With bold, cartoon-style art by illustrator Hatem Aly and delicious rhyming patterns by Omar Abed, The Book That Almost Rhymed (Dial, $18.99, 9780593406380) will immediately grab the eyes and ears of young readers and their caregivers. This picture book is a pure delight, sure to be a huge success at storytimes and bedtimes alike.
In rollicking iambic couplets, The Book That Almost Rhymed tells the story of a young writer proud to read his work aloud until his sister interrupts to alter every perfectly crafted rhyme. For example, what starts with “She ruined every rhyming verse, / so now my story sounds much—” concludes, thanks to his sister, with “MORE MAGNIFICENT!” Each time, the protagonist bravely soldiers on, adapting to the changes and keeping his cool, while Aly’s illustrations adjust accordingly in eclectic and exciting elements ways.
Despite the complexity of their design and the intricacies of layering digital illustrations, Aly keeps the illustrations visually simple and reminiscent of a child’s drawings. Because the rhymes are so tidy, young readers will easily be able to anticipate most of the originally intended rhyming words, which makes it even more fun when the page turns and the sister’s unexpected alterations arrive. Near the end, as the siblings prepare to face their biggest foe yet, the rhymes build the tension beautifully: “At last! They reached the treasure chest, / but something blocked them from their quest—/ the fiercest beast you could imagine! / A vicious, fire-breathing—” but instead of the expected “dragon,” the page turn reveals a surprise certain to result in peals of laughter.
As clever as every line of this book is, perhaps the most impressive part is how Abed blends the frustrations and responsibilities that come with having a younger sibling with immensely creative wordplay, especially as the ending reveals that the sister’s additions weren’t quite as random as they first seemed. In a perfect combination of pictures and text, the siblings work together to save the day, reminding us all of the power of collaboration and spontaneity.
