18. The Real Dada Mother Goose

The Real Dada Mother Goose: A Treasury of Complete Nonsense. Jon Scieszka. Illustrated by Julia Rothman. 2022. [October] 80 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the King's horses, and all the King's men,
Cannot put Humpty together again.
So Dada Geese decided to help...

Premise/plot: How absurd can a collection of already slightly-absurd classic Mother Goose rhymes get? Extremely absurd in the hands of "Dada Geese" aka Jon Scieszka. He's no stranger to absurd twists-and-turns, the "fracturing" of the familiar. 

Six classic rhymes get "fractured" or "spun." Each of the six get fractured six times. (So thirty-six new rhymes in all.)

These six include: 

Humpty Dumpty

Jack Be Nimble, 

Hey Diddle, Diddle

Old Mother Hubbard

Hickory, Dickory, Dock

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

My thoughts: This one is supposedly/allegedly inspired by "dadaism." (Kids probably won't know, won't care. Though I could be wrong. I certainly wouldn't have cared as a kid so long as I got a giggle or two from the book.) What I did appreciate as an adult reader was the back matter. *Some* of the new poems get a little extra explanation or footnote, if you will. (Like the morse code alphabet.) 

The book is definitely odd/whimsical/absurd. That was the aim, and it succeeded. 

 I personally don't know *who* the perfect, target audience is. While the original Mother Goose or Real Mother Goose might have been for toddlers, preschoolers, the very young...this book is decidedly not for that young an audience.

For me, it was very hit or miss. I liked "Computer Translation Telephone" as a retelling of Humpty Dumpty. But Humpty Dumpty censored, well, I'm sure some will find it hilarious, but it wasn't me. 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Young Readers

168. Interrupting Chicken: Cookies for Breakfast

Interrupting Chicken: Cookies for Breakfast (Interrupting Chicken #3) David Ezra Stein. 2021. [October 26] 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: It was bright and early for the little red chicken. "Good morning, Papa!" said the little red chicken. "Oog," said Papa. "Wake up!" "Chickennn," groaned Papa. "I don't want to wake up yet. It's Saturday!" "But look! I brought us breakfast in bed." "Really?" said Papa.

Premise/plot: LITTLE Chicken--our INTERRUPTING chicken--has brought his Papa breakfast in bed!!! Three guess as to what he's serving!!! But will Papa go for this? Will he really allow them to eat cookies....for breakfast???? This amusing exchange results in some stories...and some interrupting. Cookie may just find their way into some classic Mother Goose rhymes.

My thoughts: I really LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this one. I do recommend the other two books in the series. Though I don't think you'd have to read them first to enjoy this one. I love these two characters. I love the stories. I love the interruptions. I love Little Chick's one track mind!

I think my favorite dialogue is this,

"Cookies are healthy! They have lots of vitamins."
"What vitamins?"
"Vitamin C for Cookie!"
"Let's just read, okay?"
"Okay, Papa."

© 2021 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Three Little Kittens

Three Little Kittens. Illustrated by Lilian Obligado. 1974. Random House. 32 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: Three little kittens,
They lost their mittens,
And they began to cry,
"Oh, mother dear, we sadly fear
Our mittens we have lost."
"What! Lost your mittens, you naughty kittens!
Then you shall have no pie."

Premise/plot: This picture book is the traditional nursery rhyme "Three Little Kittens." The illustrations are by Lilian Obligado.

My thoughts: I have never really thought about "The Three Little Kittens." That is I've never stopped to think if it was a favorite...or not. But when I saw this picture book at my local charity shop, I fell head over heels in love with the illustrations and had to have it. I ended up paying what it would have cost me in 1974--$1.50. I cannot praise the illustrations enough. I ADORED this one.

 Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

© 2017 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Pocketful of Posies: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes

Pocketful of Posies: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes. Salley Mavor. 2010. September 2010. Houghton Mifflin. 72 pages.

I loved this one! I just LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it. Salley Mavor's artwork--her needlework or embroidery--just amazed me. Each and every page of this one wowed me. (You can look inside this book at Amazon.)

The book is a collection of nursery rhymes. You'll find familiar favorites alongside lesser known rhymes. What makes this collection special--really special--is the artwork. It excited me! I just love reading and rereading this one!

I eat my peas with honey.
I've done it all my life.
They do taste kind of funny.
But it keeps them on the knife (47)

Little Miss Muffett
Sat on a tuffet,
Eating her curds and whey;
Along came a great spider,
Who sat down beside her,
And frightened Miss Muffett away. (28)

This would be a great book for parents (and grandparents) to share with the children in their lives!

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

The Very Best Mother Goose Book Tower

The Very Best Mother Goose Book Tower. By Iona Opie. Illustrated by Rosemary Wells. 2010. (February 2010). Candlewick. 80 pages.

Earlier in the month, I reviewed Maisy's Book Tower. I started my review by asking if the product was a book or a toy! I still don't have the perfect answer for that one. Because this is really the first time that I've encounter stacking book towers. (Books meant to serve dual purposes as a book-book and stacking blocks.) We've got four books included in this set. Jack and Jill And Other Classic Rhymes. Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat And Other Animal Rhymes. Pat-a-Cake, Pat-a-Cake And Other Action Rhymes. Wee Willie Winkie And Other Lullabies.

Mother Goose can be tricky at times because there are more than a few variations to the text itself. And it can be frustrating (at times, at least for some readers) for the book to "get it wrong." For example, I got a little annoyed that "I'm A Little Teapot" is all wrong:

I'm a little teapot,
short and stout,
Here's my handle,
Here's my spout.
When the tea is ready,
hear me shout,
Pick me up and
pour me out!

Overall, I think there's a good mix of rhymes that are familiar (or familiar enough at any rate) and completely unfamiliar. Some of these are ones that I've not come across before.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

1, 2, Buckle My Shoe

Hines, Anna Grossnickle. 2008. 1, 2, Buckle My Shoe. Harcourt. (Illustrations by Anna Grossnickle Hines.)

Words cannot begin to convey how much I love, love, love this book. Inspired by a quilt she made for her granddaughter, 1, 2, Buckle My Shoe uses quilt blocks to illustrate the familiar (and often beloved) nursery rhyme. (In one variation or another)

One, Two, buckle my shoe.
Three, four, shut the door.
Five, Six, pick up sticks.
Seven, eight, open the gate.
Nine, ten, my big fat hen.


Simple text. Familiar text. It is in the illustrating that this one reaches perfection. And I do mean perfection. On her website, she does show the quilt as a whole. And I'll be using that image here. But the illustrations of the book are copyrighted. And I'm not trying to violate that in any way. But I think just seeing a glimpse of what the illustrations are like will convince you to seek this one out!!! (They are different than the quilt below.)

The book is wonderful. The illustrations are wonderful. And the author's site is wonderful. This book has (according to the author's site) received two stars in review journals (Kirkus, Booklist).

Read the story behind the book.