Mother Goose Remembers HC w CD [Hardcover]

Clare Beaton (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2006 | Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Artist Clare Beaton takes a fresh look at the topsy-turvy world of Mother Goose in this exquisite treasury of traditional rhymes. As they listen to favorites such as Humpty Dumpty and Three Blind Mice, youngsters are also invited to hunt for Mother Goose s feathers, one of which is carefully sewn into the art that accompanies each rhyme. By the final page, they will have collected just enough tiny feathers to fill a bedtime pillow. Thoughtfully compiled, and illustrated with collages that bring together many antique fabrics, this is a truly nostalgic Mother Goose treasury that will be lovingly handed down for many generations.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Cackle, cackle Mother Goose,
Have you any feathers loose?
Truly have I, pretty fellow,
Half enough to fill a pillow.
Here are quills, take one or two
And down to make a bed for you.
For over three centuries, Mother Goose has delighted children with nonsense rhymes, cautionary tales, and singsong verses. With the many renderings of Mother Goose that have appeared over the years, it's hard to imagine a strikingly original version. Yet with Mother Goose Remembers, Clare Beaton strides into entirely new territory. Selecting many of her own childhood favorites, Beaton illustrates them with her hand-sewn designs, using antique fabrics, felt, beads, braids, lace, buttons, and bric-a-brac. The result is a truly charming treasury of poignantly old-fashioned portrayals of "The Queen of Hearts," "To Market, to Market," "Polly Put the Kettle On," "Little Jack Horner," and heaps more. The downy illustrations seem to leap out at the reader, who will want to touch the paper just to be sure it's not actually made of fabric and gewgaws. The title of each rhyme is sewn onto the soft-colored background in big, loose stitches, evoking bygone days when a child's education included embroidery and recitations. Onto each scene floats a single stitched feather for young readers to discover, providing a fun challenge as they "fill" a goose-down pillow for bedtime. (Ages 3 to 7) --Emilie Coulter --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Beaton (One Moose, Twenty Mice) stitches and appliqu's her way through 46 nursery rhymes, including a few less familiar treasures most notably, "There Was an Old Woman Up in a Basket," about a senior citizen who goes to great heights to sweep cobwebs from the moon. She exquisitely and inventively crafts each picture from felt, antique fabrics and bric-a-brac. In "I Had a Little Nut Tree," for example, the tree is made from eyelet fabric and dotted with tiny wooden beads. Beaton's work evokes the cozy domesticity and unhurried days of a bygone era, and many adults may find it refreshing to find a Mother Goose untainted by zingy modern ironies. But unlike How Big Is a Pig (reviewed below), the sewn illustrations don't quite transcend their inherently decorative quality. Beaton seldom plays with perspective, perhaps because the design necessitates that she devote space within each illustration to incorporate longer texts. While ambitious, this compendium unfortunately fails to find new visual energy in these old chestnuts. All ages. (Aug.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Barefoot Books (September 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1846860032
• ISBN-13: 978-1846860034
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 9.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #471,647 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mother Goose Remembers, December 13, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Mother Goose Remembers (Hardcover)

As both a children's librarian and a mother of three children under the age of five, I've seen LOTS of Mother Goose books. This collection is really special, partly because the sewn illustrations are wonderful. They manage somehow to be both awe-inspiring in their creativity and homey in their style. The simple outlines will appeal to younger children, while the fabric and stitching details will intrigue older children. And of course, the rhymes themselves are must-reads for all kids; here we have a combination of old favorites and less familiar ones. Even if you already have Mother Goose books like the Iona Opie/Rosemary Wells collaborations, or Lucy Cousins' versions, this one is worth buying, especially as a gift for a new parent.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite book, September 15, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Mother Goose Remembers (Hardcover)

This is such a beautiful book, it sits on MY bookshelf. I do LOVE to read this with our children, 6, 3, 1, years old. Mother Goose offers something to all age groups. All of the familiar poems and stories are here, as well as a few not-so-familiar entries. The best part of the book, however, is the illustrations. The book is exquisitely illustrated with the look of felt patchwork pictures. We all Really Do Love this Book!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Seriously, the little nuts are crazy about this book., June 24, 2002

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mother Goose Remembers (Hardcover)

Both my children (2 and 3), and any cousin who happens to be visiting, love this book. It's not short, and it's not small, but they're simply captivated by it. Both started getting interested in the book at about a year old, and continue to choose it from the tons of other books we have. I can't explain exactly why they love it over other Mother Goose books, though I suspect the 3-D look of a stitched picture has somthing to do with it. Everything Barefoot Books does is amazing: someday I'll own all their books.