THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO GOBBLED A SKINK

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THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO GOBBLED A SKINK

Name: THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO GOBBLED A SKINK
Author: Tammera Will Wissinger
ISBN: 978-1-63220-428-8

by Tammera Will Wissinger ; illustrated by Ana Bermejo ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 2, 2016

This fisherman’s adaptation doesn’t add much to the original.

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A fishing version of the classic song “There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly” has readers wondering, “Perhaps she’ll sink.”

Beginning with a skink, the plump old white woman with the red cheeks and bluish-gray hair, tiny red hat perched on her round head, proceeds to eat a worm, a bobber, some fishing line, a fishing pole, a pail, a net, an oar, and a boat. This last makes her float in fact, though it doesn’t allow her to avoid the fate hinted at in the repetitive phrasing: one last snack does her in. Aside from the final page and big reveal, the list of items is repeated on each new spread, allowing for audience participation, though the rhythm and rhyme sometimes falter: “There was an old lady who gobbled a bobber. / That bobbled and wobbled and caused her to slobber.” From the visible linework, Bermejo’s cartoon illustrations appear to be colored pencil. Starting with spare pictures on white backgrounds, the artwork gradually becomes more detailed as the story moves closer to the dockside ending. While she does get a bit red in the face, looks like she might throw up, and sweats a bit, the old woman never otherwise visibly changes as a result of the items she eats, making this version a bit less gruesome than others. Children familiar with sport fishing will wonder how the skink enters the picture; all the other items she swallows are related to fishing and boating, but the skink appears to have been chosen just because it sounds funny.

This fisherman’s adaptation doesn’t add much to the original. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-63220-428-8

Page Count: 28

Publisher: Sky Pony Press

Review Posted Online: Nov. 2, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2015

Categories:

CHILDREN'S POETRY

- BOOK REVIEW
GONE CAMPING
by Tammera Will Wissinger ; illustrated by Matthew Cordell

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IT'S DIWALI!

by Kabir Sehgal & Surishtha Sehgal ; illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 6, 2022

An upbeat introduction to a Hindu festival.

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Riffing on the nursery rhyme “One, Two, Buckle My Shoe,” this picture book explores Diwali celebrations in India.

The story opens, “One, two… // mehndi for you.” Mehndi is defined below the text, and a colorful illustration depicts people showing off the mehndi on their hands. Once the book reaches 10, it starts counting backward (“Ten, nine” / fireworks shine”), continuing the rhyming pattern. The text defines Hindi words such as rangoli (“colorful designs made on the floor or ground using chalk and flowers”), diya (traditional clay lamps), and jalebi (a sweet made from deep-frying dough) as well as potentially unfamiliar English words, such as rickshaw. While not all the words are directly related to Diwali, most are common vocabulary used in northern India, rendering the book a child-friendly introduction to South Asian Hindu culture. Lush illustrations in a joyful, vibrant palette convey the feelings of India’s festive season and feature characters with a variety of skin tones but mostly similar hair textures. While the authors’ note acknowledges India’s linguistic diversity—pointing out the holiday’s alternative spelling of Deepavali—it calls Diwali an “Indian” holiday when it is actually a Hindu holiday. (This book was reviewed digitally; the review has been updated for accuracy.)

An upbeat introduction to a Hindu festival. (Picture book. 3-5)

Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2022

ISBN: 978-1-5344-5365-4

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022

Categories:

CHILDREN'S POETRY | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

- BOOK REVIEW
SEVEN SAMOSAS
by Kabir Sehgal & Surishtha Sehgal ; illustrated by Jing Jing Tsong

- BOOK REVIEW
BHANGRA BABY
by Kabir Sehgal & Surishtha Sehgal ; illustrated by Ani Bushry

- BOOK REVIEW
MOTHER GOOSE GOES TO INDIA
by Kabir Sehgal & Surishtha Sehgal ; illustrated by Wazza Pink

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TREES

by Tony Johnston ; illustrated by Tiffany Bozic ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 19, 2021

Poetry aside, it’s these beautiful paintings that will inspire a love of trees.

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The artwork is the star of this poetic tribute to trees.

Lush paintings, dense with color, texture, and light, illustrate a simple poem extolling trees. Each spread illuminates a short verse centering on a single idea, such as, “Trees love sky” (a single maple rises into the sky); “Trees love clouds” (viewers look directly up through a redwood canopy to clouds above); “Some trees bloom” (butterflies alight on apple blossoms); or “Some trees are old” (a gnarled bristlecone pine stands sentinel on a ledge). Bozic uses acrylic paints directly on wooden panels, and the wood grains that show through give each illustration added dimension and texture, especially when the paint is thin or absent entirely. The effect is enchanting, and the intricately detailed illustrations will catch the attention of sophisticated readers. However, the masterful technique serves Johnston’s simple text (suitable for very young children) at face value, missing the opportunity to create a rich dialogue between poem and art. Still, the book is a visual wonder. Each page is independent of the others with no narrative, though the characteristics of trees that are highlighted move gently and logically from the natural world to the human interaction within it. Backmatter includes the names of all the trees depicted as well as a list of conservation organizations and further reading. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Poetry aside, it’s these beautiful paintings that will inspire a love of trees. (author's note, illustrator's note) (Picture book. 3-6)