Sing a Song of Mother Goose

by Barbara Reid

Here, in the richly world of Barbara Reid, familiar characters from Mother Goose come to vivid new Old King Cole enjoys his bubble pipe, and the cow jumping over the moon sports a pink tutu. These surprises and more wait to delight you in the pages of Sing a Song of Mother Goose!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Poetry, Canada, Nursery Rhymes, Fiction

40 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

As a child, Barbara Reid loved reading, drawing, writing and fooling around with plasticine. She kept at it, and has written and illustrated 19 picture books, illustrating more than 25. Her books have been published in over a dozen countries, and her signature plasticine relief illustrations have won many awards including a Governor General’s Award for Illustration and the Ezra Jack Keats Award. Her work has been selected for the IBBY International Honour List, Sydney Taylor Notable Books, the Toronto Public Library’s First and Best List and the Ontario Library Association Best Bets. Recently, Picture a Tree received starred reviews in Quill and Quire, the Horn Book, Kirkus and Booklist.

Through workshops and presentations across Canada, Barbara has enjoyed meeting thousands of young readers, writers and fellow plasticine artists. In July 2013 Barbara was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada.

Barbara’s dimensional artwork is photographed for reproduction by photographer, and husband, Ian Crysler. Barbara lives in Toronto, but is at home in libraries and classrooms everywhere.

Reviews

[Brit Chhangur]

We love Barbara Reid!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Am loving reading this one at bedtime, even if we have to read it three times through. My little reader understands the cadence of the nursery rhymes and fills in made up words as needed but always keeps the beat! I have to make a video of her "reading" this by herself

[Jeanine · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, I go into Barbara Reid books for the art and the story just enhances the artwork. This is a good example of that where the short little nursery rhymes are all classics but the accompanying picture is gorgeous.

[Jaclyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

has some of the sad nursery rhymes

[Justine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great read for Violet. I actually remember reading this one when I was a kid. I love the “claymation” pictures.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

You'd think that there would be 24 blackbirds, but theres only 23. Jeez.

[Jack Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one helped mom learn the nursery rhymes 🙈

[Canadian Children's Book Centre]

Kisses Kisses Baby-O! Welcome Song for Baby: A Lullaby for Newborns

In the Spring 2007 issue of Canadian Children’s Book News, I put out a call to publishers for “more board books please!” Now, one year later, I am delighted that publishers have responded with an amazing new crop of high quality Canadian board books for babies. Orca Book Publishers have produced a stunning new board book written by renowned First Nations storyteller Richard Van Camp. Welcome Song for Baby is a lullaby that welcomes a child into the world: “the sun rises for you/the earth welcomes you/we raise our hands to you.” It is a song and a chant and a celebration of the joy a new baby brings into the world. The full page, full-colour photographs are stunning. Each photo focuses on beautiful baby faces from many cultures. Like Robert Munsch’s Love You Forever,, Welcome Song for Baby is a book that honours the precious bond between parent and child. Nova Scotia’s Nimbus Publishing have produced the first Nova Scotia board book for babies, Kisses Kisses Baby-O! written by award-winning author and literacy advocate Sheree Fitch. The strength of this book is the lyrical language, which weaves words through a baby’s day: “Eyes blink open/sun winks in/hello baby!/day begins kisses kisses/head to toe/kisses kisses/baby-O.” This book is a joy to read aloud with bounce and rhythm and lipslippery language like “slurpy burpy and snuggle huggle” that will tickle the tongue. Hilda Rose’s illustrations of touching, kissing and cuddling model loving interactions between family and baby. Scholastic Canada has added to its growing list of board books with a re-issue of an old favourite — Sing a Song of Mother Goose illustrated with the vibrant Plasticine art of Barbara Reid. Scholastic didn’t simply re-issue the original 1987 version in board book format, a mistake often made by publishers, but have done a fresh new re-design with a selection of 14 verses and all new illustrations. I was delighted to see Reid’s addition of a pile of soft pillows under the cradle in “Rock-abye Baby.” The result is a perfect first Mother Goose collection for families, daycares and libraries.

Reviewed by Carol McDougall in Canadian Children's Book News
Spring 2008 VOL.31 NO.2

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sing a Song of Mother Goose is a collection of nursery rymes and little riddles for little kids.
I picked this book up because I wanted to know more nursery rymes and riddles for the Kids Lit competition.
I finished this book because it's kind of good although I don't really enjoy read nursery rymes.
I would recommend this book to Michelle.T, Janaan and Jenny because they are also in Kids Lit and they are also competing.

[Butternugget Boy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I especially love chomping on Mary's Little Lamb.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful compilation of classical Mother Goose rhymes. Darling illustrations.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of nursery rhymes you can sing, this book is great if you are bored from reading. You can sing your favourite songs and have your kids sing along.

[Emmettra]

this is a very good book

[Meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really lovely nursery rhymes collection. Barbara Reid illustrations are engaging, colourful and detailed as always. Great board book!

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is beautifully illustrated with plasticine to create amazing scenes to go with the 14 best known Mother Goose rhymes.