A Word of Discord: A Book of Not-Quite-Rhymes, by Martha Seif Simpson

Poetry, chapbook, 24 pages, from Bottlecap Features.

          The fat rat said to cat, 
          “Let’s have a chat about that hat.”
          While bat sat on a flat doormat
          The tiny gnat said, “What?”

Ouch! Did you hear that last word? What does not rhyme with the other at words, even though it looks like it should.

A Word of Discord: A Book of Not-Quite Rhymes is a collection of 40 short poems. Each one contains several similarly-spelled words that rhyme, except for the last word, which is pronounced differently. This concept is explained in the book’s introduction. Readers are encouraged to say the poems aloud so they can hear the rhymes and how that final, discordant word does not fit. The poems incorporate clever wordplay and are told with a wry sense of humor that could appeal to children as well as adults. These poems are sure to spark conversations about the quirks of the English language and may be useful in the classroom for teaching spelling or pronunciation. They could even serve as writing prompts, inspiring readers to create their own not-quite rhymes.

Martha Seif Simpson is a retired children’s librarian and the author of five picture books: What Not to Give Your Mom on Mother’s Day (Two Lions), The Dreidel That Wouldn’t Spin: A Toyshop Tale of Hanukkah, Esther’s Gragger: A Toyshop Tale of Purim, A Ring for a King: A Tale of King Solomon (all with Wisdom Tales), and I Will NOT Eat Latkes! (Apples & Honey). She also published five library reference books with McFarland & Company. She is a longtime member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, the American Library Association, the Association of Jewish Libraries, and the Authors Guild. Martha enjoys traveling with her husband, watching women’s basketball, and bragging about her four adult children and three granddaughters. Her favorite poet is Ogden Nash, even though her high school English teacher insisted he didn’t write real poetry.

Check her website (www.Martha-Seif-Simpson.com) and Substack (marthakidlitauthor.substack.com) for more information. You can also find her on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky as Martha Kidlit Author.