Mother Goose of Pudding Lane by Chris Raschka and illustrated by Vladimir Radunsky (Candlewick Press, 48 pages – Ages 4-8)
My thoughts: I rather didn't know how to "take" this book as it didn't quite fit my concept of kiddies' Mother Goose rhymes. I think perhaps, Chris Raschka brings a bit of the oddity of Mother Goose, the perchance political innuendos, and also a bit of the fun that the rhymes bring to the reader.
I read Mother Goose to my own children many years ago. I saw them as sweet nursery rhymes and chose, personally, not to go to the dark or political side of fence.
From the Boston of 1692 it is said there was a Goose family, Issac and his wife Elizabeth, who lived with their children on Pudding Lane. Hence..... Mother Goose of Pudding Lane.
So Chris Raschka brings his own storytelling to the page and introduces you to the family. He sprinkles Mother Goose rhymes amidst his storytelling evoking connection of old rhymes with the family's story.
I think this is an interesting way to introduce Mother Goose (if she was really Mrs. Issac Goose of Pudding Lane in Boston) to a new generation. Perhaps the Mamas and the Papas out there who missed out a bit on Mother Goose or those who were fed a hearty diet of Mother Goose will enjoy this book with their own children.
I think this is a good book to add to library at home and everywhere else.
About the book: Celebrated picture book creators Chris Raschka and Vladimir Radunsky offer one possible answer to the age-old question: Who was Mother Goose?
We all love to hear Mother Goose rhymes and riddles. But did you know that there was a real Mother Goose who lived in Boston more than three hundred years ago? In 1692, Elizabeth Foster married a widower with ten children. His name was Isaac Goose, and after they married, Elizabeth became Mother Goose. She and Isaac had four more children together, and to help her care for such a big and boisterous family, Mother Goose sang songs and lullabies and made up rhymes and poems. Her nursery rhymes and stories were published at a print shop on Pudding Lane in Boston, though no copies of her book exist today. In a book featuring some of Mother Goose’s best-loved works, Vladimir Radunsky’s bright and humorous illustrations and Chris Raschka’s rhyming poems tell the little-known story of the Goose children, Isaac, and Elizabeth herself — the Mother Goose of Pudding Lane.
Mr. Scruff by Simon James (Candlewick Press, 32 pages – Ages 3-7)
My thoughts: Quirky, charming, lively Mr. Scruff is a large dog that doesn't have his forever home or his forever person. And we have people who own their forever fur friends and it seems as though the fur friend's name rhymes with the person's name. Cute.
So the story is comprised of charming pictures and one-liners about dog and owner whose names rhyme.
But when Mr. Scruff finds his forever person..... well, it is a bit different. And the story itself goes from one-liners to with a couple of rhyming stanzas. And on the story goes progressing as Mr. Scruff (and his guess who) find..... another pairing of person and fur friend.
A story of finding matches and what fits together.
I like the illustrations and they are quite appealing with their nice watercolors and deft drawings bring out the happiness and joy being experienced by story's characters.
A nice picture book that kids will enjoy.
About the book: A sweetly silly story of a little boy and a dog who make an unlikely (but perhaps perfect) pair.
Everyone knows that owners and their dogs belong together in a unique way. Polly belongs to Molly, Eric belongs to Derek, Berry belongs to Terry. But poor Mr. Scruff, alone in the rescue shelter, doesn’t belong to anyone. Then a boy named Jim walks in, and they seem to get along. Jim and Mr. Scruff don’t look anything alike, and their names certainly don’t rhyme, but they may end up belonging to each other just the same. From author-illustrator Simon James comes a warm, winning story about friendship and finding a home.
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a Rafflecopter giveaway DISCLOSURE: I received complimentary copies from Candlewick Press to facilitate this review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given. Winners' prize is provided and shipped directly to the winner by Candlewick Press.
You asked : Hey - can you finish the rhyme Diddle, diddle, dumpling, my son John......?
ReplyDeleteSince nursery rhymes were passed along by word of mouth, there are sometimes different variations.
Here's one of them:
Diddle, diddle, dumpling, my son John
Went to bed with his trousers on
One shoe off and one shoe on
Diddle, diddle, dumpling, my son John.
I'm sure many of us have had the experience of a child falling asleep fully dressed. That is what I picture with this rhyme.