| Children's Writers Brainstorming Lists |
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"All aboard," called the conductor.
"Bath time, Geraldine," Mama called.
"Big cat, big cat, catch me if you can!" The mouse teased the cat and ran, ran, ran.
"Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see?"
"Curses!" cried Freddy LeGrand.
"Did you say a GIANT!...a real giant, not pretend, an actual giant lives in your backyard?"
"Eli's coming!" calls my baby sister Beth.
"Get up, Hackett," said Ivy. "It's Mother's Day. We have to make a surprise for Mama."
"Good Snake can make any wish come true," Emeke's grandmother often said.
"Gran and Granddad, why are you such bald old wrinklies?"
"Hello, Louie! Hello, Mary Ann!" said Grandpa.
"Hello, Mary Ann! Hello, Louie!" said Grandpa.
"Help!" squealed Smudge. "Mother save us!" squeaked Kitty. "I can't cat-paddle."
"Hey, cat!"
"Hey who? Hey me?"
"Honk-honk-honk." The wild geese were flying south.
"How do you feel, asked Pamela Neal, "if you slip and fall on a banana peel?"
"How's that new baby brother of yours?" said Grandpa.
"I can run," Minnie said.
"I can't find Hannibal anywhere, Mom," David said.
"I hate cooking class at school," Sam said.
"I have nothing to do," said Walter Possum.
"I know a place," said Andrew to Tim, "if I tell you, will you believe me?"
"I think it's time," said Grandma Mouse to Great-Aunt Emily, "For a family get-together. I'll ask them all to tea."
"I want a picture to put on my wall," said Harold.
"I've made some cookies for tea," said Ma.
"Is your mama a llama?" I asked my friend Dave.
"It's no use," said Mrs. Bear. "The baby won't go to sleep."
"It's time to go to bed," said Grandpa.
"Knock, knock." "Who's there?"
"Let's go camping this weekend!"
"Little Billy's mother was always telling him exactly what he was allowed to do and what he was not allowed to do."
"Little Pig," called the farmer. "Come for your lunch!"
"Look," said Lind. "There is a sign on that tree."
"Ma," called Sheila Crow, "Sammy is sucking his thumb and nice-ing his blanket again."
"Mimi dancing all alone In the garden on her own Makes a song up one-two-three--She's quite clever, isn't she?" sang Mimi.
"Mother! I hear a noise!"
"Mr. Hayman." "Mr. Munroe." Sometimes that was all they said for hours.
"Now, don't copy me, Rex!" said Lilly.
"Oh, Amelia Bedelia, your first day of work.
"Oh, it's fun to play on a sunshiny day," I said to myself as I went on my way.
"Oh, Mrs. Applebaum, what a beautiful baby!"
"Outside!" Matthew's mother commanded. "Away from my clean floors."
"Rhoda, please clean up your room now," said Rhoda's mother.
"See you later, sailor," Mom calls, and my little brother hugs me tight.
"Stir the pot, Pete. They'll be a-coming soon," said Cookie.
"That sign is a mess," said Albert Binky.
"There is a new piano teacher in town," said my mom, from behind the newspaper she was reading.
"This is a good dinner, Mom."
"This is my third-best baseball," my cousin Charlie told me when I went to his house to play.
"Time for bed," said Grandpa. "I hope that story wasn't too scary for you."
"Today you can go to work with me," said Willy's dad.
"Tonight, Mama? Really? I may go with you and Papa?"
"Walk, Moompa," said Toby.
"Watch for a storm," the fox said.
"Watch out!"
"What a party this will be!"
"What day is today, Grandpa?" asked Louie.
"What should we be for Halloween?" asked Amanda./In Father's garden a pumpkin was growing./"Trick or treat!" said Amanda./"Good-bye," said Mother. "Have fun!" said Father.
"What was the first song ever sung?" said the little boy to his father. "The first song ever sung was a strong song, a man's song, a warrior's song, a friend's song," said the father to the little boy.
"What's your hurry, Herbie?" asked Amelia.
"When I was a teensy-weensy little baby," Josie said, "how did I eat?"
"Where's Mom?"
"Why are you painting my old high chair?"
"Won't you take me for a ride?" asks the tiger cub.
"Woof! Woof!" barks Bernie.
"Your portrait is completed," the painter told the queen.
'Aarrgh...I'm the robber, Gangelhoff. Open your door or I'll tear it off.'
'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer thought it scarcely worth his while to waste much time on the old violin, but held it up with a smile: What am I bidden, good folks," he cried, "Who'll start the bidding for me?"
'Twas the day after Christmas; warmer climes were my wish, So I asked the dear Cows if they thought me foolish.
'Twas the night before Christmas, and in our duplex/The children were plugged into special effects,/While pizza with sausage and peppers they downed/With soda, plus popcorn and chips by the pound.
(after The Queen of Hearts..and took them clean away) "Where are the tarts?" asked the Queen of Hearts.
A couple of mice lived in a dusty attic with their only child.
A dog barks and this cat with no name scrambles up a fence.
A fox jumped up one winter's night and begged the moon to give him light, for he'd many miles to run that night before he'd reached his den, O!
A goat went out one day.
A hush settled over the hills.
A is for apple tree.
A is for apple. Everyone knows that.
A is for Armadillo Lizard. When attacked or frightened, the Armadillo Lizard pretends it is a pinecone.
A is for Asia, one-third of the earth.
A is for the Americas, North, Central, and South.
A king once lived who took great pride in his menagerie of beasts.
A lady from the principal's office came to the first grade.
A little man was on a train.
A long time ago in a simple cottage beside the deep, dark woods, there lived a pretty child called Red Riding Hood.
A long time ago, in the mist-covered Smoky Mountains, there lived a man with three daughters.
A long time ago there lived a monster who was called the Sphinx.
A long time ago there lived a three-year-old author.
A long time ago there was an artist who lived on a mountain.
A long time ago when there was no electricity and the streetlamps in Little Italy had to be lit by hand, Peppe lived in a tenement on Mulberry Street.
A man in a striped suit was walking past a fruit store.
A mouse lives in a dark closet where the family never sees her.
A new day! It's time to play.
A pup is in the hut.
A seed can grow. Plant one and see.
A spot. A spot. Another spot.
A thunderstorm swept the field sending mice chittering to their grass nests...
A tired but enthusiastic Bob Williams watched through thick glasses as twelve girls took the field and warmed up.
A very long time ago, before your grandmother's time or your great-grandmother's time, there were no pumpkins.
A wicked Archer with cruel Arrow shot and killed a little sparrow.
A witch was stirring her brew in a big, fat, magic pot.
A woman who lived in Holland, of old, Polished her brass till it shone like gold.
A young carpenter was unhappy in his trade.
Aa apples. Smurfs are three apples high.
Absolutely everybody in Triple Creek loved their TV sets.
Across the road there is a gravel pit.
Addie peeked over the fence.
Aesop was an ancient Greek and spoke no language I can speak.
After Mr. Pig married Selma Pig he said, "My dears, we must have a cozy house to live in."
Albert was a bird.
Alex and the cat were restless.
Alistair Grittle lived the quiet life of an ordinary schoolboy.
Alistair Grittle was a boy of science.
Alistair Grittle was a very busy boy. He had no time for nonsense.
All day long the sky had been crawling with clouds as mean and restless as ghosts on the prowl.
All over this farm there are instruments that no one plays anymore.
All Puss wanted was a place to put her chipmunk so it couldn't get away!
All summer long Miss Grasshopper chose to stroll around and sing.
All week long, Nora has been waiting for Saturday.
Along the block and down the street, people wait and listen.
Along the dark woods path Joe Bracken's old coon hound howled and yelped and zigged past Joe, leaped over the rook and zagged to the same fir tree, the same one as always.
Alpok Lives in Attic, Eats Armchairs, army ants, Aunt Alice's aprons and almost anything
Alvin Alligator sits in An Armchair eating An Apple.
Alvin was an alligator.
An alligator's eating all the A's that he can spot.
An apple ran.
An hour before sunrise, Farmer Palmer tip-hoofed out of the house and went to the barn to wake up his hired hand, Ebenezer.
An icy drizzle was falling the morning that Marvin's parents brought home the baby.
An oak tree stands upon a hill.
An old alley cat called her son to her bed.
An old man lived by himself in a cabin near the railroad tracks in the state of Georgia.
An old, old merry-go-round was in the park.
Andy took Oliver out for a ride.
Angela's father took her to the airport, but when they got there, a terrible thing happened.
Angelina loved her bicycle, and rode it everywhere.
Angelina's cousin Henry liked to go to her ballet lessons at Miss Lilly's and join in the dancing.
Annie has four grannies, Annie loves them all. One is six feet seven, One is four feet tall.
Annie's best friend Bea was on vacation.
Anxious animals in an anchored ark.
Apple, sweet apple, where do you hide?
Ariel and her little brother, Jeffrey, climbed into the back seat of the family car.
Armadillo author addresses Angora angels.
Armadillos, one, two, three--Bo! Let's go," Ma Armadillo called to her boys as they headed out to dig, deep in the heart of Texas hill country.
Arthur and D. W. had been in the drugstore a long time.
Arthur's class was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop.
As the hour for the performance approaches, the Masai villagers gather before the closed curtain, waiting expectantly.
As the morning sun rose, slender shafts of sunshine crawled across Robin's bedroom floor and came to rest upon a small trunk, a present from her dad, who was far away on a business trip.
At All Times Say "Please when you ask for something...and "Thank you" when you get it.
At breakfast Benito asked his grandmother what she had dreamed last night, and she couldn't remember.
At breakfast yesterday, Dad wasn't himself at all.
At Grandpa's house things were always the same.
At our farm just outside Union City, Michigan, we didn't celebrate the same holidays as most of our neighbors...but we shared their delight and anticipation of them just the same.
At the edge of a big field, in a medium sized pond, lived a small fish called Gorf.
At the foot of the low and soft hills near the sea, lay the small village of Capistrano.
At the top of the stairs, at the end of the hall, is a room that you don't want to peek in at all.
Aunt Nancy didn't turn any cartwheels when Cousin Lazybones come to visit.
Aunt Stella's about as old as you can get.
Auntie says it's the angels rolling potatoes.
baa-baa
Babar and his family were going to Black Castle.
Baby Mickey cannot find his red ball!
Back in the days of petticoats and prairie schooners there was a pioneer woman named Iva Dunnit.
Bambolona, the baker's daughter, was angry.
BB is off to meet his friend Tatty Ted.
Bear has got..furry ears...furry tummy...but he can't see his teddy tail!
Beasts and birds? Oh, I've heard some whoppers about the strange critters out here on the prairie.
Beautiful marvelous mud.
Beep, beep!
Before Henry the duckling could talk or barely waddle, he was already getting into trouble.
Ben had never had a pet.
Benjamin King and his sister, Kate, looked everywhere.
Benny had three good things.
Benny has a baby brother.
Benny the Breakdown Truck was watching Mike McCannick at work in Smallbills Garage.
Bernard Bear was sitting in front of his cave at the edge of the forest.
Beyond where the sun does set, farther than the rainbow falls, on an island in the middle of a swamp, a strange hunch-backed gnome silently sat on a gaily bridled goat watching daylight turn to dusk, turn to dark.
Big Bird sat on the steps of 123 Sesame Street.
Big Bird was on his way to Sesame Street when he saw a sign at a fork in the road.
Bill, Bart, and Johnny were brothers, and Johnny was the youngest.
Billy was a little boy who had a fine pony named Blaze.
Birds are singing as Nancy Moore leaves her house.
Bit cat, little hat. Big hat, little cat.
Blooming Christmas here again!
Bob and John lived in a lovely neighborhood at the end of South Paw Boulevard.
BONK Where am I? Who am I?
Boober Fraggle peeked out of the tunnel.
Bramwell Brown had been busy knitting all week.
Brer Wolf is full of ways to get Brer Rabbit.
Brother Bear was just crazy about Space Grizzlies.
Brrr! Is winter coming?
Brrring! The school bell rang at Acme Looniversity.
Bruce and Betty were Bunny Scouts.
Bruce and Betty were Bunny Scouts.
Buddy's father had a beautiful big nose.
Buttons, balloons, and flags for sale.
Buttons the clown is back in town.
Car 10 went up to the top.
Carlos crossed the street with quick steps.
Carmen got the popper.
Chapter One Albert and June are up early. It is market day.
Charlie Parker played be bop.
Charlotte and Emilio's favorite uncle is bringing his circus to town.
Chester had his own way of doing things.
Chip and Dip were two little chipmunks.
Chuck Cluck looks like other chicks.
Comet was born thirty miles out to sea on Nantucket Island.
Count the bunny flipping over, by himself above the clover.
Coyote darted in and out, back and forth among the rocks.
Crab apples.
Curtis! It's time to do your homework!
Dad and Jill drive us to the train station.
Dad has a fat pack.
Daddy! Daddy! Mommy says you're taking us to the beach today!
Dance a mambo,/snap to a rap,/put on your cleats and tap, tap, tap.
Daniel's missing. Was he stolen? Was he kidnapped? Is he dead? Check the hamper. Search the attic. Vacuum underneath the bed!
Danny told Jim what he wanted for Christmas.
Danny was a big little dinosaur.
Darcy didn't like the baby.
David was a boy with a wonderful imagination.
Dear Lord Gilbert, How delighted I was to receive that dear little partridge in the pear tree.
Deep in the lush green forests of Oregon, there are small mushroom villages that are inhabited by tiny beings called Elfkins.
Detective Mole was about to board the train.
Did you ever have the feeling there's a WASKET in your BASKET?
dinosaur two legs swish swish
dinosaur fishing for dinosaur fish
dinosaur crawl dinosaur creep
tiptoe dinosaur dinosaur sneak...
Do you see that little shop sandwiched between two skyscrapers?
Do you want to play ball with me?
Dogs don't wear sneakers and pigs don't wear hats and dresses look silly on Siamese cats.
Don the fox has a big tin box.
Donkey-donkey was a nice little donkey.
Donnie slips quietly into the sunroom where Gramma waits.
Down from the meadow where birch trees are leaning, down from the wildflowers yellow and blue, down through the dark green, wet, moss-covered boulders, over gold pebbles, past giddy ferns waving, plunging and pitching, tumbling and shivering, the quick brook says, "Pattaconk, Pattaconk, Pattaconk."
Down the dusty roads and far away, a poor mother once lived with her seven children named Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Draw me a star. And the artist drew a star.
Dring, dring went the alarm.
Drip, drip, drop.
Duck had cleaned his house. All his floors were waxed. All his furniture was polished.
Dudley was the kindest elephant you could ever hope to meet.
Early in the year 1940, in the country of Denmark, there were only Danes.
Early one June morning, before the sun has had a chance to peek over the horizon, Nickel Penny is awakened by the strong smells of brown sugar and cinnamon, bread baking, and strawberry corn muffins cooling.
Early one morning Barnaby's mother saw him off on his raft.
Early one morning Plaid Bear left his comfortable home in Woodly to spend a restful vacation at Dingle-by-the-Sea.
Earth's Biomes: Where do we live?
Eat your egg, Max, said Max's sister Ruby.
Ed is sad.
Ed Vard Grooter loved tulips--all kinds of tulips: dwarf tulips, pointy-petaled tulips, petaled pointy tulips, blushing Keizerkroons, and blooming Zomerschoons.
Eddie doesn't want to come and picnic in the woods with Mom.
Eeyore stood there, gazing sadly at the ground and Winnie-the-Pooh walked all round him.
Ehanni, in the old days, people dried buffalo meat in the sun to preserve it.
Elizabeth imagined an iceberg and, confident that it might be friendly, she visited it often, quite bravely, and told it to call her just Beth.
Elizabeth, Zack, and Max were sad.
Elmo is a little pig.
Emily loved to go to the ocean--there were so many things to see. (Model--Someone goes somewhere, text tells what they see and do, then they leave.)
Emma and her mother and father were going on vacation.
Even on the boat they had to practice.
Evening quiet, shadows stretching. One light, two lights, three lights, four.
Everett Anderson holds the hand of his mama until he falls asleep and dreams about Daddy in his chair, and at the park, and everywhere.
Everett Anderson loves the sound of Merry Christmases all around and bells ringing and people singing and Mama smiling her secret smile and winking at him once in a while.
Every fall, when the leaves start melting into pretty purples and reds and those bright golden shades of pumpkin, Mama says, "Coat time, Gabrielle!"
Every Friday evening, Sonnie, Stefan, Anna, Chrissie, and Lena played in the street or in the yard.
Every good theater has a cat.
Every morning Chameleon rested and caught flies in the high branches of the Mugumu tree.
Every morning, Emma and Mommy talk to God.
Every night you start on a marvelous journey.
Every summer Leah spends two weeks with her grandparents, Gramm and Poppy.
Every time we go to my Grandma's house we stay all night.
Every year on New Year's Eve, my whole family goes to Grandma's house for dumpling soup.
Everybody is outside on Sesame Street.
Everybody knows there's such a thing as luck.