Dinner rhymes, verses for "awkward moments" with children, poems about love, seafaring, the devil in the garden, nonsense lines loved by a family member and handed downall these have been culled from the Opie Collection of Children's Literature and appear in print here, in many cases for the very first time. A procession of more than 60 illustrators have created spreads for the rhymes: Caroline Anstey, Reg Cartwright, Bob Graham, Anthony Browne, Shirley Hughes, Charlotte Voake, Martin Baynton, Helen Oxenbury, Philippe Dupasquier, among many, many others. A sampling of the verses reveals their color and variety: the poetry of "Goose-Wing Chariot" ("Grey goose and gander / Waft your wings together,"), or the humor of "John Wesley" ("Now these two brothers had a coat, / They bought it on a Monday. / John Wesley wore it all the week / And Charlie on a Sunday,") or the solid, marching beat of "The Soldiers' Camp" ("Father and I went down to camp / Along with Captain Gooden, / And there we saw the men and boys / as thick as hasty pudden' "). The inclusion of definitions of unfamiliar words and phrases ("keekit" for peeped, "five ribbons" for army badges) helps to clear up any potential confusion. The many historical asides may prove invaluable for collectors and serious students of both children's literature and anthropology. A note might explain the way the verse has evolved, or the poem's source or contributorRobert Graves recited two to the Opies; Oliver Cromwell's descendent, Richard Warner, offered up "The Eccentric," complete with hand motions; and Robert Burns's wife Jean crooned a lullaby about a robin and a wren to her children. Not all the rhymes are unsigned: George Bernard Shaw provided one and called it his "Opus I." In these pages (and in the Opie Collection itself) it is possible to unearth further examples of the mysterious singsong phrases that have delighted many generationswords that have a lasting importance to children, long after they have become adults; verses that remain part of an oral tradition in a strictly documented world. A rare project indeed, and one that is sure to be of enduring value to children's literature. All ages.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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