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Nonsense Books #2
Nonsense Songs
Collects the timeless nonsense rhymes of Edward Lear, from the Owl and the Pussycat, to the Jumblies, to the toeless Pobble, and complements them with imagination-piquing illustrations.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1871
28 people are currently reading
173 people want to read
About the author
Edward Lear
748 books204 followersEdward Lear was an English artist, illustrator, musician, author and poet, who is known mostly for his literary nonsense in poetry and prose and especially his limericks, a form he popularised.
His principal areas of work as an artist were threefold: as a draughtsman employed to make illustrations of birds and animals; making coloured drawings during his journeys, which he reworked later, sometimes as plates for his travel books; and as a (minor) illustrator of Alfred Tennyson's poems.
As an author, he is known principally for his popular nonsense collections of poems, songs, short stories, botanical drawings, recipes and alphabets. He also composed and published twelve musical settings of Tennyson's poetry.
His principal areas of work as an artist were threefold: as a draughtsman employed to make illustrations of birds and animals; making coloured drawings during his journeys, which he reworked later, sometimes as plates for his travel books; and as a (minor) illustrator of Alfred Tennyson's poems.
As an author, he is known principally for his popular nonsense collections of poems, songs, short stories, botanical drawings, recipes and alphabets. He also composed and published twelve musical settings of Tennyson's poetry.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 28, 2019
This little book (fits within your hand) of nonsense rhymes put a big smile on my face. It has become my new go-to companion for whenever I visit the animal shelter, as it's easy to carry and the older dogs patiently sit and listen as I read to them. They seem to appreciate Mr. Lear.
They went to sea in a Sieve, they did,
In a Sieve they went to sea;
In spite of all their friends could say,
On a winter's morn, on a stormy day,
In a Sieve they went to sea!
Edward Lear was the 21st of 22 children! Alas, the mother wasn't particularly fond of #21, so the future nonsense writer was brought up by an older sister. At the age of 15, he was already on his own, earning his way as a painter of parrots. This would lead to him instructing Queen Victoria in drawing while he also started writing his poems about Owls, Pussy-Cats, Jumblies, Kangaroos, and Sugar-Tongs, and all of the antics these various creatures experienced.
Far and few, far and few,
Are the lands where the Jumblies live;
Their heads are green, and their hands are blue,
And they went to sea in a Sieve.
The older dogs love The Jumblies...with some peanut butter treats, of course.
Book Season - Year Round (lollipop paws)
They went to sea in a Sieve, they did,
In a Sieve they went to sea;
In spite of all their friends could say,
On a winter's morn, on a stormy day,
In a Sieve they went to sea!
Edward Lear was the 21st of 22 children! Alas, the mother wasn't particularly fond of #21, so the future nonsense writer was brought up by an older sister. At the age of 15, he was already on his own, earning his way as a painter of parrots. This would lead to him instructing Queen Victoria in drawing while he also started writing his poems about Owls, Pussy-Cats, Jumblies, Kangaroos, and Sugar-Tongs, and all of the antics these various creatures experienced.
Far and few, far and few,
Are the lands where the Jumblies live;
Their heads are green, and their hands are blue,
And they went to sea in a Sieve.
The older dogs love The Jumblies...with some peanut butter treats, of course.
Book Season - Year Round (lollipop paws)
December 4, 2013
As far as imaginative and creative writing goes, very few have come close to matching the whimsical style of Mr. Edward Lear.
A compilation of some of the most wonderful, stupendous and ridiculous verses from Lear sees "The Owl and the Pussycat", "The Nutcrackers and the Sugar-Tongs" and "The Jumblies" revitalised with illustrations in both colour and black and white.
With the right narrator these "Nonsense Songs" can become animated and inspire imaginations of even the least creative individuals. The text shows that even some of the greatest poets don't stick to traditional English rules, and that language is as powerful a medium as paint or clay when it comes to creating an image.
"King and Queen of the Pelicans we;
No other Birds so Grand we see!
None but we have feet like fins!
With lovely leathery throats and chins!"
Passages like this can easily lend themselves to lessons for children of all ages. As comprehension and vocabulary exercises for older children, down to drama and art lesson ideas for younger children.
Lear makes it possible to bring words to life with very little imagination, mainly because his work is so full of it!
A compilation of some of the most wonderful, stupendous and ridiculous verses from Lear sees "The Owl and the Pussycat", "The Nutcrackers and the Sugar-Tongs" and "The Jumblies" revitalised with illustrations in both colour and black and white.
With the right narrator these "Nonsense Songs" can become animated and inspire imaginations of even the least creative individuals. The text shows that even some of the greatest poets don't stick to traditional English rules, and that language is as powerful a medium as paint or clay when it comes to creating an image.
"King and Queen of the Pelicans we;
No other Birds so Grand we see!
None but we have feet like fins!
With lovely leathery throats and chins!"
Passages like this can easily lend themselves to lessons for children of all ages. As comprehension and vocabulary exercises for older children, down to drama and art lesson ideas for younger children.
Lear makes it possible to bring words to life with very little imagination, mainly because his work is so full of it!
May 13, 2017
Turns out, I'm not a huge fan of nonsense poetry.
October 17, 2022
I have the Frederick Warne & Co. Edition with illustrations by L. Leslie Brooke. My son falls asleep to these little poems in my lap while we rock in the rocking chair. The cadence is just right for sleepy gliding even though the content is silly. My old library bound hardback copy is mis-printed with two sections repeated, which we find endearing.
December 2, 2020
Classic for a reason. While I definitely enjoyed the Nonsense Songs, the Stories and other following sections were not my particular cup of tea. Still, I think all of it has aged rather well and will still be enjoyed my children today. I would not hesitate to read these to any of my little cousins.
February 14, 2022
Interesting read. Clever use of words and verse. Nothing too memorable though, but it ages well.
December 15, 2015
Identify the poet (or collection of poets)
Edward Lear wrote all the poems in this book.
• Explain why this is a particularly good resource for quality children's poetry
All of the poems in this book are four lines and very simple. They all rhyme and are fun and easy to say. They all are accompanied by great little pictures that are nice to look at as well.
• Identify specific concepts that could be integrated into the classroom.
Rhyme is a concept that could be integrated into the classroom. This could be a fun book for a teacher to read to students who have been learning about rhyme and poetry. They could have activities where they need to pick out all of the rhyming words.
• Provide any other suggestions that would be useful regarding literary content, reading level, and other ways in which the poems might be integrated.
Because all of the poems in this book are four lines and modeled after one another, it could be a good book to use as a model for students who are writing poetry. They could all take one poem and model a new one off of the one they chose in the book.
Edward Lear wrote all the poems in this book.
• Explain why this is a particularly good resource for quality children's poetry
All of the poems in this book are four lines and very simple. They all rhyme and are fun and easy to say. They all are accompanied by great little pictures that are nice to look at as well.
• Identify specific concepts that could be integrated into the classroom.
Rhyme is a concept that could be integrated into the classroom. This could be a fun book for a teacher to read to students who have been learning about rhyme and poetry. They could have activities where they need to pick out all of the rhyming words.
• Provide any other suggestions that would be useful regarding literary content, reading level, and other ways in which the poems might be integrated.
Because all of the poems in this book are four lines and modeled after one another, it could be a good book to use as a model for students who are writing poetry. They could all take one poem and model a new one off of the one they chose in the book.
May 1, 2011
Edward Lear proved he can write in is second book. Though he invented the limerick, he was really bad at them. With longer forms and flexible structures he gave himself a chance to succeed. THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT is justly famous, and would rate 5 stars. The poems that follow all have less charm and less success, but all are still charming and successful in their degrees. Nothing here will change your life, but all are, at worst, fun to read.
June 24, 2016
I read most of this when just a wee kid,
At least I thought I had, though was only ever
sometimes sure I did,
Not sure, now, if it means anything at all
The language is lost, joins the meaning
on the floor;
I thought it might work well for the boy,
But he sought out anything else for joy;
Still memory lane being what it is and all,
The price was little, the time it took fuckall
At least I thought I had, though was only ever
sometimes sure I did,
Not sure, now, if it means anything at all
The language is lost, joins the meaning
on the floor;
I thought it might work well for the boy,
But he sought out anything else for joy;
Still memory lane being what it is and all,
The price was little, the time it took fuckall
February 6, 2012
A nice, comical collection of nonsense tales that are definitely aimed at children. Having to read this as part of my 2nd year for university I was apprehensive of what I would actually have to talk about, but there are various interpretations that can be drawn out of Lear's work and I enjoyed delving into them.
October 26, 2009
I just didn't care for the illustrations. (Bee Willey, no offense)
And you can't read this unless you sing it. It should come with sheet music, so you know a melody. But the Owl and the Pussycat is still excellent.
And you can't read this unless you sing it. It should come with sheet music, so you know a melody. But the Owl and the Pussycat is still excellent.
June 18, 2016
Had no idea where these came from until I ran across this volume.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews