Big Book of Nursery Rhymes

Anyone looking for a big format book of classic nursery rhymes will find that there are quite a lot to choose from. Some illustrators stick to a traditional style often showing child characters in period dress while others, like this one, bring a fresh eye to the ancient rhymes. Big Book of Nursery Rhymes, which is divided into ‘Favourite Rhymes’ and ‘Songs and Lullabies’, has considerable appeal for toddlers. The pages are nicely designed, giving each rhyme sufficient space. Print is clear and the engaging illustrations have a sharp line, often round beautiful and intense colours. Much thought has gone into picturing each rhyme and often their playful, teasing nature is realized. ‘Hey Diddle Diddle’, for example, a short rhyme which enjoys a whole double spread, shows the cow jumping over a beautiful golden moon against a midnight blue sky. Below this, however, it is daytime as we have a bright green hill with blooming flowers. Many of the illustrations will lead to questions and comment. I have been sharing nursery rhyme books with toddlers for many years and I have never seen a more arresting illustration of ‘There Was An Old Lady’ than that shown in this book. The old lady sits with knife and fork poised at the head of a long table crossing the whole double spread on which fly, spider, bird, cat, dog, cow and horse are arranged in the sequence of the rhyme.

It is interesting that all the characters are shown as clothed animals. This works better for some rhymes than others: I was startled to see Miss Muffet as a cat and Little Jack Horner as a dog. But children accept the quirks of genre remarkably quickly, and the nature of the illustrations here adds to the distinctive character and humour of the book. In short, this will be great fun for both child and sharing adult.