From the Publisher
"Schoolyard rhymes are catchy and fun. They are easy to remember. In fact, they stick in the mind like bubble gum to a shoe." writes Judy Sierra in her introduction to this lively collection of traditional playground chants. Included are more than 50 verses ranging from the familiar jump rope rhyme about the mythical lady with the alligator purse to less familiar counting-out ones, from funny rhymes for ball-bouncing and hand-clapping games to "Liar, liar, pants on fire, nose as long as a telephone wire" and other choice insults of children. Melissa Sweet includes bright, colorful fabric swatches in her watercolor-and-pencil collages to perfectly capture the spirit of these funky, street-smart verses that children love to recite and chant.
Publishers Weekly
Schoolyard Rhymes: Kids' Own Rhymes for Rope Skipping, Hand Clapping, Ball Bouncing, and Just Plain Fun by Judy Sierra contains 50 rhymes perfect for recess or after-school play, such as the familiar "Miss Mary Mack." Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
Sheilah Egan
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Children's Literature
"Not last night, but the night before," it seems like only last night that all the children in my neighborhood would gather on our front sidewalk to jump rope, play "snake in the gutter" and all sorts of other group games. This extensive collection covers many of the usual childhood chants and includes some that are not so well known. In some of them the words are a bit different from the way I learned them, which underlines the regionalism of oral traditions. I love the idea that children all over the world share the universal childhood chant, "nah-nah-nah-nah-na," so useful in any language for taunting siblings or very close friends. In our house this one sounded like "nannie, nannie, boo boo." This collection highlights the similarities of all children at play and documents some of the playground's best oral expressions. Melissa Sweet's illustrations add the perfect visual impact—playful and humorous—with lots of details showing the various children at all sorts of games and playtimes. The pictures practically jump off the pages. Classroom teachers could use this as a wonderful demonstration of the universal themes shared by children at play, as well as how "word of mouth" sayings evolve with time and geography. Grab a length of clothes line and share the fun, or just learn a new hand-clapping routine to impress the neighborhood children. 2005, Knopf/Random House, Ages 5 to 10.
School Library Journal
K-Gr 5-Sierra has selected some of the funniest and most memorable schoolyard rhymes available in this appealing collection, including such old favorites as "Miss Mary Mack, Mack, Mack," "Lady with the Alligator Purse," and "Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire." Kids will also howl over other offerings that may be new to this generation: "Ladies and jellybeans, hoboes and tramps,/Cross-eyed mosquitoes and bow-legged ants" and "Tarzan, Tarzan, through the air,/Tarzan lost his underwear." The rhythms and nonsense rhymes are irresistible, compelling memorization and participation in the fun. Tried-and- true wordplays will tickle young readers, such as the one that begins "Splickety-splat,/I saw a dead rat,/and I 1 it./Say you 2 it" and eventually leads to the delightfully disgusting conclusion, "I 8 it." Sweet's animated watercolor-and-collage illustrations fill the pages with expressive faces, thin lines of verse shaped into jump ropes and borders, and hilarious interpretive scenes from the rhymes. This is a definite winner, as it will be enormously popular with children.-Lee Bock, Glenbrook Elementary School, Pulaski, WI Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
Drawing on her Ph.D. in folklore, Sierra has compiled an upbeat selection of dozens of schoolyard rhymes and funny poems, complemented by Sweet's charming illustrations in watercolor and fabric collage. The collection includes many old clapping games and jump rope rhymes that have been around for generations, as well as familiar short chants and funny verses. The illustrations bring a fresh focus to the collection with a sophisticated design that includes tiny columns of the typeset rhymes creatively enhancing the illustrations, outlining a palm tree or serving as jump ropes. There are many available collections of children's traditional rhymes, but this one uses bright colors, great illustrations and pleasing design elements to reach out to contemporary children. Includes an index of first lines and an author's note. (Nonfiction. 4-8)
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