Directions: Circle or highlight the examples of alliteration in these excerpts from Today I Feel Silly & Other Moods that Make My Day by Jamie Lee Curtis: Today I am joyful. My mood is first-rate. My friend s sleeping over, she said she can t wait. My freckles are popping, the sun is so bright. I ran in the relay with all of my might. Today I am sad, my mood's heavy and gray. There's a frown on my face and it's been there all day. My best friend and I had a really big fight. She said that I tattled and I know that she's right. Today I am quiet, my mom understands. She gave me two ice creams and then we held hands. We went to the movies and then had a bite. I cried just a little and then felt all right. Today I m excited there s so much to do. I m going to sell cookies and lemonade too. I m starting a club to go clean up the park. And I ve got a big crush on my teacher named Mark. 4
Directions: Circle or highlight the examples of alliteration in these excerpts from The Quiltmaker s Gift by Jeff Brumbeau: On the darkest and coldest nights, the woman would make her way down the mountain to the town below. There, she would wander the cobblestone streets until she came upon someone sleeping outside in the chill. She would then take a newly finished quilt from her bag, wrap it around their shivering shoulders, tuck them in tight, and tiptoe away. Now, the king completely forgot about feeling sorry and became angry all over again. He ordered the royal island-makers to build an island barely big enough for the woman to stand on her tiptoes... Tonight when you re too tired to stand, and lie down to sleep, you ll drown. And the king left her alone on the tiny island. Shortly after he left, the quiltmaker saw a sparrow flying across the great lake. A cold, fierce wind was blowing and it did not look like the poor bird would make it to shore. The quiltmaker called to him and he stopped to rest on her shoulder. The poor, tired sparrow was shivering, so the woman quickly made him a coat from scraps of her purple vest. When he was warmed and the wind had stopped, the bird flew off. But he was very grateful to the quiltmaker for what she had done. Soon the sky darkened as the air filled with a huge cloud of sparrows. 6
Directions: Circle or highlight the examples of alliteration in these excerpts from The Giver by Lois Lowry: She skipped me, Jonas thought, stunned. Had he heard her wrong? No. There was a sudden hush in the crowd, and he knew that the entire community realized that the Chief Elder had moved from Eighteen to Twenty, leaving a gap. On his right, Pierre, with a startled look, rose from his seat and moved to the stage. They both laughed a little nervously. But Jonas was certain that he could slip away, unseen, from his house, carrying an extra set of clothing. Silently he would take his bicycle to the riverbank and leave it there hidden in the bushes with the clothing folded beside it. Then he would make his way through the darkness, on foot, silently, to the Annex. There s no nighttime attendant, The Giver explained. I ll leave the door unlocked. You simply slip into the room. I ll be waiting for you. His parents would discover, when they woke, that he was gone. They would also find a cheerful note from Jonas on his bed, telling them that he was going for an early-morning ride along the river; that he would be back for the Ceremony. They would wait, with mounting anger, for him; finally, they would be forced to go, taking Lily to the Ceremony without him. They won t say anything to anyone, though, Jonas said, quite certain. They won t call attention to my rudeness because it would reflect on their parenting. 8
Directions: Circle or highlight examples of alliteration in these excerpts from The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe: ONCE upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore, While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. "'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door-- Only this, and nothing more." Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December, And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor. Eagerly I wished the morrow;--vainly I had sought to borrow From my books surcease of sorrow--sorrow for the lost Lenore-- For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore-- Nameless here for evermore. And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain Thrilled me--filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating "'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door-- Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;-- This it is, and nothing more." Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer, "Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore; But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping, And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door, That I scarce was sure I heard you"--here I opened wide the door;---- Darkness there, and nothing more. Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before; But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token, And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore!" This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!" Merely this, and nothing more. 10
A Note About Alliteration Alliteration is not simply a silly list of random words all starting with the same consonant. It is a poetic device used by serious authors to give a lyrical quality to their writing! Notice the sophistication of the alliteration in Gwendolyn Brooks poem, My Grandmother Is Waiting for Me to Come Home. My Grandmother Is Waiting for Me to Come Home My Grandmother is waiting for me to come home. We live with walnuts and apples in a one-room kitchenette above The Some Day Liquor Gardens. My Grandmother sits in a red rocking chair waiting for me to open the door with my key. She is Black and glossy like coal. We eat walnuts and apples, drink root beer in cups that are broken, above The Some Day Liquor Gardens. I love my Grandmother. She is wonderful to behold with the glossy of her coal-colored skin. She is warm wide and long. She laughs and she lingers. ~ Gwendolyn Brooks 12