Saturday, July 11, 2015

Over The Hills and Far Away

Over the Hills and Far Away: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes. Edited by Elizabeth Hammill. 2015. Candlewick. 160 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Over The Hills And Far Away: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes is a diverse collection of nursery rhymes for parents to share with their little ones. The collection includes traditional rhymes from many countries and cultures. Yes, there are plenty of familiar rhymes from the English and American traditions. But there are plenty of poems--rhymes--that may be unfamiliar to readers. These poems celebrate a universal: young ones all over the world find rhymes fun and appealing.

Yes, the book celebrates the fact that we have a rich tradition of poetry, that there is something right, something good, about sharing rhymes with young children. But the book also celebrates art. Over 70 illustrators were involved in creating this book. Some illustrators are very famous, others are new to the field. The illustrations vary page by page. Chances are, some illustrations you will LOVE, LOVE, LOVE and others you decidedly won't personally appreciate. There truly is something for everyone.

My favorites?
Polly Dunbar illustrated "Sing a Song of Sixpence" and "I Had A Little Nut Tree."
Jane Ray illustrated "The Queen of Hearts" and "Pussy cat, Pussy Cat, Where Have You Been?"
Emily Gravett illustrated "A was an Apple Pie."
Ashley Bryan illustrated "Little Sally Water."
Lydia Monks illustrated "Little Bo-peep" and "Little Boy Blue."


© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

No comments: