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Over the Hills and Far Away: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes
A spectacular treasury of 150 classic nursery rhymes and new discoveries, featuring a star-studded roster of seventy-seven illustrators.
Nursery rhymes have entertained and comforted children for centuries. Over the Hills and Far Away is a unique collection of rhymes and verse from across the globe—rhymes from the English-speaking world as well as verse that entered English from Chinese, Latino, African, and other cultures. With illustrations from seventy-seven artists, many celebrated throughout the world, and some just emerging, this volume is truly an adventure in language, image, and imagination. A magnificent gift for little ones hearing these verses for the first time as well as a wonderful book for family sharing across generations.
Some of the contributors include;
Ashley Bryan
Eric Carle
Lucy Cousins
Helen Craig
Niki Daly
Polly Dunbar
Bob Graham
Emily Gravett
Shirley Hughes
Yasmeen Ismael
Satoshi Kitamura
Jon Klassen
PJ Lynch
Jerry Pinkney
Chris Raschka
Catherine Rayner
Shaun Tan
Mo Willems
Ed Young
Pamela Zagarenski
Nursery rhymes have entertained and comforted children for centuries. Over the Hills and Far Away is a unique collection of rhymes and verse from across the globe—rhymes from the English-speaking world as well as verse that entered English from Chinese, Latino, African, and other cultures. With illustrations from seventy-seven artists, many celebrated throughout the world, and some just emerging, this volume is truly an adventure in language, image, and imagination. A magnificent gift for little ones hearing these verses for the first time as well as a wonderful book for family sharing across generations.
Some of the contributors include;
Ashley Bryan
Eric Carle
Lucy Cousins
Helen Craig
Niki Daly
Polly Dunbar
Bob Graham
Emily Gravett
Shirley Hughes
Yasmeen Ismael
Satoshi Kitamura
Jon Klassen
PJ Lynch
Jerry Pinkney
Chris Raschka
Catherine Rayner
Shaun Tan
Mo Willems
Ed Young
Pamela Zagarenski
160 pages, Hardcover
First published March 10, 2015
5 people are currently reading
218 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
January 12, 2023
A collection of nursery rhymes from around the world. Some of the illustrations are lovely, each page or so is created by a different illustrator, I wish they had put the name of the illustrator on the pages, you can look at the front for who did what, but it takes a bit of flicking back and forth. Some beautiful images by the likes of Catherine Hyde and Mark Hearld. Some illustration styles I really didn't like, I strongly dislike the style of Nick Sharratt, I find his style really ugly. Having this mix would put me off wanting to own this book.
It was good to read the traditional rhymes, I particularly enjoyed the ones I knew as a child and had sung to my children. I hope these rhymes live on. It would good to see a collection that included the music.
It was good to read the traditional rhymes, I particularly enjoyed the ones I knew as a child and had sung to my children. I hope these rhymes live on. It would good to see a collection that included the music.
January 20, 2015
Not all nursery rhyme collections are created equal. That is something you discover when you have small children. A parent, even a children’s librarian type parent, will inevitably come to a shocking realization sometime during their child’s early years that when you read a nursery rhyme, the kiddo really and truly seems to love it. Nursery rhymes, far from simply being “good for the child” in some lofty, educated manner, have stuck around as long as they have because they really and truly do speak to the kids. The cadences and rhythms and images are incomparable, and that is regardless of nation or heritage. So as you seek out new nursery rhyme books, you begin to fancy yourself a kind of connoisseur. Some authors provide the classics in an effective manner (Lobel, de Paola, etc.) while others seem to be finding their footing. And really, how many ways can you re-imagine Little Boy Blue anyway? One thing you don’t find in a lot of nursery rhyme collections? Diversity. You pick up something like Over the Hills and Far Away and you see that “more than 70 celebrated artists” are included. It ain’t lying. It also ain’t the white white world we’re so used to in nursery rhyme collections. Tsimshian and Creole, Jamaican and Australian, Chinese American and Chippewa, this is a book that not only speaks to a wider audience than nursery rhyme collections of the past, it’s cleverly constructed and perfectly illustrated to boot. Hammill has clearly created the very first nursery rhyme collection of note for the 21st century.
Read the publication page of the book and you will be told that "Over the Hills and Far Away gathers poems from various parts of the English-speaking world, including Great Britain, the Caribbean, Australia, and the United States. Regional spellings and usage have been retained in order to preserve the integrity of the originals.” Fair enough, and I understand why this statement reads the way it does, but it does run the risk of leading the casual reader to believe that this book only collects poems from the English-speakers of the world. Happily, even the most cursory flip through will relieve you of that mistake (to say nothing of reading the Introduction). Because if there is one thing the nursery rhyme books of your average library lack, it is diversity. Generally speaking, if a person wants to find Inuit, Jamaican, Latino, or South African nursery rhymes, you find separate collections of them and that’s that. Almost never do you find them integrated seamlessly with English and American rhymes. Hammill notes in her Introduction that “Nowhere... have I found a wide-ranging collection that sits alongside these Mother Goose favorites and injects fresh life into them – providing a genuine intercultural experience.” Why? Research. Dedication. It takes a single-minded intensity to not only track them down but to also pair each and every one with just the right artist.
And the artists, in this particular case, are jaw-dropping. It isn’t just the number of well known names on display. Certainly Mo Willems, Shaun Tan, Lucy Cousins, Ed Young, Jon Klassen, Shirley Hughes, Jerry Pinkney and so on and such are impressive right from the get go. It’s also the fact that there are a great number of artists working here who are not, first and foremost, famous names. Hammill says in her opening that these artists included both the established and the emerging, as well as winner of an Illustration Competition for U.K. art students.
And how do these illustrators do? I was pleased. Every collection out there is going to have its stronger and weaker elements. So there were some artists who had clearly put a lot of time and thought into their art, while others seemed to phone it in. The Marcia Williams take on “Old Mother Hubbard” reminded me of the poem in Nursery Rhyme Comics which also turned the rhyme into sequential comic art (it really lends itself to the form well). Meanwhile Eric Carle’s art is just a series of animals taken from his previously published books. Jerry Pinkney created original art of a familiar character when he referenced his Caldecott Honor title Noah’s Ark in the rhyme “Who Built the Ark?” Sometimes the artists alleviate potential creepiness (as with Gus Gordon’s rather charming if carnivorous “Algy Saw a Bear”) while others add to it (I’m thinking of the uber-sketchy men peering at the cheerful girl eating her food alongside the rhymes “Brow Bender”, “Earkin-Hearkin”, and “Knock at the Door”). But by some great good fortune, the bulk of the work is very strong, charming, and actually honestly interesting to kids. Let’s not forget that little factor.
I was charmed by the art. I was taken with the selection. But the real reason Hammill’s work on this book blew me away as much as it did? It’s simple. The woman has a gift for pairing complimentary rhymes together. As the mother of a 3-year-old and a new baby I’ve done my due diligence and read every nursery rhyme book I could get my hands on. Yet while artists like Tomie dePaola and Arnold Lobel would pair similar rhymes together in clever ways (rain poems on one page, love poems on another), Hammill sort of kicks everything up to another level. First there are the pairings that are so obvious you’re shocked you haven’t seen them before. “Yankee Doodle” next to “The Grand Old Duke of York”. Or glutinous “Hannah Bantry” with “Jack Sprat” and wife. In her introduction, Hammill notes that in her research she “came upon anthologies of parallel rhymes and verse that have entered and enhanced the English lexicon from Asia, the Caribbean, and African, Native-American, and Hispanic cultures and elsewhere.” It reminds me of that old collection of world fairy and folktales World Tales collected by Idries Shah, which noted similarities in single stories throughout different cultures. Here you’ll see how well some poems pair. Some pairs are the lighthearted kind mentioned above. Others have quite a bit more to say, as when “Hush-a-bye, Baby” sits alongside the Chippewa “Little Baby, Sleep” and artist Olivia Lomenech Gill crafts a fascinating construct of “baby” King George falling off the tree while, on the other page, a Chippewa mother holds her child’s cradle board.
In the back of the book you will find a list of sources used to find some of these poems and rhymes. This is followed by a section thanking directly some of the people who helped to find these rhymes, like Pascale Arpin, coordinator of Arts Programming at Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association and Ashley Bryan who opened “his extensive personal library to me and introducing me to important collections of African and Caribbean verse and rhyme”. Many of the collections sourced are older, from the 1929 rhymes from the Bureau of American Ethnology to the 1900 Chinese Mother Goose Rhymes. I’m no nursery rhyme historian so I take it on faith that Hammill took steps to ensure accuracy where the poems are concerned. You need a certain level of trust in these cases. I leave it to others to ascertain one source’s authenticity over another’s.
Gone are the days when the publishing industry could put out nursery rhyme collection after nursery rhyme collection and not have to think about the diverse audience who might be reading the poems. Generally when nursery rhymes are produced these days the hat tip made to cultural diversity rests squarely on the shoulders of the illustrator, not the selection of poems themselves. What sets Over the Hills and Far Away apart is the fact that not only has Elizabeth Hammill found a wide range of interesting and intelligent rhymes, she has found ways to interweave them with similar rhymes from other cultures to create a real understanding of why rhymes from children are universally desired and important. For all that we talk about diverse books for kids, I’ve never heard anyone suggest that someone create a book like this before. Now it is here. If you own only one nursery rhyme collection on your shelves, own this one.
For all ages.
Read the publication page of the book and you will be told that "Over the Hills and Far Away gathers poems from various parts of the English-speaking world, including Great Britain, the Caribbean, Australia, and the United States. Regional spellings and usage have been retained in order to preserve the integrity of the originals.” Fair enough, and I understand why this statement reads the way it does, but it does run the risk of leading the casual reader to believe that this book only collects poems from the English-speakers of the world. Happily, even the most cursory flip through will relieve you of that mistake (to say nothing of reading the Introduction). Because if there is one thing the nursery rhyme books of your average library lack, it is diversity. Generally speaking, if a person wants to find Inuit, Jamaican, Latino, or South African nursery rhymes, you find separate collections of them and that’s that. Almost never do you find them integrated seamlessly with English and American rhymes. Hammill notes in her Introduction that “Nowhere... have I found a wide-ranging collection that sits alongside these Mother Goose favorites and injects fresh life into them – providing a genuine intercultural experience.” Why? Research. Dedication. It takes a single-minded intensity to not only track them down but to also pair each and every one with just the right artist.
And the artists, in this particular case, are jaw-dropping. It isn’t just the number of well known names on display. Certainly Mo Willems, Shaun Tan, Lucy Cousins, Ed Young, Jon Klassen, Shirley Hughes, Jerry Pinkney and so on and such are impressive right from the get go. It’s also the fact that there are a great number of artists working here who are not, first and foremost, famous names. Hammill says in her opening that these artists included both the established and the emerging, as well as winner of an Illustration Competition for U.K. art students.
And how do these illustrators do? I was pleased. Every collection out there is going to have its stronger and weaker elements. So there were some artists who had clearly put a lot of time and thought into their art, while others seemed to phone it in. The Marcia Williams take on “Old Mother Hubbard” reminded me of the poem in Nursery Rhyme Comics which also turned the rhyme into sequential comic art (it really lends itself to the form well). Meanwhile Eric Carle’s art is just a series of animals taken from his previously published books. Jerry Pinkney created original art of a familiar character when he referenced his Caldecott Honor title Noah’s Ark in the rhyme “Who Built the Ark?” Sometimes the artists alleviate potential creepiness (as with Gus Gordon’s rather charming if carnivorous “Algy Saw a Bear”) while others add to it (I’m thinking of the uber-sketchy men peering at the cheerful girl eating her food alongside the rhymes “Brow Bender”, “Earkin-Hearkin”, and “Knock at the Door”). But by some great good fortune, the bulk of the work is very strong, charming, and actually honestly interesting to kids. Let’s not forget that little factor.
I was charmed by the art. I was taken with the selection. But the real reason Hammill’s work on this book blew me away as much as it did? It’s simple. The woman has a gift for pairing complimentary rhymes together. As the mother of a 3-year-old and a new baby I’ve done my due diligence and read every nursery rhyme book I could get my hands on. Yet while artists like Tomie dePaola and Arnold Lobel would pair similar rhymes together in clever ways (rain poems on one page, love poems on another), Hammill sort of kicks everything up to another level. First there are the pairings that are so obvious you’re shocked you haven’t seen them before. “Yankee Doodle” next to “The Grand Old Duke of York”. Or glutinous “Hannah Bantry” with “Jack Sprat” and wife. In her introduction, Hammill notes that in her research she “came upon anthologies of parallel rhymes and verse that have entered and enhanced the English lexicon from Asia, the Caribbean, and African, Native-American, and Hispanic cultures and elsewhere.” It reminds me of that old collection of world fairy and folktales World Tales collected by Idries Shah, which noted similarities in single stories throughout different cultures. Here you’ll see how well some poems pair. Some pairs are the lighthearted kind mentioned above. Others have quite a bit more to say, as when “Hush-a-bye, Baby” sits alongside the Chippewa “Little Baby, Sleep” and artist Olivia Lomenech Gill crafts a fascinating construct of “baby” King George falling off the tree while, on the other page, a Chippewa mother holds her child’s cradle board.
In the back of the book you will find a list of sources used to find some of these poems and rhymes. This is followed by a section thanking directly some of the people who helped to find these rhymes, like Pascale Arpin, coordinator of Arts Programming at Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association and Ashley Bryan who opened “his extensive personal library to me and introducing me to important collections of African and Caribbean verse and rhyme”. Many of the collections sourced are older, from the 1929 rhymes from the Bureau of American Ethnology to the 1900 Chinese Mother Goose Rhymes. I’m no nursery rhyme historian so I take it on faith that Hammill took steps to ensure accuracy where the poems are concerned. You need a certain level of trust in these cases. I leave it to others to ascertain one source’s authenticity over another’s.
Gone are the days when the publishing industry could put out nursery rhyme collection after nursery rhyme collection and not have to think about the diverse audience who might be reading the poems. Generally when nursery rhymes are produced these days the hat tip made to cultural diversity rests squarely on the shoulders of the illustrator, not the selection of poems themselves. What sets Over the Hills and Far Away apart is the fact that not only has Elizabeth Hammill found a wide range of interesting and intelligent rhymes, she has found ways to interweave them with similar rhymes from other cultures to create a real understanding of why rhymes from children are universally desired and important. For all that we talk about diverse books for kids, I’ve never heard anyone suggest that someone create a book like this before. Now it is here. If you own only one nursery rhyme collection on your shelves, own this one.
For all ages.
September 3, 2024
With a whopping 77 artists collected in one book of course this deserves 5 stars
January 15, 2016
Share nursery rhymes from around the world with your family. The colorful, imaginative illustrations will delight your eyes and the rhymes will endlessly enchant you. #27
April 13, 2015
poetry anthology by influential writers and illustrators of children's literature and poetry! Simply wonderful!
March 25, 2018
Copyright: 2014
Number of pages: 160
Book format: print
Reading level: Pre-K-2; GR level N/A
Genre: poetry
Lit requirement: nursery rhymes/songs book
Over the Hills and Far Away is a fun book of collected nursery rhymes and songs by Elizabeth Hammil. The book features many rhymes from different parts of the world. For example, their are American, English, Chinese, and Jamaican rhymes just to name a few. Some of these songs are also used in different parts of the world, so the same song can be printed more than once but in a slightly different way. All of the illustrations are also all very different. More than seventy artists were used in this book.
I gave this book five stars because it was entertaining. The reader is introduced to new rhymes as well as old ones that he or she may have already known. Since each page is also illustrated differently, it is like the reader is starting an entirely new story every time the page is turned. This would be a good book for different levels of readers because the difficulty of the rhymes differ.
Number of pages: 160
Book format: print
Reading level: Pre-K-2; GR level N/A
Genre: poetry
Lit requirement: nursery rhymes/songs book
Over the Hills and Far Away is a fun book of collected nursery rhymes and songs by Elizabeth Hammil. The book features many rhymes from different parts of the world. For example, their are American, English, Chinese, and Jamaican rhymes just to name a few. Some of these songs are also used in different parts of the world, so the same song can be printed more than once but in a slightly different way. All of the illustrations are also all very different. More than seventy artists were used in this book.
I gave this book five stars because it was entertaining. The reader is introduced to new rhymes as well as old ones that he or she may have already known. Since each page is also illustrated differently, it is like the reader is starting an entirely new story every time the page is turned. This would be a good book for different levels of readers because the difficulty of the rhymes differ.
December 9, 2019
I enjoy the idea of this book but I did not enjoy its execution. I tried a few times to get into it but then had to give it up. For me, a large part of the problem is there is no indication where one nursery rhyme stops and the next one starts. They all just flow together. Generally, I am a flow-together kind of gal, but in this case it just made everything confusing. E.g. I would be a few lines into a page wondering how it related to what was on the page before, only to figure out it did not; a new rhyme had started. At the very least, it would have helped if the title of the rhyme was included at the start of the rhyme, instead of Hammill's choice of not at all. Normally, I might have rounded up to three stars but here, the illustrations were generally odd and sometimes disconcerting.
I am disappointed. I really liked the idea of internationally-sourced nursery rhymes and illustrations by a diversity of artists. This book had both but it all just somehow did not come off well. I am happy to give this one back to the library for someone who has different tastes to enjoy.
I am disappointed. I really liked the idea of internationally-sourced nursery rhymes and illustrations by a diversity of artists. This book had both but it all just somehow did not come off well. I am happy to give this one back to the library for someone who has different tastes to enjoy.
October 21, 2024
Over the Hills and Far Away is a great collection of nursery rhymes. What fascinated me the most about this poetry book was its diverse collection of rhymes from different cultures. There are traditional rhymes and lesser-known ones as well. This range of poetry gives readers a chance to explore different rhythmic and linguistic patterns. I found the illustrations to be so interesting because you can tell that each story has a different illustrator that captures the essence of that rhyme. The different mix of artistic styles add to the book's sense of adventure and creativity.
I would use this book for PreK -1st grade. Nursery rhymes are a great way to develop essential literacy skills such as phonemic awareness and fluency and this collection of rhymes exposes children to a range of sounds, rhythms, and languages. In the classroom, I would use this book to explore one nursery rhyme per week. Children could recite it and if the rhyme allows, even act it out!
I really enjoyed this collection.
I would use this book for PreK -1st grade. Nursery rhymes are a great way to develop essential literacy skills such as phonemic awareness and fluency and this collection of rhymes exposes children to a range of sounds, rhythms, and languages. In the classroom, I would use this book to explore one nursery rhyme per week. Children could recite it and if the rhyme allows, even act it out!
I really enjoyed this collection.
April 2, 2019
This book is filled with 150 nursery rhythms. Each uniquely written and illustrated. I enjoyed how the nursery rhythms are not only America based. There are nursey rhythms from Jamaica, South Africa, Trinidadian, Chinese America, Yiddish to name a few. Each page is dedicated to one nursey them. This allows the reader to also learn about different cultures. My favorite nursery rhythm in the book is Little Nacy Etticoat on page 64. The illustration of the rainbow and dragon is magical and takes you on a special journey with the story. The vibrant colors are amazing and go along with the rhythm perfectly.
October 22, 2023
"Over the Hills and Far Away: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes" is a pleasant collection of classic nursery rhymes that have entertained children for many generations. Young readers can expect a sensory experience as they flip through the book's pleasantly illustrated pages, which bring each tale to life with detailed and creative images. The collection offers a wide variety that is appealing to both parents and children, and includes well-known classics and uncommon tales. This story should be a welcomed addition to every classroom library because it's a perfect choice for sharing familiar narratives and introducing new ones.
April 9, 2021
This book has received so many accolades and is on a lot of "must read lists" for kids, as such, my hopes were high. But, in the end, as it usually does, the hype let my expectations be disappointed.
The best part of the book was the illustrations. They were truly beautiful. However, the way the book was organized was too fluid for my taste. But, all that being said, I could tell my kids liked the book. So maybe it is just an age appropriate book that I have aged out of...
The best part of the book was the illustrations. They were truly beautiful. However, the way the book was organized was too fluid for my taste. But, all that being said, I could tell my kids liked the book. So maybe it is just an age appropriate book that I have aged out of...
April 30, 2023
This book is a great read because in it, there are different stories. I like how the pages include pictures for each story, making it suitable for young ESL readers. Students may not be able to read every word but they a look at the picture and hopefully piece the story together. The poetry in this book is helpful for young readers so they can get exposure to words and styles of writing which they may be unfamiliar with.
October 20, 2024
Nursery rhymes give a lot of meaning to children and parents all around. It is a whimsical, classical book that gives children an imaginary view about the beauty of nature. Children and parents can bond over these nursery rhymes as it gives a loving passion of singing to your child as they can recognize and understand literacy and gain knowledge on their language skill. This book is definitely a favorite to me since I was raised with knowing these rhymes.
January 10, 2024
Fantastic book of children’s rhymes and songs from around the world with imaginative illustrations and art! My 3-year-old and I love it, and she studies all the pictures and later chants the rhymes and poems, playing with the words and sounds.
March 23, 2018
Children's prose and poetry from around the world; very diverse illustrations and poems.
May 25, 2018
A very nice collection of nursery rhymes illustrated by various artists that we recognize from their books! Would be a lovely one to own or give as a gift!
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December 21, 2021such a pretty cover..
May 22, 2024
Not my favorite book of poetry we’ve read, but I loved getting to see the illustrations from all my favorite children’s illustrators.
October 14, 2018
Being a children's librarian, this is a great resources for doing storytimes.
October 30, 2022
2015 copyright date, NCTE excellence in poetry, nursery rhyme or poetry/fiction
After reading this book I can honestly say that it is multicultural and diverse in poetry and nursery rhymes. There are so many ways I can use this book, I can use it to teach many different forms of poetry, about diversity, and then link the two together and expand beyond poetry into books.
After reading this book I can honestly say that it is multicultural and diverse in poetry and nursery rhymes. There are so many ways I can use this book, I can use it to teach many different forms of poetry, about diversity, and then link the two together and expand beyond poetry into books.
June 25, 2015
Over The Hills And Far Away: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes is a diverse collection of nursery rhymes for parents to share with their little ones. The collection includes traditional rhymes from many countries and cultures. Yes, there are plenty of familiar rhymes from the English and American traditions. But there are plenty of poems--rhymes--that may be unfamiliar to readers. These poems celebrate a universal: young ones all over the world find rhymes fun and appealing.
Yes, the book celebrates the fact that we have a rich tradition of poetry, that there is something right, something good, about sharing rhymes with young children. But the book also celebrates art. Over 70 illustrators were involved in creating this book. Some illustrators are very famous, others are new to the field. The illustrations vary page by page. Chances are, some illustrations you will LOVE, LOVE, LOVE and others you decidedly won't personally appreciate. There truly is something for everyone.
My favorites?
Polly Dunbar illustrated "Sing a Song of Sixpence" and "I Had A Little Nut Tree."
Jane Ray illustrated "The Queen of Hearts" and "Pussy cat, Pussy Cat, Where Have You Been?"
Emily Gravett illustrated "A was an Apple Pie."
Ashley Bryan illustrated "Little Sally Water."
Lydia Monks illustrated "Little Bo-peep" and "Little Boy Blue."
Yes, the book celebrates the fact that we have a rich tradition of poetry, that there is something right, something good, about sharing rhymes with young children. But the book also celebrates art. Over 70 illustrators were involved in creating this book. Some illustrators are very famous, others are new to the field. The illustrations vary page by page. Chances are, some illustrations you will LOVE, LOVE, LOVE and others you decidedly won't personally appreciate. There truly is something for everyone.
My favorites?
Polly Dunbar illustrated "Sing a Song of Sixpence" and "I Had A Little Nut Tree."
Jane Ray illustrated "The Queen of Hearts" and "Pussy cat, Pussy Cat, Where Have You Been?"
Emily Gravett illustrated "A was an Apple Pie."
Ashley Bryan illustrated "Little Sally Water."
Lydia Monks illustrated "Little Bo-peep" and "Little Boy Blue."
July 7, 2015
Nursery rhyme treasuries have to be something special to gain attention and this one certainly is. In this treasury, nursery rhymes from around the world nestle together into one full and playful view of the world and children. There are rhymes from England and the United States, and then there are wonderful additions from Africa, China, South America, France and other areas. Adding to the variety are the illustrations from some of the greatest children’s book illustrators working today, including popular favorites like Lucy Cousins, Shirley Hughes, Jon Klassen, Jerry Pinkney and Shaun Tan.
Opening this book invites the youngest readers into a journey of the imagination and the joy of rhymes from around the world. Anchored by familiar favorites for western readers, the book branches merrily out into less familiar rhymes. Rhymes carefully chosen to become new favorites and ones that reflect the places and regions they come from clearly.
The illustrations are gorgeous and varied. It makes each turn of the page thrilling and filled with wonder. Each one is unique and marvelous, a great example of that master illustrator’s work.
Add this nursery rhyme treasury to your library collection to add an important amount of diversity to your shelves. Appropriate for ages 1-4.
Opening this book invites the youngest readers into a journey of the imagination and the joy of rhymes from around the world. Anchored by familiar favorites for western readers, the book branches merrily out into less familiar rhymes. Rhymes carefully chosen to become new favorites and ones that reflect the places and regions they come from clearly.
The illustrations are gorgeous and varied. It makes each turn of the page thrilling and filled with wonder. Each one is unique and marvelous, a great example of that master illustrator’s work.
Add this nursery rhyme treasury to your library collection to add an important amount of diversity to your shelves. Appropriate for ages 1-4.
January 11, 2016
A spectacular treasury of 150 classic nursery rhymes and new discoveries, featuring a star-studded roster of seventy-seven illustrators.
Nursery rhymes have entertained and comforted children for centuries. Over the Hills and Far Away is a unique collection of rhymes and verse from across the globe--rhymes from the English-speaking world as well as verse that entered English from Chinese, Latino, African, and other cultures. With illustrations from seventy-seven artists, many celebrated throughout the world, and some just emerging, this volume is truly an adventure in language, image, and imagination. A magnificent gift for little ones hearing these verses for the first time as well as a wonderful book for family sharing across generations.
Notes
Elizabeth Hammill has been fascinated with what Iona Opie calls the "international exchange and flow" of rhymes and verse for young children. Now, with Over the Hills and Far Away, she is able to present a wide-ranging nursery-rhyme collection that reflects these diverse voices and places them alongside traditional favorites. Originally from the United States, Elizabeth Hammill now lives in England.
Subject:
Children's poetry
Nursery rhymes have entertained and comforted children for centuries. Over the Hills and Far Away is a unique collection of rhymes and verse from across the globe--rhymes from the English-speaking world as well as verse that entered English from Chinese, Latino, African, and other cultures. With illustrations from seventy-seven artists, many celebrated throughout the world, and some just emerging, this volume is truly an adventure in language, image, and imagination. A magnificent gift for little ones hearing these verses for the first time as well as a wonderful book for family sharing across generations.
Notes
Elizabeth Hammill has been fascinated with what Iona Opie calls the "international exchange and flow" of rhymes and verse for young children. Now, with Over the Hills and Far Away, she is able to present a wide-ranging nursery-rhyme collection that reflects these diverse voices and places them alongside traditional favorites. Originally from the United States, Elizabeth Hammill now lives in England.
Subject:
Children's poetry
November 2, 2016
1. None
2. First through second grade
3. A collection of nursery rhymes illustrated by over 70 different artists. The nursery rhymes, however, are not only the ones commonly known but includes others from all over the world. Rhymes from many indigenous populations such as Inuit, Chippewa, and Maori are included along with rhymes from places like South Africa, Trinidad, and Latin America, and Chinese-American and African-American rhymes are included as well.
4. The different illustrators all use their styles fantastically, and the inclusion of nursery rhymes from different cultures and variations of the rhymes from different cultures as well is an excellent concept. The one criticism I could have is that, in translating a few of the rhymes from other languages, the rhyming was not always preserved, or even the meter. However, despite this, the great number and variety of rhymes means that these are few and far between.
5. As with any nursery rhyme book, this one could be used for teaching about rhyming. It could also be used to teach about different art styles. The multicultural aspect of the book could also be used to help teach about different cultures.
2. First through second grade
3. A collection of nursery rhymes illustrated by over 70 different artists. The nursery rhymes, however, are not only the ones commonly known but includes others from all over the world. Rhymes from many indigenous populations such as Inuit, Chippewa, and Maori are included along with rhymes from places like South Africa, Trinidad, and Latin America, and Chinese-American and African-American rhymes are included as well.
4. The different illustrators all use their styles fantastically, and the inclusion of nursery rhymes from different cultures and variations of the rhymes from different cultures as well is an excellent concept. The one criticism I could have is that, in translating a few of the rhymes from other languages, the rhyming was not always preserved, or even the meter. However, despite this, the great number and variety of rhymes means that these are few and far between.
5. As with any nursery rhyme book, this one could be used for teaching about rhyming. It could also be used to teach about different art styles. The multicultural aspect of the book could also be used to help teach about different cultures.
April 1, 2016
All children love poems and nursery rhymes. If your little one needs a good book full of these beloved rhymes, look to Elizabeth Hammill’s new collection "Over the Hills and Far Away." This gorgeous volume collects a wide variety of poems and rhymes from cultures all over the world, and pairs them with artwork from seventy-seven artists (including some well known, such as Eric Carle). These rhymes run the gamut from traditional nursery rhymes (the old woman in the shoe, three men in a tub) to classic lullabies (Baa, Baa, Black Sheep; Kookaburra), from hand clapping songs readers might recognize from their own childhood (Miss Mary Mack) to counting rhymes and finger games from places near and far. Many of the poems in here will be familiar to readers while others will be previously undiscovered; new favorites are bound to be within, just waiting to be found! Don’t be surprised if your child wants to read the entire book, cover to cover; the rhymes and the artwork are just that engaging.
Originally written for San Diego Book Review.
Originally written for San Diego Book Review.
December 17, 2016
(Poetry) Not a huge fan of poems so this was not my favorite. I did not get a lot of them, partially because a lot came from different countries and languages. There were a lot though that could be used and it was a collaboration of a lot of different artists.
February 12, 2016
Over the Hills and Far Away is a collection or treasury of 150 nursery rhymes from around the world. Including the geographic diversity of these familiar and unfamiliar nursery rhymes, what sets this book apart is the illustrations. Instead of having one illustrator, there are 77 world famous illustrators including Alan Lee, Eric Carle, Marcia Williams. This is a cute book with a lot of rhymes I recognized and a smattering of ones I didn't recognize. My son loves this book, and the sing-songy way the words flow. The illustrations also provide color and character for the visual learner. I confess that I didn't love all of the illustrations, but it was fascinating to flip through the book and see all the different illustration styles of the various artists. Overall, it was a clever book and one worth investing in if you have little ones in the house!
May 14, 2015
A stunning and unique collection of nursery rhymes from around the world. Not only is it gorgeously illustrated and thoughtfully laid out, it contains versions of similar nursery rhymes from around the world. For instance, you can compare four versions of Little Miss Muffet. A completely fascinating treasury of nursery rhymes. Rhymes of varying length, topic, and cultures paired with illustrations from seventy-seven artists this is a wonderful must-have collection for every home hoping to inspire language and imagination.
January 27, 2016
A beautifully illustrated collection of nursery rhymes from all over the world. It was fun to pick out the illustrators I recognized. Some of the versions of nursery rhymes weren't ones I was familiar with, like the "American" version of Little Miss Muffet," which has been changed to "Little Miss Tuckett." Well, that's interesting. A few more had word or phrase changes that were different than the rhymes I had learned as a child. Definitely an interesting collection to peruse on your own or share with a child.
Want to read
June 13, 2015The artists, over seventy of them, make each page turned a delightful surprise. The tried and true English nursery rhymes are enhanced by the art and the parallel rhymes from other cultures have art expressive of the culture. A scattering of riddles, tongue twisters and counting-out rhymes adds to the fun. The "alpha pie" rhyme delighted me since it was the first time (in my memory) I'd seen it illustrated! Wonderful.
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