Authors:
Hardcover, 108 pages
Publisher: Candlewick
Publication Date: 1996-09-02


Reviews :

    Charming watercolor illustrations enhance a delightful collection of sixty classic Mother Goose rhymes, including "Hey Diddle, Diddle," "Pat-a-Cake," "Little Jack Horner," and many others....

    There should be a law that requires every child to sit on Grandpa's knee as he chants "Trot, trot, to Boston; trot, trot, to Lynn." Grownups who still giggle at the thought of Little Jack Horner pulling a plum out of his Christmas pie, or who make a wish on a star, murmuring "Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight" know the secret. They're the ones who will be handing down those same nursery rhymes to their own children, preserving an age-old tradition. But no child should be left behind.

In world folklore authority Iona Opie's collection, these invaluable and ancient nuggets of childhood verse are bursting with new life. Quirky and sly, sweet, gentle, rollicking, silly... the range of rhymes is breathtaking. Winner of over a dozen prestigious awards, including a Parents' Choice Award and an ALA Notable Children's Book award, this wonderful book is charmingly illustrated by Rosemary Wells, best known for her Max books (Max's Bath, Max's Bedtime, Max's Ride). A solid repertoire of nursery rhymes should be de rigueur for any aunt, uncle, grandparent, or parent worth his or her salt. This book is a must, as is its companion volume, Here Comes Mother Goose. (Click to see a sample spread from My Very First Mother Goose. Illustrations & copy; 1996 by Rosemary Wells. Permission from Candlewick Press.) (Baby to preschool) --Emilie Coulter ...

Authors:
Hardcover, 112 pages
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: 1986-10-12


Reviews :

    First published in 1986 and just as fresh and relevant today, this widely acclaimed, child-friendly poetry anthology is now being reissued with a striking new jacket. In his introduction to this book Jim Trelease, bestselling author of The Read-Aloud Handbook, writes, “No one better recognizes the essence of the child-poetry connection than poet and anthologist Jack Prelutsky. . . . Here are more than 200 little poems to feed little people with little attention spans to help both grow. Marc Brown’s inviting illustrations add a visual dimension to the poems, which further engage young imaginations.” The poems are by 119 of the best-known poets of the 20th century....

    Poems about picnics, pretending, and puppies make this book the book to introduce little ones to poetry about the world around them. Jack Prelutsky, one of today's most respected children's poets, has selected more than 200 short poems--old favorites, traditional rhymes, and humorous verses--that will delight young listeners. The poems cover a wide range of experiences in a young child's life, from everyday events to special days to the world of the imagination.

Marc Brown, author and illustrator of the popular Arthur series, uses colored-pencil illustrations and borders to unify the poems, helping to create a pleasing, lively collection to carry children from their preschool years into the early elementary grades. As Jim Trelease tells us in his introduction to the book, "Unlike the toys we buy our children, poems cannot break." (Ages 2 to 7)...

Authors:
Hardcover, 96 pages
Publisher: Golden Books
Publication Date: 1999-09-01
Edition: De Luxe edition

Reviews :

    This is a collection of the fifty all-time favorite Mother Goose nursery rhymes including Simple Simon, Georgie Porgie Pudding Pie, Little Miss Muffet, Old Mother Hubbard, Peter Piper and Jack Sprat. ...

    Richard Scarry's bright and humorous animal characters have been charming children for decades. Always inventive in the world of animal fashion, Scarry shows the cow jumping over the moon in pearls and a pink dress, and the little dog who "laughed to see such sport" sports a sailor suit. You won't hear "I can't see the pictures!" with this book; its large size makes it a good choice for group story hour. This collection of 50 Mother Goose rhymes is especially appropriate for toddlers; most of the two-page spreads contain only one illustrated rhyme. (Many children younger than three can focus better on one simple verse than on many rhymes on each page.) Richard Scarry's Best Mother Goose Ever has stood the test of time for more than 25 years and is still a hit with young readers. (Ages 1 to 4)...

Authors: Tomie dePaola.
Hardcover, 128 pages
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Publication Date: 1985-10-02


Reviews :

    "Bobby Shaftoe, Old Mother Hubbard, Simple Simon, Jack Sprat, Little Miss Muffet . . . they are all here, along with 200 others . . . From start to finish a treasure house of delight"--Booklist starred review. "Destined to become a classic."--The Horn Book. Full-color illustrations. A Horn Book Fanfare Book....

    Tomie dePaola's collection of traditional rhymes is a visual treat for both children and parents. His cheerful, humorous style enlivens 200 rhymes that star both the familiar Mother Goose cast of characters and those not as well known. Some pages are devoted to one rhyme--including all the verses--while other pages feature a variety of shorter rhymes or thematic groupings (such as verses about weather). Amidst the nursery rhymes are American poems such as "Yankee Doodle" and "Hush Little Baby," along with traditional poems such as "Three Little Kittens." This collection is a delightful introduction to poetry as well as an entertaining, comprehensive Mother Goose book. Parents could read a few rhymes to younger children and longer segments to older preschoolers. Beginning readers who have grown up with this book will move naturally into reading Mother Goose on their own. (Ages 1-6)...

Authors: Eric Carle.
Hardcover, 88 pages
Publisher: Philomel
Publication Date: 1989-08-17


Reviews :

    In his distinctive, vibrantly colored collage style, Carle has created stunning illustrations to accompany more than 50 poems from such sources as the Bible, William Shakespeare, Pawnee Indian verse, and Ogden Nash. "Joyous. A book to be shared."--Booklist. Full-color illustrations....

    Eric Carle's distinctive art holds a place of honor in the world of children's books. (He is the creator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and the illustrator of Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?.) In this thoughtfully selected collection of poems about animals, you'll meet creatures of every sort, from an ant to a yak. You'll find selections from many cultures, penned by celebrated poets such as Lewis Carroll, Ogden Nash, Rudyard Kipling, Emily Dickinson, and Jack Prelutsky. Animals, Animals is best suited for older preschoolers and children in the early elementary grades, but the beautiful illustrations will please children of any age, including babies. The oversized format lends itself well to Eric Carle's bright collages--the animals, birds, and insects seem ready to jump or fly right off the pages. (Ages 1 to 8)...

Authors: Jane Dyer.
Hardcover, 64 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers
Publication Date: 1996-04-01
Edition: 1st

Reviews :

    A lavishly illustrated anthology celebrates a child's early years with favorite nursery rhymes, soothing lullabies, and playful verses that range from Mother Goose to contemporary poems. Tour....

    Ages 1 & up. A Mother Goose book for the nineties, Animal Crackers combines old-fashioned charm with modern sensibilities. Traditional poems and lullabies are seamlessly mixed with contemporary and multicultural works; the delightfully old-style illustrations are equally diverse. It's a lovely introduction to the world of nursery rhymes--and more....

Authors: Jane Yolen.
Hardcover, 32 pages
Publisher: Harcourt
Publication Date: 1987-09
Edition: 1st

Reviews :

    Fifteen poems portray three familiar bears and their friend Goldie engaged in such activities as taking a walk, eating porridge, and having a birthday party....

    Young children have long loved "Goldilocks and the Three Bears," the irresistible story of a little girl who audaciously trespasses on the property of a family of bears. In The Three Bears Rhyme Book, Jane Yolen takes a closer look at the bears, from their breakfast porridge (with Goldilocks peeking in the window) to a garden visit, a walk in the rain, naptime, and other adventures that lead to bath, books, and bedtime. Preschoolers just might notice the similarities between Baby Bear's life and their own! Jane Dyer's engaging full-page illustrations in colored pencil and watercolor make The Three Bears Rhyme Book a delightful read-aloud experience. Don't be surprised if you share this book with your child and hear "Read it again!" as you turn the last page. (Ages 2 to 6)...

Authors: Bruce Lansky.
Hardcover, 32 pages
Publisher: Meadowbrook Press
Publication Date: 1993-11-15


Reviews :

    A collection of contemporary Mother Goose rhymes, based on the original characters....

    Some parents and educators object to the old-fashioned and sometimes stereotypical nature of traditional Mother Goose rhymes. Move over, Mother Goose--welcome to the '90s! In this more contemporary collection, Bruce Lansky offers new versions of 41 rhymes, a "kinder, gentler" approach to Mother Goose, with funny twists that will amuse both young listeners and their parents. In this collection, Little Miss Muffet is definitely not afraid of spiders, Old Mother Hubbard's dog calls out for pizza, and the old woman who lived in a shoe retires to a sandal on the beach. Roly-poly contemporary children of all races illustrate these poems in a humorous, good-natured fashion. As a follow-up to traditional Mother Goose poems or on their own, these nursery rhymes for our modern times are a satisfying alternative. (Ages 2 to 5) ...

Authors:
Hardcover, 32 pages
Publisher: Atheneum
Publication Date: 1997-08-01


Reviews :

   

Why an alphabet book of African American poets? Simply as a way of presenting the work of many poets, poets who write for adults as well as children, in a form that both children and adults can enjoy. Though this is not an alphabet book in the traditional sense, it is an A to Z look at twenty-five poems and one African American spiritual selected by Ashley Bryan from a wide range of African American poets.

His selections are, for the most part, not complete poems, but fragments -- samples that are complete in their own way, and that inspired him to create pictures that capture the essence of the poetry in another form. his marvelous paintings, in tempera and gouache, are his salute to the twenty-five poets whose works are included.

Well known for his story-telling, his picture books, his own poetry, and for his lectures on African American poetry, Ashley Bryan here gives readers of all ages a chance to share the joy he has experienced in the work of some of the poets he especially enjoys....

    Ashley Bryan's ABC of African American Poetry is not an alphabet book. Award-winning children's book author and former teacher Ashley Bryan has simply hit upon a straightforward way to present the work of his favorite African American poets: he uses a letter of each poem to organize the 25 excerpts and one African American spiritual. His vibrant artwork, with bold strokes of paint reminiscent of Vincent van Gogh, successfully captures the essence of each piece. "As I read," Bryan writes, "images sprang from the lines of the poets... Finally, I chose the sketches that offered a balanced play of images and did finished paintings from them in tempera paints and gouache colors."

Poems ranging from the intense to the whimsical reflect the diverse voices of poets such as Rita Dove, Lucille Clifton, and Gwendolyn Brooks. A colorful elephant stands solidly next to Countee Cullen's poem: "Dear Noah: Please save me a spot / Exposed to the sun, where the Mice are not; / But if I must share my chamber, the Ant / Is the one I should welcome. Yours: L. E. Phant." From Langston Hughes we hear, "There are words like Freedom / Sweet and wonderful to say. / On my heart-strings freedom sings / All day everyday." And Eloise Greenfield chimes in with "Harriet Tubman didn't take no stuff / Wasn't scared of nothing neither / Didn't come in this world to be no slave / And wasn't going to stay one neither." This innovative, easy-to-absorb, boldly illustrated introduction to a rich variety of African American poets would be a valuable addition to any child's bookshelf. (All ages) ...

Authors: Michael Hague.
Hardcover, 80 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication Date: 1994-09


Reviews :

    A popular artist offers glowing illustrations of favorite night poems and lullabies from such authors as Robert Louis Stevenson, Nikki Giovanni, and William Blake, along with many traditional works, and includes simple melodies for guitar or piano....

    Books for bedtime are always popular with children (and tired parents!) who want one more story before turning off the lights. Michael Hague has selected and illustrated an exquisite collection of 51 poems and lullabies for bedtime or naptime. The familiar favorites are all here, as are lesser-known works from Robert Louis Stevenson, Margaret Wise Brown, Nikki Giovanni, Jack Prelutsky, and many others. Hague's intricate, luminous art is a perfect complement to the selected poems and lullabies, 26 of which have musical notation at the end of the book. Sleep, Baby, Sleep would make an excellent baby gift or first birthday present for the sleepy-eyed little one on your list. (Ages 1 to 4)...