Customer Reviews

Gris Grimly's Wicked Nursery Rhymes

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

and that's a good thing! I just recently discovered Gris Grimly searching on Amazon.com, and he's quickly become one of my favorite artists. His illustrations in this book are so engrossing, I love to just sit and pick out all the detail. And the little stories are very clever and funny. My only complaint is that the book wasn't long enough. I'd love to see Mr. Grimly explore more classic fairy tales and make them his own. This book is a must for any dark child.

Grimly's art is an acceptable facsimile of the styles of Ed Gorey and Tim Burton -- but it is when he takes up the pen for other purposes that he gets into trouble. His poetry is wildly uneven, with cringe-inducing lines, such as:

'After his instruction's through, he leaves to go find someone new.
When he chooses to meander, he flies away upon his gander.'

-- from the poem Father Grim


'She would scream, curse, spit, and swear.
She said things children wouldn't dare.

To other classmates, she would be cruel,
And so she made no friends at school...'

-- from the poem Miss Muffet


'Jill would jab him with a pin
While she bared an evil grin.

Jack would bash her on the head,
Without guilt, until she bled.'

-- from the poem Jack and Jill


Grimly fans may defend his poorly written poems by pointing out that he is writing them for young children and not adults, that he employs the basic metre so it's easy for kids to follow, but that is no excuse. Kids aren't stupid. They can follow a poem with a more complex rhyming scheme than Grimly has to offer. Observe:


'How doth the little crocodile
Improve his shining tale,
And pour the waters of the Nile
On every golden scale!

How cheerfully he seems to grin,
How neatly spread his claws,
And welcomes little fishes in,
With gently smiling jaws!'


'The Walrus and the Carpenter
Walked on a mile or so,
And then they rested on a rock
Conveniently low:
And all the little Oysters stood
And waited in a row.'


These excerpts from Lewis Carroll's 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' & 'Through the Looking-Glass' are both done in a simple 8-6 tempo, but note how much cleaner they are than the excerpts of Grimly's poems above.

Bottom line: Don't waste your money on 'Wicked Nursery Rhymes' (they're really not all that wicked, or clever, anyway) unless you really love Grimly's artwork -- and if that's the case, skip his poetry books and purchase his art books instead. Or if you absolutely must have something to read with his art, then purchase the ones he did with the text by Edgar Allen Poe.

I got a sneak preview of this book, and it is delightful. I enjoyed the artwork and the new, slightly twisted versions of old nursery rhymes is appropriate and entertaining for all ages. I liked it so much that I am giving out Halloween Gifts this year!

If you like the style of Gris Grimly, then you'll definitely love this book. If you don't know Gris Grimly, then this is great opportunity to know him (or his writing and drawing style). This book includes some of the most commonly known nursery rhymes, such as Jack and Jill, Mary Mary quite contrary, and Jack jumps over a candle stick, re-wrote and re-visited by the masterful Grimly! Under the pen of GRIMly you'll see these old, familiar rhymes transformed and interpreted in a new "grim" and "wicked" light, accompanied by the excellent yet morbid illustration. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Loved the book. Perfect for Halloween reading. Amazon is amazing. They got it to me within a few days. Great company to buy anything from.

gris grimly delivers an entertaining book! he is a fine illustrator who does nice watercolors and sketches. very much inspired by the likes of tim burton and edward gorey. great stuff!

I purchased this book along with several others along the same vane for my Grand Daughters. age 2 and 4 to eventually enjoy as I know they will. I am their Gran Pa and are really looking forward to reading it to them when they are old enough. Great illustrations which go great with a twist of the tale....