Rhymes & Reasons: An Annotated Collection of Mother Goose Rhymes

by James C. Christensen (Artist)

Seventy-three classic nursery rhymes and the "reasons" behind them.

Genres: Art, Picture Books

56 pages, Hardcover

First published January 6, 1997

About the author

James C. Christensen was an American artist of religious and fantasy art.

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is actually a children's book but I was interested in it because it gave a short synopsis about the background of each of the rhymes. My favorite two had to be Little Miss Muffet who allegedly was Patience Muffet whose father was a British entomologist who studied spiders and Tweedledee and Tweedledum who were based on the composers, George Frideric Handel and Giovanni Bononcini who quarreled over their musical reputations. Too short for me, would love to read more about the historical background of the rhymes.

[Mommy Farris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book! As is the case with all James Christensen's work, his illustrations are both clever and beautiful. I had to only give it four stars because I don't like the way this book is put together. Most of the pages are only half the width of the cover with a few full pages intermixed. It's a bit frustrating to read - but well worth it.

[Mary Catelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lightsome look at his own painting of Mother Goose rhymes, giving all but one of the rhymes he used. He packed quite a few in.