We are so excited to have Kelly Conroy join us today to share information about Picture Books with Refrains!

Picture book writer and poet Kelly Conroy is a 50% silly, fun-loving, never-grow-up big kid and a 50% hard-working, focused, analytical former actuary. She loves all things magical, whimsical, and numerical, and her goal in life is to make people smile.

She was initially inspired to write by her cousins, Stan and Jan Berenstain, creators of the Berenstain Bears, and continues to be inspired by her two rambunctious sons and mini goldendoodle, Chewy.

I’m here today to talk about refrains in picture books, but first, prepare to be amazed as I read your mind.

Look into the crystal ball….

Ooooh. A lot is going on in that brain of yours. It’s foggy, but some information is coming into view. I see… you have a favorite song (or two (or twenty)). You are thinking about one of them now. I hear…music and a chorus. I hear the chorus again. And again, and again… Oh no, it’s stuck in my head. I can’t get it out! I know all the words to the chorus. But I don’t know any other words — because you don’t either.

Was I right? Maybe yes, maybe no.

My point is songs have refrains. They are catchy, and they repeat, and they are probably what grabbed your attention in the first place. They draw you into the song. Once you connect to a part, you connect to the whole. Have you ever heard anyone say, “Gee, I really love the second verse of Sweet Caroline, but the rest of the song is just meh?” No. Never. No one in the history of Neil Diamond has ever, ever said that.

And once you know the words (or think you know them) and can belt them out at the top of your lungs, that is a game changer! You are one with the song. You are the song, and the song is you, which reminds me of this short video from The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Look at the joy on this man’s face, his internalization of the rhythm, and his complete confidence yet utter lack of awareness of the actual lyrics. (start at 1:20)

Ellen Degeneres' audience singing "Since You've Been Gone" - YouTube

Now, picture books. Anyone who has ever spent more than 18 seconds with a child knows they get very attached to the things they like, and books are no exception. Like the chorus of a song, a refrain in a book pulls them in. They can quickly and easily participate in the book. They’ll learn to repeat the words, read the words, and treasure the book that you are about to write for them.

Some examples:

When my kids were little, my favorite preschool storytime book was CLICK, CLACK, MOO COWS THAT TYPE by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin. (I’m going to just assume you have read this one.) I didn’t ever have to ask the kids to say the titular refrain with me. They just automatically clicked, clacked, mooed… and giggled!

Another of my favorites is BOB, NOT BOB! By Liz Garton Scanlon, Audrey Vernick, and Matthew Cordell. It is the story of Little Louie, who has a nasty cold and only wants to snuggle with his mother. However, when he says “Mom,” it comes out “Bob,” which, unfortunately for him but fortunately for us, is the name of his giant dog who always comes running. And slobbering. Throughout the book. In this case, the refrain amps up the irony and gives a reason to repeat the Mom/Bob joke over and over again.

CLOVIS KEEPS HIS COOL by Katelyn Aronson and Eve Farb is about a bull working in a china shop. Yeah, trouble. The destruction this combination can cause is obvious, but a sweet refrain throughout reminds Clovis, and the reader, to take a few seconds of grace before reacting.

In 30,000 STITCHES: THE INSPIRING STORY OF THE NATIONAL 9/11 FLAG by Amanda Davis and Sally Wern Comport, the refrain brilliantly parallels the resolve of the American people to the flag’s journey from tattered to renewed — in just five words.

Conversely, the refrain in WHEN WATER MAKES MUD: A STORY OF REFUGEE CHILDREN by Janie Reinart and Morgan Taylor juxtaposes the hardship of living in a refugee camp with the ever-present hope, joy, and creativity of children.

GOODNIGHT GANESHA by Nadia Salomon and Poonam Mistry is a fresh take on the classic GOODNIGHT MOON by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd. The refrain is immediately familiar, while the remaining text explores a beautiful, soothing bedtime routine and opens a window into South Indian culture.

A classic book with a refrain is Bill Martin, Jr. and Eric Carle’s BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR, WHAT DO YOU SEE? Although there is not much plot in this book, children are instantly hooked and curious. What will we see on the next page? What will be on the last page?

Finally, I WANT MY HAT BACK by Jon Klassen utilizes the refrain in yet a different manner. Dark humor. While the question remains the same throughout, the audience’s understanding of the answer evolves.