The Neat Line: Scribbling Through Mother Goose [Hardcover]

Pamela Duncan Edwards (Author), Diana Cain Bluthenthal (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 3, 2005 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

A young scribble matures into a neat line, then wriggles into a book of nursery rhymes where he transforms himself into different objects to assist the characters he meets there.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. PreSchool-Grade 3–In this brilliantly creative romp through the land of Mother Goose, a baby scribble, after much practice, becomes a Neat Line and enters a book of nursery rhymes. (Youngsters may recognize their own struggles with print as they view Scribble's humorous transformation.) There the line helps Little Boy Blue corral his sheep and cows by drawing a horn; saves Jack and Jill from another fall by drawing a pathway up the hill; waters Mary's drooping flowers (contrary Mary is in a snit and refuses to do so herself) by drawing a rain cloud; and creates a bird to scare away the spider harassing Little Miss Muffet. Tired from its labors, the line draws itself into the Man in the Moon and goes to sleep. The relevant nursery-rhyme verse follows each of Neat Line's encounters with the distressed characters. "Leave it to me," says the confident line, as it proceeds to draw itself into the problem-solving object. The large cartoon paintings, many of them spreads, are appropriately outlined with thick, bold lines and are framed by book pages on either side. This resourceful Neat Line deserves to take its place beside Peter H. Reynolds's The Dot (Candlewick, 2003) and Carole Lexa Schaefer's The Squiggle (Crown, 1996) as it inspires readers to attempt ever more challenging rescues by adding more characters and drawings to the story. A thoroughly satisfying journey.–Marianne Saccardi, Norwalk Community College, CT
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 2. A baby scribble grows up into a Neat Line that wriggles into a book of nursery rhymes and rescues the characters by transforming itself into whatever is needed. For Little Boy Blue, Line transforms into a horn to summon the sheep and cows that ran away when Boy Blue slept. For Jack and Jill, Line draws itself as a pathway to lead them back up the hill. To frighten the spider, Line becomes a big bird, and, for once, Miss Muffet is able to finish her meal. Some of the wry commentary may be a bit complicated for the young audience, but they will enjoy the play with the familiar Mother Goose characters as well as the bright, active pictures that extend the fun of the scenarios. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books; 1st edition (May 3, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0066239702
• ISBN-13: 978-0066239705
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #986,555 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Pamela Duncan Edwards grew up in the Wirral, but has spent most of her adult life in the USA. She worked as a children's librarian before becoming a writer and is now the bestselling author of over 30 children's books.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars We LOVE this book, April 21, 2008

By 

In the desert (NM) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Neat Line: Scribbling Through Mother Goose (Hardcover)

My 4/almost 5 yr. old and I love this book. Yes, it is simple but for this age (3-6), it is perfect. The illustrations are clear and though there are 2 story lines (the nursery rhyme and the line's interaction with the characters) it's easy to follow, easy to read aloud to the child and the pages are uncluttered. With it's familiar text and some repeated lines it will have your child chiming in to provide lines (and possibly even reading along with you) in no time. The line's rescues reminded us of the Super Readers on PBS. Now when we read a particularly sad or scary Mother Goose Rhyme we can think of ways the line would help and change the story.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Second Graders at The Potomac School in McLean, VA, February 15, 2006

By 

When Pigs Fly (McLean, VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Neat Line: Scribbling Through Mother Goose (Hardcover)

Our young reviewers liked this clever tale of a line that changes shape to save Mother Goose characters from ruin, but think it best for a younger audience. They advise parents to share nursery rhymes with their kindergarteners and first graders before reading this silly bedtime story. Second graders predict the younger listeners will find the hero line helpful and hardworking, and will enjoy the resourceful rescues made for Little Boy Blue, Jack and Jill and Mary, Mary. Our seven- and eight -year-olds thought the simply-drawn illustrations worked well with the simple rhymes and would appeal to sleepy youngsters, as would the page borders creating a book within a book. In order to draw an older audience, the author is encouraged to add more sticky situations featuring Humpty Dumpty, Mary and Her Little Lamb or the Cow Jumping Over the Moon in any planned sequels.