Review: Mother Goose's Little Treasures

By Iona Opie; Illustrated by Rosemary Wells

Candlewick Press; 2007; 56 pages

Picture Book; Mother Goose

Ages: 2-6

ISBN: 978-0-7636-3655-5

A collection of lesser known Mother Goose nursery rhymes paired with Rosemary Wells' signature illustrations.

My Thoughts:

Nursery Rhyme books, specifically Mother Goose, tend to all be the same. Shorter collections always default to the same handful of rhymes. In this book, however, Opie has chosen several rhymes that I had never seen before, and several that are lesser known. (Although, it should be pointed out, that for at least a few of them there might be good reasons for them being lesser known!) It was exciting to read this book, because you couldn't predict what the next page would bring. For parents, more interested in the history of nursery rhymes, there is an introductory letter from the author.

This is also a great read aloud book for younger audiences. The ratio of illustration to text is perfect. There are full page color illustrations that are usually paired with only a few lines of text. Some rhymes take 4 to 5 pages to play out. This makes it suitable for much shorter attention spans. Also, the illustrations themselves are charming. Children who are already familiar with Wells' bunnies will love to see them dancing along with children, cats, dogs, and poultry.

The Thoughts of Others:

School Library Journal's 2007 review did praise the work, but pointed out that since the rhymes are lesser known, the book is a non-essential addition to library and personal collections. They suggested only acquiring it after the previous two in Opie and Wells' series.

Lauralynn Persson also reviewed the book for Publisher's Weekly. She felt that the book was better suited to those who love nursery rhymes, rather than introducing new children to the genre. Also, while she appreciated the illustrations, she felt that they ended up being washed out in production.