Words—if you’re a writer, you love them. You NEED them. They’re our story building blocks.

I love the sound of certain words, the way they slide off the tongue. My book ABSURD WORDS began when I ran across the word “archipelago”. I stopped reading, transfixed by the exotic and lovely term for an island chain. I wrote it down…and my “favorite word list” began.

Whenever I read a fantastic word, in a crossword puzzle, novel, or news article, I wrote it down. When I heard it in a movie, TV show, or YouTube video, I wrote it down. I wanted to keep the good words close.

Since the Internet loves a list, I slapped the words on this website. Then when the list became the most heavily-accessed page on this site, I pitched my agent the concept for ABSURD WORDS.

I know, it’s not a picture book. A picture book brimming with substantial words isn’t fit for the age group. However, a wondrous word on its own can conjure up ideas for marvelous picture book stories!

Let’s go back to “archipelago”. This word was featured in the Christmas stop-motion classic “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” to describe the location of The Island of Misfit Toys.

Toys! Misfits! On an island far away! Longing for a child to love them! Did all these ideas originate with the word “archipelago”? Maybe???

I don’t shy away from using difficult words in my picture books, as long as I use them sparingly and in context so their meaning can be sussed out. But I’m not suggesting you just slip “labyrinth” into your story—I am encouraging you to begin with “labyrinth” to discover where it leads. What ideas spring forth? Children love secretive places about which adults are clueless—so where does your “labyrinth” story go?

I’ve got more words to love!

  • zhuzh
  • scrumble
  • derring-do
  • sardoodledom
  • swellhead
  • finicky
  • pareidolia
  • gravitas
  • moonbow
  • fiddlesticks
  • galactico
  • jimberjawed
  • shackbaggerly
  • soliloquy
  • nonuplets
  • cahoots
  • sticktoitiveness
  • againwend
  • flipperling

Plus, of course, the entire original list!

But you don’t necessarily need my lists. Think of your favorite word as a jump-start. Thumb through a dictionary. Devour a thesaurus.

Words can take us (and our readers) anywhere we want to go!

Tara Lazar is giving away a fiction picture book critique to one lucky Storystorm winner.

You’re eligible to win if you’re a registered Storystorm 2024 participant and you have commented only once below.

Prizes will be distributed at the conclusion of Storystorm.