Something Must Rhyme with Orange

LoveReading4Kids Says

With stylish, characterful illustrations (and a very smart use of colour) by Koko Rattray, Gordon McIntyre’s Something Must Rhyme with Orange is an encouraging ode to the joys of the imagination. What’s more, this book might also help overcome anxieties about writing the “right way”, and resonate with less-confident kids who are worried about sharing their work.

When Zoe’s teacher tasks her class with writing a rhyming poem for a competition based on a word picked randomly from a hat, she’s racked with worry when she picks out “orange”. That said, she’s also determined to come up with an idea: “Surely SOMETHING MUST RHYME WITH ORANGE!” While Zoe’s mum, dad and brother make a few suggestions, she’s still floundering, until she decides to “just write down anything that comes into my head, no matter how silly it sounds”. The resulting soaring flight of imagination sees her win the poetry competition to acclaims of her work being “brilliant” and “exceptional”.

Though this a picture book, a format typically aimed at toddlers, the theme makes it perfect for older children who are starting to write their own poems and stories. It’s a great book to share at home and in the classroom to free-up creativity and impart the important lesson that we can all use our imaginations to make magic — let’s tear up the rulebook and write!

Joanne Owen

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