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Devices of Style in Children's Writing

© Sue Reichard

Style in writing varies from writer to writer and no two writers have the same style. For a writer, style is often determined by the writer's use of specific writing devices. There are many different devices of style, but certain devices are most often used when writing literature for children.

Puns and wordplay add humor to children's writing and reinforces the pleasure of hearing words and the pleasure of speaking words when text is read aloud.

Onomatopoeia is a sound device that occurs when words sound like their meanings. An example would be, the saw buzzed, the bird chirped or the cow mooed.

Another sound device often used when writing for children is alliteration. Easily recognized by the repetition of initial consonants, we are most familiar with tongue twisters - for example, she sells she shells by the seashore. The effect is musical and rhythmic.

Assonance is a device that enhances meaning by the repitition of similar vowel sounds within a phrase. The wind whispered wearily on the day old Bandit died. The words give a feeling a heaviness and sorrow. Consonance is the close repetition of consonant sounds. Constantly crowing, the old cock stalked about the courtyard. A passage needs to be read out loud to test for these devices of sound.

Rhythm and cadence are often used in prose writing for children. This is especially true of picture books that are read aloud to children. Rhythm is often one of the main considerations for picture book publication.

A symbol is a person, object, situation or action that can be literal or figurative. Some symbols are only relative to a particular story; others are universal. Picture books sometimes use symbolism to help readers understand a theme in a particular book. The death of a grandparent or parent can be symbolized by the death of a pet or the death of a tree.

Connotation is the associative or emotional meaning of a word. Examples of size are often used to convey proper size such as, the box was as big as a kitten or the turtle was the size of a bar of soap.

Imagery is the most used device and often the most important. When writing for children, imagery is critical. We all take in messages through our senses, but children are especially perceptive to this device. Imagery is used to create setting or mood, or describe a character or smell, sound or action. Imagery is critical and should be used in all writing for children.

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