschool, #gailcartee.blogspot.com, #writing