Our old nursery rhymes
PreSchool-Grade 2-- This reissue of a 1911 picture book is a welcome addition to the wealth of interpretations of Mother Goose and nursery rhymes recently released. Le Mair's paintings remind one of the work of Boutet de Monvel, who was her teacher. The delicate and misty pastel tones and fine lines at first give the appearance of an ethereal quality with dainty children in careful poses. Borders of muted colors contain the rhymes on the right and the paintings on the left of each double-page spread, while inner borders of intricately woven flowers further restrain the action of the pictures. Within these inner borders are elaborate and decorative details of fabrics, wall coverings, clothing, furnishings, and architectural design, but here too is a sense of the playfulness of childhood's arrested moments and a record of artifacts of child life of a previous generation. Although gentle in nature, there is often a sweeping movement to the illustrations and subtle touches of humor that will appeal to careful observers. When Jack Horner sits down to eat his pie, three of his toys surround him with their own plates of pie before them; and the three blind mice chase the farmer's wife, carving knife in hand, out the door, making mockery of the next line of that tale. Of the 30 rhymes included, only "Young Lambs to Sell" and "There Was a Little Man" may be unfamiliar. This collection would probably not be the first choice for a book of nursery rhymes for contemporary children, but it is one which both young and old will appreciate for its fine art and a welcome glimpse into the history of childhood. It is unfortunate that in the reissuance the musical accompaniment of the original work was eliminated, since such verses do lend themselves to singing, and the melody of the music would have been a delightful accompaniment to the melody of the illustrations. --Kay E. Vandergrift, School of Communication, Information and Library Studies, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J.Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.