The Cat and the Fiddle: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes
The sound and beat of Mother Goose rhymes have perennial appeal for young preschoolers, but this title, featuring Morris’ delicate, detailed watercolor-and-collage illustrations, will draw an older, more sophisticated audience that is ready to think about the meanings behind the nonsense. Along with old favorites, there are also some lesser-known rhymes (“The bed is too small for my tired head, / Bring me a hill soft with trees”), and the pictures extend the stories with intricate images and creative juxtapositions: on one double-page spread, for instance, fashionable Daffy-Down Dilly comes to town with her entourage, while on the opposite page, “Hark, hark, / the dogs do bark / The beggars are coming to town; / Some in rags, / some in tags, / And one in a velvet gown.” A handsome view of “My Black Hen” appears opposite “Cock-a-Doodle-Doo,” with its thumping rhythm for all ages. And Morris groups three pussycat poems together on one spread illustrated with leaping, playing, and regal felines. Fun for sharing with a wide age range of children. Grades 1-3. --Hazel Rochman