We who work in children’s literature speak a language all our own. No, I’m not talking about “simultaneous submissions” or “stet”. You’ll see what I mean when you read the Kidlitionary!
Blubbergasted
When you cannot believe someone has never read a Judy Blume book.
Barnett Storming
Publishing a dozen best-selling, critically-acclaimed books within a ridiculously short time frame.
Caldecutt (or Caldenott)
Being snubbed for a Caldecott honor.
Carpe Read’em
Seize the books.
Dahlings
Fans of Roald Dahl, particularly those of the female persuasion.
Karma
When good things come to you after reading a Karma Wilson book.
Kate Plus Eight
When Kate DiCamillo appears on Betsy Bird’s blog.
Lichtenhold
The hug a child gives to a picture book they love. Most commonly witnessed with books by Tom Lichtenheld.
Meter Maids
Rhyming geniuses who fix meter problems, most notably Corey Rosen Schwartz and Tiffany Strelitz Haber.
Motown
Northampton, Massachusetts, home to Mo Willems.
Raiders of the Last ARC
Book bloggers and eBay sellers who grab the last BEA or ALA ARCs before librarians can.
Revisionist History
The multiple Word docs that exist for one picture book manuscript.
Rexipe
When you have all the ingredients to create a stellar picture book. “Way to be like Adam! You’ve got the Rexipe.”
Santatigans
1. Jocularity and mayhem caused by reading a Dan Santat book.
2. Fans of Dan Santat.
3. Jocularity and mayhem perpetrated by Dan Santat.
Selznicked
When someone is not acknowledged for his or her contribution. “They didn’t thank you. Man, you were Selznicked!” (Origin: 2012 Oscars.)
Shel Shocked
The despair and horror you feel after taking a terrible author head shot.
Swagger
The feeling of superiority while scoring awesome SWAG from your favorite author.
Wiesner
The wisdom that accompanies creating a wordless picture book spread. “You’d be Wiesner to leave the text out.”
Zka Syndrome
Confusing Jon Scieszka with Jarrett J. Krosoczka. Relax; this is a curable condition. Related affliction: confusing Peter Brown with Peter Reynolds (but it doesn’t have as cool a name).
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Got an entry for the Kidlitionary? Please leave it in the comments!
27 comments
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October 4, 2012 at 9:29 am
A.M.B.
Ha! I’ve always thought Shel Silverstein’s headshot is bit too tough-looking for children’s books. As for David Wiesner, I am so conflicted about his wordless picture books (like Flotsam). I prefer his near-wordless books (like Art & Max), which give a little more structure to the story to help out a tired parent who is stuck deciphering his complicated illustrations for children who want to listen and not participate.
October 4, 2012 at 10:21 am
carterhiggins
NEWNEWBERY: When your debut novel wins the big one, ie. Clare Vanderpool’s MOON OVER MANIFEST.
SCHUPEFIED: A condition marked by rushing out to the bookstore after a riveting book review by Mr. Schu, because you absolutely must read that book. Right now.
HOLMWORK: Obsessively reading SQUISH and BABYMOUSE books back to back to back. See also: HOLMSTRETCH, being on the final pages of any SQUISH or BABYMOUSE book.
October 4, 2012 at 10:33 am
Tara Lazar
Haha, brilliant. I especially like SCHUPEFIED. I experience that often.
October 4, 2012 at 10:24 am
Diana Murray
Good ones, Tara! Made-up words are my favorite!
Direxions: An Adam Rex book that is used as a guide to becoming a better writer and/or illustrator.
Santachment Theory: The theory that a reader will not easily part with a book that has Dan Santat’s name on the cover.
Manuscrapped: A manuscript that collects enough rejections will eventually be “manuscrapped”.
Rejecularity: The art of joking about rejections. Unfortunately, sometimes no amount of rejecularity makes a writer feel better. (And yes, I got the idea from Tara’s “jocularity” 🙂 )
October 4, 2012 at 10:34 am
Tara Lazar
Awesome, Diana! Santachment is perfection.
October 4, 2012 at 10:43 am
Cathy C. Hall
Ha! LOVE these!
GONE WITH THE WORDS: The angst of losing some of your manuscript’s best bits because your word count’s too high.
PLOT-BOMBED: The act of finding your manuscript’s brilliant idea in a recently published book.
NEWBURIED: When a wonderful book doesn’t win due to a plethora of wonderful books released in the same year.
October 4, 2012 at 10:45 am
Tara Lazar
God ones, Cathy! It seems so easy to be Newburied.
October 4, 2012 at 11:00 am
Tara Dairman
Ha! I love this! I’m definitely a Dahling…
October 4, 2012 at 4:07 pm
Gary Masskin
Regarding the very last point, would you need a Peternity Test to tell them apart?
October 4, 2012 at 4:12 pm
Gary Masskin
Their babies, that is.
October 4, 2012 at 4:13 pm
Gary Masskin
And by ‘babies’, I mean books.
October 4, 2012 at 4:17 pm
Tara Lazar
Lots of *rimshots* there, Gary! LOL
October 4, 2012 at 4:34 pm
laurimeyers
I love revisionist history, which I must be keeping so I can say “see in the first version the rhyme was terrible but look how amazing it turned out!” *signs 1000 autographs*
October 5, 2012 at 6:29 pm
SevenAcreSkyDean
Rhymeatoid Fever –
a condition marked mostly not being able
to write a short story or tale or a fable
without using words that by rule have to rhyme
and with meter that’s written in perfect clock time
to the point where the point is lost somewhere inside
of the meter and rhyme where it has to abide.
October 5, 2012 at 8:44 pm
Tara Lazar
Is your real name Dr. Seuss? Nice!
October 6, 2012 at 10:10 am
Damon Dean
No…
but I began reading when he began writing
and so I conclude that there’s no point in fighting
the influences of the good Dr.’s fine work
so I’m just a rhyme-writing beat-counting word clerk.
-Damon Dean
November 1, 2012 at 4:49 pm
viviankirkfield
This is FANTASTIC!!!
Thanks for putting in the time
To give us such a perfect rhyme
It’s true that most of us fall short
Our rhyme-boat fails to reach home port.
But yours definitely sailed in with flags flying!!! What fun!
October 7, 2012 at 8:29 am
PragmaticMom
This is so funny! Thank you! Really enjoyed a chuckle and have to say I’d be Blubbergasted too if I met any adult who never heard or read a Judy Blume book!
October 7, 2012 at 9:18 am
Becky Wilson
I was sent here by 100 Scope Notes. These are great!
October 8, 2012 at 4:10 pm
prachi jain
Love it!
October 9, 2012 at 1:04 am
Zoe
Very funny! Hope there’s more to come 🙂
October 11, 2012 at 4:33 pm
valerierlawson
outstanding. loved them all.
October 15, 2012 at 7:16 am
thepicturebookreview
This is a fantastic list!
October 18, 2012 at 7:45 pm
Jim Hill (@jimhill)
Fantats – the collective legion of Dan Santat fans. I’ve been trying to get this one to stick for a while!
October 18, 2012 at 7:56 pm
Tara Lazar
Yeah! I like it!
October 19, 2012 at 1:39 pm
Tara Lazar, Writing for Kids (While Raising Them) | Robin Newman Books
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November 1, 2012 at 4:51 pm
viviankirkfield
Tara…I guess I hadn’t been following your posts carefully, even though I was ‘following’ your posts! This one is a hoot! Thanks for sharing these…they are great. 🙂