Sing a Song of Mother Goose

Barbara Reid adapts classic Mother Goose nursery rhymes in this picture book illustrated with her signature Plasticine art technique. The collection includes familiar favorites like "Hey Diddle Diddle," "Little Miss Muffet," and "Mary Had a Little Lamb." Reid's three-dimensional artwork brings each rhyme to life through colorful clay relief scenes featuring children, animals, and storybook characters. The sculptural illustrations add texture and depth to the traditional verses. This interpretation of Mother Goose offers a fresh visual perspective on timeless childhood poems while maintaining their original rhythms and rhymes. Through the combination of classic text and contemporary art style, the book creates connections between past and present storytelling traditions.

Parents and teachers commend the plasticine artwork that brings familiar Mother Goose rhymes to life, with many noting how the 3D illustrations capture children's attention. Readers appreciate how Reid maintains the traditional rhymes while adding visual humor through details in her clay compositions. Likes: - Detailed clay figures that reward repeat viewing - Includes sheet music for sing-along options - Durable board book format stands up to handling - Modern, multicultural representation in illustrations Dislikes: - Limited selection of rhymes (only 14 included) - Some found the clay figures "creepy" or "unsettling" - Higher price point compared to other nursery rhyme collections Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (219 ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (31 ratings) "The plasticine art adds depth and personality to rhymes we've heard hundreds of times," writes one Goodreads reviewer. Another notes: "My toddler loves finding new details in the pictures each time we read."

Hey Diddle Diddle by Caldecott Collection A collection of nursery rhymes features three-dimensional clay art illustrations that bring traditional verses to life.

The Real Mother Goose by Blanche Fisher Wright The classic Mother Goose rhymes appear with vintage illustrations that capture the traditional spirit of these timeless verses.

Mary Engelbreit's Mother Goose by Mary Engelbreit Mother Goose classics receive interpretation through detailed folk art style illustrations with decorative borders and patterns.

The Neighborhood Mother Goose by Nina Crews Traditional nursery rhymes transport to modern urban settings through photographic collages of children in city environments.

This Little Piggy by Jane Yolen Finger play rhymes from Mother Goose tradition combine with illustrations that demonstrate the hand motions for each verse.

🔹 Barbara Reid creates all illustrations in the book using plasticine (modeling clay), a unique artistic technique she has become famous for worldwide. 🔹 Mother Goose rhymes have been traced back to the 17th century, though many are believed to be even older, passed down through oral tradition. 🔹 Each illustration in "Sing a Song of Mother Goose" takes Barbara Reid approximately two weeks to complete, carefully layering and texturing the plasticine. 🔹 The book received the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award and was named one of the year's best by the Canadian Children's Book Centre. 🔹 Reid chooses to depict modern, multicultural children and settings in her Mother Goose illustrations, making traditional rhymes more relatable to contemporary readers.