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WORK TITLE: THE BOOK THAT ALMOST RHYMED
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://www.omarabed.com
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Married; children: one son.
EDUCATION:Graduated from college.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer and software engineer.
WRITINGS
Also, author of the picture book, You, Me, and a Tree, 2019, and of young adult novels.
SIDELIGHTS
Omar Abed is a writer and software engineer based in northern VA. He has written books for children and young adults.
In 2024, Abed released The Book That Almost Rhymed. In an interview with Hollie Wolverton on Wolverton’s self-titled website, Abed explained how the idea for the book came to him. He stated: “I was pitching a different story to publishers and was getting lots of critical feedback about the rhyme in it. … My agent and I talked about it, and he suggested I try to write a non-rhyming story.” Abed continued: “The problem is, sometimes my default writing voice is rhyme. It’s musical and lyrical, and sometimes I can’t get out of that mindset. So I tried to write a non-rhyming story, but all I could think of were segments that rhymed… or almost rhymed but not quite. That got me thinking about a story where one person is trying to rhyme and another keeps interrupting them.” In the book, a brother attempts to recite his poetry but is repeatedly interrupted by his overzealous sister. When the boy comes to the rhyming word in the couplet, his sister interjects a word that does not rhyme. Nonetheless, the boy continues reciting his wacky poem about a knight on a pirate ship in space, who is fighting off fierce armadillos. At the end, the sister inadvertently adds a word that rhymes.
“The Book That Almost Rhymed … will immediately grab readers’ eyes and ears with its rollicking iambic couplets,” asserted Sara Beth West in BookPage. A contributor to Kirkus Reviews suggested: “Readers will have a fine time with these rhymes and certainly won’t be averse to the verse.” Carolyn Phelan, reviewer in Booklist, described the volume as “a picture book that’s sure to amuse young children.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, December 1, 2023, Carolyn Phelan, review of The Book That Almost Rhymed, p. 128.
BookPage, April, 2024, Sara Beth West, review of The Book That Almost Rhymed, p. 30.
Kirkus Reviews, January 1, 2024, review of The Book That Almost Rhymed.
ONLINE
Hollie Wolverton website, https://www.holliewolverton.com/ (March 1, 2024), Hollie Wolverton, author interview.
Omar Abed website, https://www.omarabed.com/ (May 28, 2024).
Bio
Omar Abed writes children’s books, poetry, and computer code. His picture books offer a generational bridge, making children laugh out loud while helping adults rediscover the magic of a creative story.
In his spare time, Omar is probably playing with his son, watching movies with his wife, or hacking away at some passion project. Omar is Palestinian-American and lives in Northern Virginia with his family.
Check out my book profile to learn about my favorite authors and books.
My Journey
I loved books as a child. Once I grew older and entered high school, I became interested in spoken-word poetry through Poetry Out Loud, a national poetry program introduced through my English classes. Poetry was like music. The words held power and rhythm. So, although I decided to pursue a career in engineering, I continued writing personal poems throughout high school and college whenever inspiration struck.
After graduating from college with a degree in Computer Engineering, I yearned for a creative outlet. I decided to post some of my poems as spoken-word pieces online. They didn't get very many views, but one comment stuck out and set things in motion: "If you made some tweaks to this poem, it would work really well as a children's picture book."
So, I made some tweaks, and sent my brand new picture book manuscript out to several publishers, and in response I heard...
Nothing.
I went back to the drawing board with a completely different manuscript - a story that I had written for my wife, which I thought might work as a picture book. In 2019, I self-published You, Me, and a Tree.
Writing this story taught me more about the publishing industry and gave me some credibility. When I was ready to start querying again, I was more prepared. Eventually, Connor Eck from Lucinda Literary gave me a chance and became my agent in 2020. Later that year, Penguin Random House acquired The Book That Almost Rhymed, my "traditional" debut.
Omar posing like a goofball
To follow along, join me on social media (@OmarAbedWrites) or join my mail list. You can also contact me or check out my Media Kit to collaborate.
Omar Abed has written a wide array of poetry, children's stories, and young adult novels. His publishing career began in 2019 with his first picture book, "You, Me, and a Tree".
Omar's picture books present an engaging perspective for adults as well as children. He believes that storytelling builds strong connections between people, and hopes that his stories foster those connections.
Omar also writes young adult novels about young love, and the pursuit thereof. He hopes to speak to the hearts of teens and young adults by sharing these experiences with them through evocative prose.
In his spare time, Omar pushes his comfort level with new personal challenges. Aside from being an author, Omar is a software engineer, basketball coach, investor, and entrepreneur.
Find more from Omar at OmarAbed.com, or on Facebook and Instagram @OmarAbedAuthor.
QUOTED: "I was pitching a different story to publishers and was getting lots of critical feedback about the rhyme in it. ... My agent and I talked about it, and he suggested I try to write a non-rhyming story."
"The problem is, sometimes my default writing voice is rhyme. It’s musical and lyrical, and sometimes I can’t get out of that mindset. So I tried to write a non-rhyming story, but all I could think of were segments that rhymed… or almost rhymed but not quite. That got me thinking about a story where one person is trying to rhyme and another keeps interrupting them."
Mar 1
5 min read
#FirstDraftFriday with Omar Abed
Kids love rhyme. Adults love rhyme. Editors...maybe not always so much. But what about a story that almost rhymes? Omar Abed found success with just that formula, and he's here for #FirstDraftFriday to tell us how his forthcoming picture book came to be. Read on to get inspired and then draft your own picture book manuscript today.
Cover of My Sister, Daisy
THE BOOK THAT ALMOST RHYMED, written by Omar Abed and illustrated by Hatem Aly, is out later this month from Penguin Random House.
To pre-order or learn more about Omar, visit omarabed.com.
Omar is generously offering a manuscript critique as a prize for someone who completes a draft today! Details on how to enter at the end of this post.
Welcome Omar! Can you tell us a little about THE BOOK THAT ALMOST RHYMED and what inspired you to sit down and write the first draft of it?
I wrote this story when I was actually trying to write something completely different. At the time, I was pitching a different story to publishers and was getting lots of critical feedback about the rhyme in it. The rhymes weren’t bad, but rather, I was told that it rhymed too much, or that the rhymes there didn’t help tell the story. My agent and I talked about it, and he suggested I try to write a non-rhyming story.
The problem is, sometimes my default writing voice is rhyme. It’s musical and lyrical, and sometimes I can’t get out of that mindset. So I tried to write a non-rhyming story, but all I could think of were segments that rhymed… or almost rhymed but not quite. That got me thinking about a story where one person is trying to rhyme and another keeps interrupting them.
Did you dive right in and start drafting when you had the story idea or did you let it stew for a while? Is this how you typically work?
This story, like most of my stories, came to me with a few solid lines that I couldn’t get out of my head. They ended up being the opening lines of the story:
The other day, I wrote this book.
You won’t believe how long it took…
I had the opening page immediately, but I had to figure out what the rest of the story was about. This is often how I approach my stories. I have to build a narrative around a concept that I feel excited about.
And how do you do that? How do you build that narrative?
I usually figure out main plot points I’d like to happen, then figure out how to make bridges between them that carry the story between major events.
Do you remember what you thought of your first draft of this story when it was done? Did you think it was a winner or were you not even sure you’d keep working on it?
I had some hesitations about the first draft. Actually, it was a story about animals at the start! I wasn’t confident that it had a strong plot at first, but I loved the concept and knew it was worth pursuing.
Can you share an excerpt of your original manuscript that changed significantly and how it appears in the final book?
It’s hard to pick a segment because the two stories are SO different. It started as a story about animals, not siblings, going on an adventure. For instance, here’s one of the narrator’s original lines to begin the story:
“... AS I WAS SAYING, my story was stunning.
It starts with a fox, who is sly and –”
And here’s how that segment turned out in the end:
“As. I. Was. Saying:
I wrote a smooth and seamless story
about a brave knight’s quest for glory.
He yearned for treasure all his own,
and so he journeyed, all alo—"
That said, I’m surprised how many plot points remained from the animal-focused version to the sibling version.
Did you have any favorite darlings you had to cut? Tell us why you loved it and why it had to go.
I had lots of rhyming segments that were alliterative and flowed well, but ultimately didn’t advance the story. Several of those had to be cut to reduce the word count and speed the story along.
What is the hardest part of writing a first draft for you? And how do you deal with that?
The hardest part is figuring out my characters and their motivations. I often know major plot points I want to hit, but I don’t know who my characters are or how I want them to get there. I often have to work backwards and say “What would make my character get to where I want them to be?” and then, later “How would that event affect their motivations?”
I discover my characters after I know my story, which… many will argue is bad. Characters and motivations are what drive your story. No one cares about the plot if they don’t care about the characters. But I’m not saying I don’t care about characters, just that it comes less naturally to me and I discover them later in the writing process.
What are your tips and tricks for getting that first draft committed to the page?
Keep a notebook nearby and jot down ideas when they come to you. Sometimes that separation from a screen is the space your mind needs to feel like it isn’t pressured into writing something down. For me, a word doc feels so formal, but having a physical paper, I can scribble words and draw and let my mind wander a bit more.
Most of my best stories started on paper so love that tip! Now it's up to you reader. Pick paper or screen and get drafting because today is #FirstDraftFriday!
To enter for a chance at a free picture book (under 1000 words) critique from Omar, do the following by 10 pm ET today (March 1, 2024):
Follow me and Omar on Twitter @HollieWolverton and @OmarAbedWrites (You can find him on most social media with that handle, so follow him wherever you're at!)
Complete a full picture book draft
Return to this blog post and comment that you’ve completed your draft and provide your Twitter handle or full name. You will need to Sign Up/Log In to leave a comment (it’s easy - just an email and password).
You don’t need to send in your draft or provide proof - we’re all about the honor system here! The lucky winner will be randomly drawn from the comments and announced on Twitter shortly after 10 pm ET tonight.
Happy writing!
QUOTED: "The Book That Almost Rhymed ... will immediately grab readers' eyes and ears with its rollicking iambic couplets."
The Book That Almost Rhymed
By Omar Abed
Illustrated by Hatem Aly
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 readers' eyes and ears with its rollicking iambic couplets.
A young writer is 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, exciting ways.
Despite the complexity of their design and the intricacies of layered digital illustrations, Aly's illustrations maintain the feel of children'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 the sister's unexpected alterations even more fun.
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. 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.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 BookPage
http://bookpage.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
West, Sara Beth. "The Book That Almost Rhymed." BookPage, Apr. 2024, p. 30. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A786212318/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=c3527a83. Accessed 27 Mar. 2024.
QUOTED: "Readers will have a fine time with these rhymes and certainly won't be averse to the verse."
Abed, Omar THE BOOK THAT ALMOST RHYMED Dial Books (Children's None) $18.99 3, 26 ISBN: 9780593406380
A little sister adds a unique spin to her brother's story.
A boy who's proud of his rhyming prowess has written a book in verse. As he recounts his story, his younger sib repeatedly butts in and completes each stanza with her own peculiar, non-rhyming twists that take his masterpiece in riotous directions. Readers will mostly figure out what the brother's "real" rhyming word should be in almost every interrupted instance throughout, courtesy of the author's strong hints (for instance, cutting off part of the intended word with hyphens). Thereafter, the author assumes missing rhyming words are obvious enough that further hints are unnecessary, though picture clues help. For example, little sis chimes in with "his pocket" when "book" is clearly intended, and so on for the duration of this clever, humorous exercise in poetry appreciation, wordplay, and vocabulary development. The brother complains that his sibling's spoiled his rhyme scheme, but when he takes a closer look at her additions, he realizes there was a method to her madness. All's forgiven, and the brother acknowledges she's a "rhyming prodigy." Readers will appreciate these rollicking rhymes and laugh at the sister's out-there ideas. The comical digital illustrations will elicit chuckles. The boy's dialogue is set in blue type, while the sister's is in red and emphatically boldfaced. The brother is tan-skinned; his sister is brown-skinned.
Readers will have a fine time with these rhymes and certainly won't be averse to the verse. (Picture book. 5-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Abed, Omar: THE BOOK THAT ALMOST RHYMED." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Jan. 2024, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A777736634/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=37bacd31. Accessed 27 Mar. 2024.
QUOTED: "a picture book that's sure to amuse young children."
The Book That Almost Rhymed.
By Omar Abed. Illus. by Hatem Aly.
Mar. 2024. 40p. Dial, $18.99 (9780593406380). PreS-Gr. 2.
A capable, imaginative boy has just written a series of rhyming verses that tell of imaginary adventures. He begins with, "The other day I wrote this book. / You wont believe how long it took ... I But then my sister came along, and now the story sounds all wro-" "BETTER!" calls his energetic little sibling, just in time to override his rhyming last word with her non-rhyming one. In their ever-changing, illogical story, a knight searching for treasure is wrenched into space and then taken aboard a pirate ship. He escapes but must face a fierce armadillo attack. Each verse begins with the boy's smooth, selfsatisfied verse, which is then wrenched into chaos by his sister's nonsensical ending word. The pattern repeats itself until the boy realizes that her last words rhyme with each other, adding another dimension to the verse. The book will find its perfect audience among children old enough to predict possible rhyming words but young enough to enjoy the silliness of the unexpected ending words and the chaos that springs from each unexpected plot twist. Reflecting the madcap quality of the verse, vivid, expressive illustrations capture the characters' shifting emotions, while creating lively backdrops for imagined events. A picture book that's sure to amuse young children. --Carolyn Phelan
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Phelan, Carolyn. "The Book That Almost Rhymed." Booklist, vol. 120, no. 7-8, 1 Dec. 2023, p. 128. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A777512585/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=a2c41b7f. Accessed 27 Mar. 2024.