Ring-a-Ring O'Roses: A Collection of Nursery Rhymes and Stories

Definitely not a pretty-pretty Nursery Rhyme collection, this assortment of the better-known rhymes, interspersed with stories such as 'Goldilocks', 'Chicken-Licken' and 'Puss in Boots', is illustrated in an idiosyncratic style that ranges from 18th-century rustic vignettes reminiscent of Stubbs and tiny sequences to represent each verse of rhymes such as 'Simple Simon', to almost three-dimensional Tenniel-esque caricatures. These latter often use intense colours and unusual perspectives, giving a strong and at times slightly menacing feel. The pictures are often very literal and are full of movement. Text size and arrangement on the page are used imaginatively to reflect meaning or intonation - carried to extremes this becomes irritating but is often effective. There is an index of first lines. As with any collection of this kind, personal taste is the final arbiter. Some may feel that these images are too powerful for the youngest readers - they certainly challenge our notion of what is suitable for children. I see this title best used as part of a nursery/reception class library where children could share and enjoy commenting on the pictures with friends, rather than as a primary source of rhymes for a family.