Tune in Tomorrow!

Tonight's the night, folks.

After months of nominees for the best rhyming picture book...

After weeks of analysis by a committee of rhymers...

After the tallying of many votes...

The "Best in Rhyme" picture books will be chosen!

The studios of Kid Lit TV will be streaming the awards ceremony tonight at 6:00 pm EST. Come join in the fun. The link should go live then.

Tune into the GROG later this weekend to hear more about the winning picture books.

RPB Revolution ~By Suzy Leopold

A revolution you ask. Yes, it is the RPB Revolution -- the Rhyming Picture Book Revolution. This event will take place for three days in December. Join Angie Karcher and many other authors and writers of rhyme during a weekend long celebration. The conference will include a red carpet ceremony and a book signing. The four R's of top notch rhyming picture books will be discussed. Do you know what the four R's are? Sure you do. They are all part of the RPB Revolution: reject, revolt, rules and rewards.

I want to recognize the individuals who worked together to plan for this amazing first annual event.

RPB Revolution Conference Committee Members: 

Angie Karcher

Aimee Haburjak

Randi Sonenshine

Kristi Wright

Zainab Khan

Patty Toht 

Lori Degman 

The Best in Rhyme Committee members, under the direction of Angie Karcher, nominated several titles of books in rhyme earlier this year. Then each committee member completed a rubric for each of the books. The rubric determined the top ten titles. The following elements were used to complete the rubric, determining the ten best rhyming books:

• Story/Plot/Structure
• Character
• Rhyme
• Rhyming pattern
• Meter
• Appeal
• Verbs
• Concept/Theme; Message/Take Away
• Language
• Sentence fluency

Best in Rhyme Committee Members:

Angie Karcher

Gayle Krause                         

Annie Bailey                           

Mandy Yates                          

Lucky Williams                                  

Dawn Young              

Kenda Henthorn

Darlene Ivy                            

Deirdre Englehardt

Suzy Leopold

Patty Toht

Lori Degman

Angie Karcher

For more information about the Best in Rhyme Award Top 10 check out the book reviews here.

WHO?: Writers, Authors, Agents and Publishers

WHAT?: The Rhyming Picture Book Revolution [RPB] Weekend 

WHEN?: December 4th - December 6th, 2015* 

WHERE?: New York City, NY

WHY?: To announce the 2015 BEST IN RHYME 

Angie Karcher

HOW?: Angie Karcher, Rhyming Picture Book Month [RhyPiBoMo] founder, will announce the title and winner of the 2015 Best in Rhyme. Additionally, several honor titles will be shared for the 2015 best RPBs. KidLitTV and Julie Gribble will host this sensational event in a red carpet, live ceremony.

*Friday, December 4th

2015 Best in Rhyme Award Ceremony

*Saturday, December 5th

RPB Revolution Conference

*Sunday, December 6th

RPB Revolution Book Signing

Find information on how to register for this exciting event at RPB Revolution Registration.

If you are unable to attend the event in New York City, click here for information on how to register for a Conference Recording.

Designed by
Tanja Bauerle

Consider attending and supporting the RPB Revolution.

Best in Rhyme Award: Selecting a Winner of a Picture Book ~ by Patricia Toht

I've been a lucky girl this autumn. 

Two years ago, I joined a community of rhymers called RhyPiBoMo. RhyPiBoMo was founded by Angie Karcher and challenges its members to write a rhyming picture book manuscript in the month of April. I blogged about it here.


Rhyme is not always looked upon favorably in picture book submissions. "We don't accept rhyming texts," is a phrase frequently expressed by editors and agents. There's a good reason for that -- rhyme is difficult to do well, and many don't take the time to learn the craft and brutally hone their manuscripts.

Artwork by the talented
Tanja Bauerle.

One step in learning the craft is to study terrific examples of rhyming picture books. Unfortunately, beyond Dr. Seuss, it's difficult to know who the great rhyming authors are. And so Angie had a second idea. Why not establish an award that recognizes the rhyming picture book? The "Best in Rhyme" award was born.


So, why am I lucky? Because I'm on the committee to select the award winner! 

From April to October this year, members of RhyPiBoMo submitted titles to be considered. Poetry collections and concept books were eliminated, as this year's focus is on books that tell a story. Tallying the popular titles led to the Top 20. (Here's the list!). From that list, the committee sat down to read and analyze.

75% of the reading pile

Here are a few of the elements we considered:
• Does the book tell a story, with an arc and clear plot?
• Are characters developed?
• How is the meter and rhyme in the book?
• What poetic devices are used? 
• Do word choices enhance the book?

I had a little help with my reading.

Committee members finished their reviews by November 1, and Angie Karcher announced the Final 10 (in rhyme, of course):

Would you like to know the winner?

So would I!

The winner will be announced in a live, red carpet ceremony at the KidLitTV Studio on December 4th. The gala kicks off the RPB (Rhyming Picture Book) Revolution Weekend. I'll be heading to New York for the weekend, and you can join me -- spaces are still available for the RPB Revolution Conference. For more information, visit rpbrevolution, here.  Fellow GROGger Suzy Leopold will be telling you a bit more about the RPB Revolution in a post next week (November 18).

Hooray for rhyming picture books! Who will be the winner?????