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Over in the Meadow
The old animal counting song. “Numbers for knee highs couldn’t be more fun. . . . Also has music for the song at the end. . . . Feodor Rojankovsky’s charming illustrations are in full color and black and white.”—Kirkus ReviewsThis title has been selected as a Common Core Text Exemplar (Grades K-1, Read-Aloud Poetry).
32 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 26, 1957
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214 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
January 2, 2023
By the same duo who brought us the Caldecott Medal winner Frog Went a-Courtin, John Langstaff's Over in the Meadow is basically and simply a fun and engaging counting rhyme from one to ten (Feodor Rojankovsky's accompanying illustrations are brightly vibrant and lushly descriptive, and the number of baby animals illustrated is equal to the numerical amounts featured in the text, in John Langstaff's adapted song lyrics).
I enjoyed Over in the Meadow almost but not really quite as much as the for me in all ways brilliant Frog Went a-Courtin. For while the latter features a detailed (and very much appreciated) folklore and history heavy author's note at the back of the book, Over in the Meadow just has some minor and very basic supplemental information printed on the side flaps of the dust jacket (which I guess, is still more than adequate, but considering that dust jackets can tear, are sometimes lost and are also regularly removed from library books, this could easily cause the supplemental details about the genesis etc. of the original folksong to be lost as well).
And one further, minor (personal) quibble I have found with Over in the Meadow is that while the numbers from one to ten are featured as both pictures and words, the numbers themselves, as numerical entities, are not part of the illustrations (and that would certainly increase Over in the Meadow's value as a mathematical visual teaching/learning tool). Still, highly recommended as a fun and simple counting book for young children (as well as Over in the Meadow simply being a beautifully illustrated adaptation of the popular folksong). Three and a half stars!
I enjoyed Over in the Meadow almost but not really quite as much as the for me in all ways brilliant Frog Went a-Courtin. For while the latter features a detailed (and very much appreciated) folklore and history heavy author's note at the back of the book, Over in the Meadow just has some minor and very basic supplemental information printed on the side flaps of the dust jacket (which I guess, is still more than adequate, but considering that dust jackets can tear, are sometimes lost and are also regularly removed from library books, this could easily cause the supplemental details about the genesis etc. of the original folksong to be lost as well).
And one further, minor (personal) quibble I have found with Over in the Meadow is that while the numbers from one to ten are featured as both pictures and words, the numbers themselves, as numerical entities, are not part of the illustrations (and that would certainly increase Over in the Meadow's value as a mathematical visual teaching/learning tool). Still, highly recommended as a fun and simple counting book for young children (as well as Over in the Meadow simply being a beautifully illustrated adaptation of the popular folksong). Three and a half stars!
November 5, 2019
John Langstaff, and award-winning children’s author, turns a classic children’s counting song into a lyrical sing-along picture book. The story isn’t new, but the song is timeless. As animals gather in the meadow in a numerical fashion, students follow along with the decorative illustrations as they count the different animals in their homes.
This book would provide a great resource in the younger elementary grades to practice counting to ten in an engaging way. Students could participate by predicting the number that comes next in the sequence and singing along with the teacher. With this lesson I would also create an interactive element and have students stand to represent how many animals are in that particular verse.
I would also use this book as an K-2 emergent reader resource and point out different words that rhyme and various letter sounds. I would use the different animals to discuss their beginning letter sounds of both consonants and diagraphs.
This is a WOW book for me because the song is so engaging to students and in my experience, many children at the young elementary age enjoy books that have animal characters in them. I love this book because I could use it in so many instructional ways in the classroom depending on the grade level. Lessons could be modified for emergent readers to within-word pattern stage readers.
This book would provide a great resource in the younger elementary grades to practice counting to ten in an engaging way. Students could participate by predicting the number that comes next in the sequence and singing along with the teacher. With this lesson I would also create an interactive element and have students stand to represent how many animals are in that particular verse.
I would also use this book as an K-2 emergent reader resource and point out different words that rhyme and various letter sounds. I would use the different animals to discuss their beginning letter sounds of both consonants and diagraphs.
This is a WOW book for me because the song is so engaging to students and in my experience, many children at the young elementary age enjoy books that have animal characters in them. I love this book because I could use it in so many instructional ways in the classroom depending on the grade level. Lessons could be modified for emergent readers to within-word pattern stage readers.
March 5, 2009
I'd love to own this one. We borrowed it from the library with the CD and enjoyed the book sung to us, rather than read to us. Just loved it!
Update: I almost returned this one to the library, but have been so glad that I held on to it. My two year old can't get enough of listening to the song and looking at the pictures. He sings the song as he plays.
Amazon has MP3 downloads for "Over in the Meadow" and "Frog Went a Courtin'"
Update: I almost returned this one to the library, but have been so glad that I held on to it. My two year old can't get enough of listening to the song and looking at the pictures. He sings the song as he plays.
Amazon has MP3 downloads for "Over in the Meadow" and "Frog Went a Courtin'"
February 13, 2019
Happy book for kids that will make all smile with the rhyming text that takes you over in the meadow in the sand and the sun.
October 23, 2022
This beautiful musical audio book is on repeat at our house right now.
October 17, 2013
5* art
4* song
We sing this with squeaky voices for the animal babies, which makes Squirt giggle.
4* song
We sing this with squeaky voices for the animal babies, which makes Squirt giggle.
October 22, 2025
Cute rhyming book about animal mamas and their babies that counts to 10.
January 10, 2009
Cute illustrations that go along with the song lyrics to "Over in the meadow." Our girls enjoyed counting the animals. We also enjoyed watching the pages animated to the song as sung by Mae Robertson on a Scholastic Storybook Treasures DVD. It included seven other sing-along songs with animations of the illustrated books. It was a great way to see the book in a new way.
April 28, 2010
We will be buying this one. My kids and I have been singing this song over and over since the first read. They ask to sing it, they can predict the text, they (usually) understand the rhyming cues, and love the animals in the illustrations. I loved it.
January 14, 2015
How many "Over in the Meadow" books Have I read..I think this one makes 3. They all have different picture but the story is the same...this one is not an improvement on the other ones but from 1957 it isn't bad at all. The copy I am reading was purchased in 3-23-1970 That was a few years ago!
June 29, 2017
Beautiful illustrations! Fun counting, and would also work well as an "I Spy" book. Read, or sing it, out loud.
February 12, 2019
This was so sweet and cute!
May 9, 2021
An old song is illustrated, so that if you want to encourage music, this might be a good option. It is a counting song, and the tune is repetative so good for young kids just learning to count.
February 27, 2023
An oldie-but-goodie - surely I had this read to me as a child. The text is based on an old children's counting rhyme, but it is the illustrations by Feodor Rojankovsky that really shine.
Done in both monotone and brilliant color, they depict the playfulness that makes watching baby animals such a treat.
Done in both monotone and brilliant color, they depict the playfulness that makes watching baby animals such a treat.
June 12, 2018
An older song illustrated into a rhyming children's book. The song is simple, and it focuses on counting up to the number ten while incorporating animals. Sneaky educational is how I would call it.
I especially love the illustrations in this one, they look like pastel on paper with an irregular tooth, or possible loose wooden pencil work. I appreciate the nostalgic touch and it reminds me of being a child. If you're kids are anything like me or the ones I know now, they will simply love to just stare at the pictures, whether you're reading this to them or not.
I especially love the illustrations in this one, they look like pastel on paper with an irregular tooth, or possible loose wooden pencil work. I appreciate the nostalgic touch and it reminds me of being a child. If you're kids are anything like me or the ones I know now, they will simply love to just stare at the pictures, whether you're reading this to them or not.
March 8, 2019
'Over in the Meadow' would be appropriate to read with preschoolers through 2nd graders. The story tells about all the little animals you would find in the forest and what they do. Throughout the book the number of babies each mother has increases by one until we have counted to ten by the end. This would be a very fun book to read and sing with students. It could be used to talk about what animals we would see if we went to the forest, where they live and what they do. It also incorporates counting to ten which could be good practice for young students.
May 30, 2017
I love this book! I remember my mom singing the song in it to me at bedtime. I love how the children were so obedient to what the mother told them to do.
**Talking points - what do you like to do that your mother has told you to do? What do you like to do that your father has told you to do?
**Talking points - what do you like to do that your mother has told you to do? What do you like to do that your father has told you to do?
July 24, 2021
My youngest children are almost 8 and still love this book and its accompanying CD. I think its pretty cool that such a simple book/rhyme/song has an appeal that lasts for such a wide age range. The illustrations are really beautiful. I will be watching for this book in my treasure hunts because it needs to be a permanent part of our home library.
February 12, 2021
This was a cute book, the writer wrote about the different types of animals that live in the meadow. Each animal it described what they do: dig, run, spin, hop. The author also had good visual images that will catch the children's attention when reading.
May 20, 2021
This is a picture book based on the children’s song “Over In The Meadow” and it is beautiful! If you have littles or little grandchildren, this one is worth owning and having space on your bookshelf.
June 5, 2017
This is a one to ten counting, rhyming, singing book. I loved reading this. It was so easy to make the words so smoothly run together. Very fun counting song!
January 1, 2021
Classic song. Love the animals and even some of the more advanced vocabulary (e.g., sycamore).
October 16, 2021
The illustrations are wonderful. I sang this to my dogs and Sabrina struggled to stay awake. I bet that might work even on children at bedtime.
January 14, 2022
Animal moms give advice to their offspring and they listen.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 24, 2022
Intriguing children's book that attempts a visual corrolary to a song!
November 15, 2024
Lovely picture book written in 1957.
July 25, 2025
Very cute, and I see why it won a Caldecott!
July 29, 2025
Gorgeous illustrations!
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August 30, 2016John Langstaff and Feodor Rojankovsy previously teamed up on the Caldecott winning Frog Went a-Courtin' before creating Over in the Meadow, also based on a folk song. Over in the Meadow maintains a similar style and feel to their earlier work.
Rojankovsky uses what appear to be colored pencils to create cheery and inviting pictures. The traditional look of the illustrations goes along well with the folk song and the simple text style are easy for children to navigate. There is plenty to see on each page and the illustrations, while simple, manage to convey what the animal would like.. For example, our foxes are a rusty red, while our bird has a red breast.
The Washington Post mentioned this as a potential core collection for common core schools and it is easy to see why (2010). The rhythm of the text lends itself to an active story time and each page provides an opportunity for participation by the children, from clapping to the rhythm to acting out the animals activities. It also provides pre-readers ample opportunity to "read" the illustrations.
This book is recommended for libraries serving primary grades, both public and school. It is essential for libraries who do not already have a copy in their collection, but may be supplemental to libraries that already feature a quality version of the story.
Rojankovsky uses what appear to be colored pencils to create cheery and inviting pictures. The traditional look of the illustrations goes along well with the folk song and the simple text style are easy for children to navigate. There is plenty to see on each page and the illustrations, while simple, manage to convey what the animal would like.. For example, our foxes are a rusty red, while our bird has a red breast.
The Washington Post mentioned this as a potential core collection for common core schools and it is easy to see why (2010). The rhythm of the text lends itself to an active story time and each page provides an opportunity for participation by the children, from clapping to the rhythm to acting out the animals activities. It also provides pre-readers ample opportunity to "read" the illustrations.
This book is recommended for libraries serving primary grades, both public and school. It is essential for libraries who do not already have a copy in their collection, but may be supplemental to libraries that already feature a quality version of the story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews