Reviews (2)

best nursery rhyme book I've found yet -but am still looking
What sets this book apart are the illustrations. They are set in the 18th century (since, as the illustrator explains, that is when nursery rhyme books first began to be published) and are attractive and match the verses well. There are many rhymes in this book. Unfortunately there is room for only a single, smallish (though detailed) illustration for each rhyme.

all the usual nursery rhymes plus some other funny ones
better than most of the nursery rhyme collections. good pictures for kids ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Wartime Protest included in Mother Goose
I too have a 50+ year old copy, tattered and coverless. It was well loved and read. In my "kiddie lit" class as an undergrad I learned something interesting about the illustrator. He was a Czechcoslavakian refugee from the terror of Nazi Germany. Look carefully at Humpty Dumpty, page 48 - look familiar? Copyright date is 1942. I love his charming, old world illustrations as well as the more original versions of the rhymes that I remember from childhood. Maybe that's because this was the first nursery rhyme book I received!

Three generations have loved this book!!
How sad that the Tall Book of Mother Goose is now out of print. Our family has three copies, the first was mine, a tattered copy from about 55 years ago, the second which belonged to my 30ish daughters and the last was purchased 6 years ago for my grandaughter. Each generation has loved this book and the wonderful illustrations. As far as the binding, even the oldest copy is still intact. I firmly believe that every child should experience the wonder of Mother Goose and have yet to find a better version. If I can find out of print copies, you may be sure I will stock up for the next generations.

The Tall Book of Mother Goose
I found this book to be full of endearing reminders of my early childhood. I did not find the pages hard to turn as a child, rather I completely wore the poor book out. I loved the illustrations and the many varieties of nursery rhymes it contained, some of which I've never seen since. It was an absolutely great childhood nursery rhyme book. I am trying to find a copy to buy now.

The Tall Book of Mother Goose
This is a book I owned as a child and, contrary to the Horn Book review (above) the tall, thin shape did not make it difficult for me to handle and is one of the endearing features of the book. The pictures are colorful and charming and there is a good selection of nursery rhymes. There are enough rhymes and pictures to give a good variey, without having so many as to make it overwhelming as I have found is the case with some larger books. It is a great choice for a book of Mother Goose rhymes. ... Read more

Book Description

Paul Galdone created hundreds of books in his lifetime. Many of his picture books quickly became accepted as the definitive version of traditional stories. Collected here are four of his most popular picture books: The Three Pigs, The Three Bears, The Little Red Hen, and Cat Goes Fiddle-i-fee. Parents who grew up with these whimsical retellings will enjoy revisiting them and sharing them with the family, bringing Galdone"s timeless artistry and bright, earthy humor to a new generation of readers. This attractive gift book includes every word and image in the original picture books, and features an introduction by noted children"s book specialist Leonard S. Marcus. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Favorite Tales, Masterful Illustrations
The familiar tales, The Three Little Pigs, The Three Bears, The Little Red Hen and Cat Goes Fiddle-i-fee can be found in many other editions, told and illustrated by many talented people, but it is in this treasury, in my opinion, that they truly shine as the beloved stories they are. Paul Galdone, winner of two Caldecott Honors, illustrated these tales with a deep committment to children and put so much lively humor into each drawing that they have been received with delight for decades. The expressions on the faces of the animals in the stories are so apt and evocative that they virtually tell the stories themselves. Large and colorful and filled with detail and activity they are perfect for holding the attention of young listeners.
Parents who may remember these gems from their own childhood will be interested in the short biography of this talented artist that is to be found at the beginning of the book. Whether you remember these stories and pictures from your own childhood or not, I guarantee you will delight in this treasury of stories and pictures that are a wonderful legacy for any child. ... Read more

Book Description

The old animal counting song. "Numbers for knee highs couldn't be more fun. . . . Also has music for the song at the end. . . . Feodor Rojankovsky's charming illustrations are in full color and black and white."--Kirkus Reviews ... Read more

Reviews (4)

In the meadow, in the glen
From the writer and illustrator of the absolutely fantastic "Frog Went A Courtin'" (read that book for a great rollicking time!) comes the somewhat less impressive, "Over In the Meadow". Like "Frog", this is a picture book based on a classic folk song. It is simultaneously a counting tale as a well as one of the first cutsie baby animal books published in the United States (origianally published in 1957). A lovely look at the creatures in the fields, though not particularly memorable.

In this tale we get an opening shot of a myriad of creatures sitting, standing, or perching in the light of the meadow. As the song progresses a turtle asks her single offspring to dig, and he does so. Then a fox tells her two cubs to run, and they follow her suggestion. This continues, with each animal accruing more and more offspring, instructing them in different ways. The robins sing, the chipmunks play, the bees hum, etc. Finally, after the ten rabbits hop, we get this double page spread that is downright out of place. Suddenly it is night and an owl and a fox are out looking for prey as bunnies and gophers run for their lives. It is a beautiful and deeply evocative scene that has virtually nothing to do with the rest of the book. Then the book is over, with the exception of some helpful music sheets and chords for playing the song's tune.

John Langstaff hasn't done much to put his name on the tale, aside from breaking up the verses. It is really Feodor Rojankovsky's impressive illustrations that place this book apart from others. Alternating between the colorful and the subtly shaded, Rojankovsky adeptly portrays every animal from bird to bee. It's a nice effort and a nice book. Just the same, if you'd really like to see Langstaff and Rojankovsky at their best, I highly recommend the Caldecott winning, "Frog Went A Courtin'" for all your picture book needs.

Both the kids and I loved it!
Rhyming text that repeats and is predictable introduces families of animals. It starts with one animal and builds to a family of 10 animals. Animals that live in a meadow are presented which includes: turtle, red fox, robin, chipmunk, honeybee, beaver, frog/pollywogs, owl, spiders and rabbits.

At the end the musical score for singing this as a song and all the lyrics are printed.

The illustrations are lovely and unique. Some are full colored and others are pencil-gray with a yellowish color.

My children loved the singsong rhyming with the obvious cadence. The last illustration is of a scary predator-owl swooping down upon many of the animals, which are trying to run away! But that is all part of the life of the animals in the meadow!

Your kids will share it with their kids and so on....
This book proved to be the most cherised by my 3 children. It's easy for even the littlest ones to recognize after just a few readings. You'll find yourself imitating the characters and scenes, as did my children and I. Today, as adults, they remember every rhyme and the fun we had with our silly renditions. It'll definitely be the one they fondly share with their children and grandchildren.

One of the kids books I haven't got too bored with yet.
You know how you can quote every page of "Spot's First Walk" ... three years later. This ones like that. The difference is that its such a nice book you don't start to dread bed times. I can quote this one now (I should be working, never mind) "Over in the meadow in the sand and the sun, lived an old mother turtle and her little turtle, one. Dig said the Mother, I dig said the one. So he dug all day in .." Oh all right, I'll stop. If you think you really know it, whats different about the Owl's page ? Buy it, I love it ... Read more

Amazon.com

Full of vim, vigor, and robust silliness, Father Fox'sPennyrhymes is at long last back in print. Father Fox and his russet-furred,pointy-nosed family romp through the pages of these original American nurseryrhymes, written and illustrated in the early 1970s by a pair of Vermontersisters, Clyde and Wendy Watson. Each two-page spread features a quirky littleverse on one side and framed pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations on theother. The extensive Fox family, in their patchwork-mended clothes, tumble overone another as they depict the very rhymes their father tells. Nonsense blendswith nostalgia in both word and picture, and the upbeat rhythms beg to betapped, stomped, or shouted out loud in such gems as:

Ride your red horse down Vinegar Lane,
Gallop, oh gallop, oh gallop again!
Thistles & foxholes & fences beware:
I've seventeen children but none I can spare.

Reviews (14)

Dilly, dilly, Picalilly...
I'll tell you something very silly... I still read these and my son is 10 years old! This book is silly, beautiful, fun, and sophisticated and deserves to be reprinted.

One of our children's all-time favorite books
Our three children all adored this book. They (at 32, 30, and 22) STILL have many verses committed to memory - as do I!

Oh my goodness, oh my dear
Sassafras and ginger beer
Chocolate cake and apple punch
I'm too full to eat my lunch!

and

Ride your red horse down Vinegar Lane
Gallop, oh gallop, oh gallop again
Thistles and foxholes and fences beware
I've seventeen children, but none I can spare

and

Thomas Thomas Tinkertoes
Upside down and away he goes
He's off to call upon the queen
In blue and crimson velveteen

Anyway, I could go on and on with these playful and wonderful words - and the illustrations are incredibly winsome and witty! Kids love them, but the adult eye will understand their true delight!

This is a great gift for a young child!

Back in Print!
I am delighted that this book is back in print! I enjoyed it emmensely as a child and now I read it to my son. The rhymes are appealing to children of a wide age range and the illustrations are splendid.

Truly a classic of the same caliber as Where the Wild Things Are or Make Way for Ducklings. An excellent gift that should be found on every child's bookshelf.

I loved this book as a kid!
For as long as I can remember, I've always loved books.So it was with great surprise and joy that I happened to stumble on this book on your website!I had completely forgotten about it.This was one of my favorite books as a kid and I am hoping it will be a favortite of my children also.I highly recommend it as an enjoyable before bedtime read and/or for rainy days.

An American Treasure.....
Meet Father Fox, he's as American and down-home as apple pie and the Fourth of July, dressed in his overalls, and he's here to entertain."The sky is dark, there blows a storm/Our cider is hot, the fire is warm/The snow is deep & the night is long:/Old Father Fox, will you sing us a song?"Vermont sisters, Clyde and Wendy Watson wrote this marvelous collection of country life poems thirty years ago and it's as fresh and wonderful today, as it was then.Their joyous lilting rhymes are always witty, sometimes silly or sad, funny or even a bit rude and full of rhythm, energy and motion.The busy and expressive water color and pen illustrations are full of humorous detail and youngsters will be fascinated as they pore over the artwork watching the antics of Father Fox, his family and friends.Father Fox's Pennyrhymes is a treasure and a timeless classic to read and share with those you love and then hand down to the next generation."Soft falls the snow/The coals burn low/Little Jacob's asleep on my knee;/My story ends here/For midnight is near:/To bed now, one-two-three!" ... Read more

Book Description

Just as if they were happening on a Victorian stage, here are the humorous adventures of the legendary Old Mother Hubbard and her amazing canine friend. ... Read more

Book Description

An old English cumulative rhyme introduces young children to their favorite farm animals with verses that prompt them to learn the sound that each animal makes. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Sing-a-long Book!
It's great to have books to sing along to, and this is one of the best. The illustrations are great, the lyrics are fun, and kids of all ages enjoy the song. A great version of the song done by kids is on the CD Treblemakers ... ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This book is a star
A gorgeous book of popular nursery rhymes with the real star being the illustrations.

Each double page features photographs of an animal set against a brightly painted background.

My 1 year old son loved this book so much that we had to borrow it six consecutive times from our local library.

From admiring this book he now oinks, barks, quacks and baa's - but we are still having troubles mastering the sound of a koala!

A lovely addition to any child's library - we are eagerly awaiting the reprint. ... Read more

Book Description

Learn all about your favorite pony friends with these sweet poems.

See what makes each pony so special!

Book Description

Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?
Piggy stole the cookies from the cookie jar!

Was it Piggy, Kitty, Bunny, Dog, or Mouse? They each have a motiveA of them love cookies--but no one wants to take the blame for this cookie caper. Play along by pulling the interactive tab on each page, and see if you can figure out whose hand is in the cookie jar!

Reviews (2)

Artistic Masterpiece
Our daughter keeps asking to read this classic poem/song again and again. Mayor's illustrations are a masterpiece of three-dimensional textile work, combining many different techniques. She has also captured many historicaldetails of the era in which the poem was originally written. The resultadds depth and detail to a simple story, which makes it a pleasure to readagain and again.

Visual new take on classic poem
Mavor is a genius in using scraps of whatever to create a textural world that is as comfortable as this classic story poem. Look at each page, and look again, there seems no end to details that embellish these sewnillustrations. Yummies for your eye, and if only we could touch! ... Read more

Book Description

A collection of Caribbean counting rhymes, traditionally chanted in children's games and songs. ... Read more

Book Description

A great way to introduce the Mother Goose rhymes to the youngestreaders, this charming collection includes "Baa Baa Black Sheep," "Jack andJill," "Little Miss Muffet," and "Hey Diddle Diddle." Featuring some of Tomie'swarmest and funniest illustrations, Tomie's Baa Baa Black Sheep and Other Rhymeswill instantly become a nursery favorite. ... Read more