Mommy Goose

February 8, 2016
Norris presents nearly 50 charming nursery rhymes inspired by the culture, language, and traditions of Appalachia, which are accompanied by folk artist Adkins's hand-carved and brightly painted figurines (the duo previously collaborated on Sonny the Monkey and Bright Blue Rooster Down on the Farm). References to home cooking, farm animals, music, and misbehavior from young and old folks alike pepper the rhymes, a mix of brief, easy-to-memorize fare ("Pray for the pot./ Pray for the pot./ Sometimes it's full,/ Sometimes it's not") and longer offerings (in one early poem that spans several pages, "The raccoons ate up all the corn,/ Climbed in the car and honked the horn./ They played the radio and danced,/ And tried on Granpaw's underpants"). Wearing eyeglasses, a blue hat, and a stern, schoolmarmish expression, "Mommy Goose" herself makes several appearances, holding up rhyming messages about words written on what looks like wood shavings or bark ("A word can be sour,/ or sweet as a kiss,/ soft as a purr,/ harsh as a hiss"). Though the rhymes are grounded in Appalachian soil, their often-silly humor and the rough-hewn whimsy of Adkins's figurines should have broad appeal. All ages.

February 1, 2016

K-Gr 3-Norris, a native of eastern Kentucky, has gathered a collection of traditional Appalachian nursery rhymes heard in school yards and frequently altered by children as they played. His introduction relates little about the origins of "Mommy" Goose, but the photographs of folk artist Adkins's hand-carved and hand-painted crafts fill in some gaps. Readers can follow the carving of Mommy Goose throughout the book, which lends some flow to the narration. However, Norris's compilation consists of an uneven assortment of rhymes. A few humorous poems such as "Raccoons," "Rooster," "Level Cows," and "June Bug" are vivid and memorable and will lend pictures to active imaginations. But many of the lines and phrases are as nonsensical as folk rhymes can be, yet these selections are not that melodious to the ear and are rife with adult sensibilities. Out of 48 rhymes, only a handful will be chosen for reading aloud easily-"I bit my tongue, and now it's sore. I hope I don't bite my tongue no more." VERDICT Even though the text is rendered in a large font similar to the font found in easy readers, this book will probably be only of regional interest to adults enamored of Appalachian folk art.-Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA

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