Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Mother Goose
Poetry Board book
For ages 2 to 5
Groundwood Books, 2009 ISBN: 978-0888999337
The Mother Goose rhymes are truly timeless. Countless children have listened to and enjoyed the nursery rhymes since the first collection – called Mother Goose’s Melody - was published in England in 1791 by John Newbery.
Often Mother Goose books include a large number of rhymes that are accompanied by illustrations that were created by one artist. In this Mother Goose, there are fifteen of the popular rhymes, and each rhyme is complimented by artwork that was created by a different illustrator. Each illustrator was free to choose how he or she wanted to interpret the rhymes.
For the poem Round and Round the Garden, Debi Perna has created some delightful art where the text is punctuated by cunning little vignette illustrations. The poem Father and Mother and Uncle John comes next, and for this poem Barbara Reid has created a piece of clay art that is textured and that shows a deliciously funny scene.
Later on in the book, Marie Louise Gay’s distinctive art is paired with the poem Hoddley, poddley, puddle and fogs. We see a picture of mice and rats playing musical instruments, and they are following a cat and poodle who are on their way to the alter. The scene is lit by moonlight and it is wonderfully festive.
With its heavy duty board pages, its wonderful rhymes, and its splendid artwork, this is a book that children will enjoy exploring again and again.
The artwork for this book was donated by the artists, and royalties from the title benefit the Parent-Child Mother Goose Program.
