Customer Reviews

And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon

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4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
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Everybody knows the old familiar nursery rhyme...Hey diddle diddle/The cat and the fiddle/The cow jumped over the moon/The little dog laughed/To see such sport/And the dish ran away with the spoon...Only this time they didn't come back. The cat, dog and cow are beside themselves. What are we going to do without the dish and spoon? Could this be the end of the rhyme? So taking matters into their own hands they set off on an adventure to find their errant tableware. First they literally meet a fork in the road, who saw the dish and the spoon go by. He "takes a stab" at drawing a map to help the trio find their rhyme-mates, which sends them on a hilarious journey, following clues, meeting some helpful, some not so helpful and some downright dangerous characters, while trying to put their rhyme back together again..... Janet Stevens has written a very clever and witty story that will have both youngsters and adults smiling, giggling and finally laughing out loud. Her text, told in hip kid-speak language is full of wordplay, jokes and puns and complemented by Susan Stevens Crummel's large, expressive, colorful illustrations. Kids will really enjoy all the wonderful detail in each picture. Together, they've authored a delightful and humorous book the entire family will enjoy. Perfect for youngsters 5 and older, And the Dish Ran Away With the Spoon is a winner!

I recently bought this book for my child and I can't decide who wants to read it more. He is three and says, "It's cool!" and I personally can't get enough of it. The jokes neatly planted in there and the wonderful illustrations makes this book a winner. It is one to buy for your kids and to save for the grandkids even. If you only have a bit of money to spend on a book, choose this one!

My 4 1/2 year old daughter absolutely loves this book. We originally borrowed it from the library, but she was heartbroken when it had to be returned. Although we've read it at least a dozen times, the story, familiar nursery rhymes and whimsical, beautiful pictures continue to grasp her interest. Parents will also enjoy this book, since it is written in a manner for both adults and children. I especially like the point where the characters traveling down the path come to a fork in the road, and it is actually a "fork" in the road, which will help them look for "spoon". I am always delighted when my daughter, Kelly, chooses this book for her bedtime selection.

The dish ran away with the spoon! A search is launched by the other characters in this reprise of a famous nursery rhyme. Do you remember - Humpty Dumpty who sat on a wall,- and Little Boy Blue who blew his horn, the Cows, the big bad Wolf and even the Giant and the beanstalk! Clever action emerges as the characters follow a map given to them by the Fork. They have to find the "runaways" so that this nursery rhyme can continue. Color illustrations enhance this enjoyable tale. When you and your children finish having fun with this cute creation, try reading, "Where Do Balloons Go?" by Jaime Lee Curtis, - and "Island in the Sun", by Harry Belafonte.

My son and I checked this book out from the library when he was about 2 1/2, and he loved it! I did, too. In addition to being fun and clever, with delightful illustrations, the book was a great launching point for further discussions in three areas. First, the word play offers lots of chances for parents to begin explaining jokes, cliches and puns. (And I appreciated that the humor was engaging on both child and adult levels!) Second, the involvement of other Mother Goose characters is a natural lead-in to further reading. In fact, after reading "And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon," we returned to the library for a good Mother Goose collection and went through it looking for now-familiar characters. And third, it is a great way to introduce map-reading skills. My son pretended to draw and read maps after reading this book, and he now understands that miles and directions (north, south, east and west) are ways of expressing where things are.

I read this book a few months ago, even though it hasnt come out yet. My teacher is Mrs. Crummel (the author of the book). I highly reccomend the book, as well as being well written, it has a whole lot of jokes, and cute things that all tie in with the story. I think that its really a great book to read to kids of any age. Im 15, and I loved it. Mrs. Crummel is a wonderful person, who can write wonderful stories.

"Hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon;
The little dog laughed to see such a sport,
And the dish ran away with the spoon."

Until this unique take on the well-known story, the tale has always ended the same, but suddenly there is mayhem in fairytale land when "They didn't come back!" as planned, beginning the rhyme all over again. So cat, dog and cow are off by the light of the silvery moon to discover the fate of the dish and the spoon before all the beloved nighttime stories are turned upside down. If this mystery isn't sorted out, who will ever be able to get a good night's sleep?

Thankfully, the confused trio runs into Fork, who "makes a stab" at drawing a map, one that includes the homes of Little Miss Muffet, Little Bo Peep, Little Boy Blue, the Three Bears, the House That Jack Built and even Humpty Dumpty's wall. Lurching from one possible hiding place to the next, cat, dog and cow are soon frustrated, leaving Little Boy Blue behind in hopes of better information from Little Miss Muffet. The trio is fearless, even approaching the Big, Bad Wolf in their quest. Finally, in the most unimaginable place, dish and spoon come crashing into view, although a bit the worse for wear when dish goes all to pieces.

The fanciful illustrations are energetic and humorous, tiny faces charged with the intensity of the hunt for the rest of their rhyme. With happy energy the thoughtful friends traipse all over the Fork's map, not content until reunited with dish and spoon. This colorful romp teaches more than one lesson as friends search for their missing pals: how to read a (scribbled) map, how to assess the intentions of others (like a hungry and devious Wolf!) and the importance of asking for help from others. Now that these enchanting, lifelike animals have intruded upon the kitchen, this particular children's rhyme will never be the same! Luan Gaines/ 2005.

This book is so clever. We checked it out from the library almost 3 weeks ago, and have read it with our 3 year old everyday. She loves it THAT much.

I must be honest, the first night we read it, she fell asleep during our "family read" (it had been a REALLY long day for her) but my husband and I actually sat there with our sleeping 3 year old, and finished reading the book, just to see how it ended.

The dialogue between the characters is so witty, and the bringing in of other Mother Goose stories is so clever. This book is fantastic.

The school that I teach at is performing this play tonight. It has come along great and going to be very cute live and in person. Very good book!

What a fun book! I read this to a group of Kindergarten children, and they laughed and laughed! A really humorous book with awesome illustrations. I highly recommend this book!