Little Miss Muffet turns a series of familiar nursery rhymes on their heads when, sick of that scary spider, she escapes into the pages of the book to find a new rhyme. But the Grand Old Duke of York marches too much, getting water with Jack and Jill gives her a headache and she gets all wet sharing a page with Johnny Flynn and Tommy Stout. While Miss Muffet rather enjoys running with the spoon, the dish feels somewhat put out and raises a fuss, which spills over onto the other pages. In the ensuing chaos, Miss Muffet tiptoes back to her familiar rhyme. Williamson’s signature style uses combinations of basic shapes to create her characters. Bold colors and patterns and a typeface that echoes the action complete the effect, creating a visually busy tableau in which the nursery-rhyme characters run amok. Reminiscent of the craziness of Jane Breskin Zalben’s Hey, Mama Goose, illustrated by Emilie Chollat (2004), and Alison Jackson’s If the Shoe Fits, illustrated by Karla Firehammer (2001), this fits the genre with zany precision. (Picture book. 3-7)
Pub Date: March 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-58925-080-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2009
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An irresistible invitation to get out of the house and into the woods.
An exploration of woodland inhabitants in poems and pictures.
Elliott introduces prereaders to 15 creatures that make the forest their home, ranging from the diminutive millipede and hornet to the “ungainly, / mainly” moose. Elliott’s tight, mostly rhymed verse celebrates with great humor and insight each organism’s distinctive qualities. Elliott chooses both common creatures like the skunk, advising children, “Give the skunk / a lot of / room, unless / you care for / strong perfume,” and more stealthy types, such as the fisher cat: “Does not like fish. / Is not a cat. / I don’t know what / to make of that. / But when you are / as fierce as she, / there’s no need for / consistency. He admires even the unattractive opossum, “not a classic beauty” but notable for bumping “along the woodland track, / your babies clinging to your back: / there’s beauty, too, in duty.” Dunlavey’s expressively atmospheric double-page paintings play with light effects, a scarlet tanager flashing through the dappled green and a porcupine that’s just shuffled out of the beams of an oncoming truck. In addition to the pithy lyric portraits, Elliott provides intriguing facts about each animal in the backmatter, such as the “beaver’s teeth are constantly growing,” allowing inquisitive listeners to connect with these creatures in a variety of ways.
An irresistible invitation to get out of the house and into the woods. (Picture book/poetry. 3-7)Pub Date: April 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-7636-9783-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2020
PERSPECTIVES
A sprightly and charming modern take on a traditional rhyme.
This adaptation of a traditional English nursery rhyme features a contemporary setting, dialogue, and a small twist.
Three anthropomorphized kittens wearing conspicuous, colorful mittens (but no other clothing) are seen outside a cozy suburban house, skateboarding, playing ball, and skipping rope. A sweet scent wafts from an open window, through which a smiling cat in a dotted apron can be seen removing a pie from the oven. In their race to the door the kittens lose their mittens, of course, and the story unfolds from there. In some cases, the rhymes appear in dialogue balloons, at other times as part of the main text, both of which also include additional, original lines. Unexpected interjections add humor, as when the kittens react to the mess they’ve made by eating blueberry pie while wearing mittens: “ ‘Ooops!’ ‘Eeew!’ ‘Gross!’ ” Created with pencil, watercolor, and gouache, McClintock’s feline portraits pack plenty of personality. Big-footed and slightly round-bellied, the variously colored kittens have big eyes and sweet smiles. Mother, meanwhile, is slim and sleek, with extremely expressive whiskers. The setting is simply presented, limited to the outside of the house, inside the kitchen, and at the table. At times the characters appear against blank, softly colored backgrounds. Alternating double-page spreads, single pages, and occasional panels add interest and move the action along smoothly. Sharp-eyed listeners may notice an additional character whose presence is acknowledged in the cheerful conclusion.
A sprightly and charming modern take on a traditional rhyme. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 21, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-338-12587-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Dec. 7, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2020
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