ALL ON A MAY MORNING

by Nancy Willard ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 1, 1975

Primrose and poppy,/ Basil and bay./ My gentle heart has flown away./ All on a May morning."" The Shekerjians' drawings, revealing that the narrator is a little girl, her ""gentle heart"" a dove and the setting medieval, also tell the story; how the girl and a wizard, who reduces them both to bird-size when she goes to him for help, follow the bird "". . . Over the hunter,/ And through the corn,/Past the girl and the unicorn. . . Through the picture of somebody's bride. . ."" (Arnolfini's by Van Eyck, to be precise) and finally to a tall palm tree where the girl not only retrieves her own bird but takes home the mate it has found as well. Some are sure to enjoy such little touches as the faces in rocks and flowers, the bridge made of music and the fringed ""left turn"" banner on the road. But unless you're tolerant of whimsical allusions, you'll find it coy and a bit flimsy.

Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1975

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Putnam

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1975

Categories: CHILDREN'S