Colossal Words for Kids crowned winner of CLiPPA!
Colette Hiller has been crowned the winner of the prestigious CLiPPA Award for her book, Colossal Words for Kids!
Photo credit Karyn Louise
The judges, including ‘patron saint of poetry’ Roger McGough and last year’s winner Matt Goodfellow, have chosen Colossal Words for Kids (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books) written by former actress and BBC education producer Colette Hiller.
In Colossal Words for Kids, which is illustrated by Tor Freeman, Colette defines – in very clever rhyme – 75 ‘colossal’ words that children can use in their everyday lives, from capacious to voracious, procrastinate to zest.
Roger McGough describes her winning collection as “indisputably original and ambitious, with rhymes that demand to be spoken aloud… and proof that learning big words needn’t be even faintly soporific!”
We were lucky to share some questions with Colette about Colossal Words for Kids!
Colette, you have created an impressive book of tremendous words! How did you choose the words you wanted to use?
I wanted to choose useful words that children would actually want to use! A word like ‘unbiased’ may seem advanced for a 7-year-old, but what child doesn’t understand the principal of fairness? And who’d ever want to say, ‘second to last’ when instead you could say ‘penultimate’? If a child can understand a concept, then they’re ready to learn the word.
How long did it take to write your rhymes for the 75 words?
These were written during the pandemic, so around 2 years. The rhymes may look simple, but they can be surprisingly time-consuming to write. Each is like trying to solve a tricky puzzle: How to define a word concisely, with clarity and rhythm. And be mildly amusing!
You have chosen some brilliant quotes to appear throughout the book – had you chosen these ahead of time?
Finding the quotes was a joy and gives the book an important connection with literature. It was thrilling to find a quote that perfectly illustrated the word in meaningful context. For example, take the quote for the word ‘Retaliate’. It often requires more courage not to strike back than to retaliate, Booker T. Washington
What did you think of the illustrations created by Tor Freeman?
Tor’s illustrations are lively and entertaining, but they also have an important function. Each image reinforces the meaning of the word. For example, the word acrimonious shows two people arguing fiercely, right across the rhyme. The rhyme for effervescent is inside a glass of fizzy soda and for meander, young Amanda meanders off the page!
Were there any words that had to be left out of the book?
I spent ages writing a rhyme for the word hue. I think I was enticed by the notion of hues of blues. But alas my definition wasn’t quite accurate: a hue is not in fact a shade, as I’ve since learned! Another word was dropped because it really was too obscure. Still, it remains a favourite and it’s dying for a little outing. So here it is for good measure:
Abstruse
If this definition
Was actually abstruse
You wouldn’t understand it then
(which wouldn’t be much use!)
Could there be room for another version with more words?
Oh, wouldn’t that be nice! I’m already collecting words to include and I would welcome suggestions!
How did you feel when you won the CLiPPA?
And the winner is….. When I learned I won the CLIPPA I really did feel discombobulated – (could this marvellous thing really be happening?) and so I proceeded to recite my rhyme for that word! It turns out that when you are feeling ‘discombobulated’ it’s quite hard to say the word aloud!
Colette Hiller is the author of Colossal Words for Kids, published by Quarto (Frances Lincoln) on May 9, 2024.
