Over the Hills & Far Away - Hardcover

Conover, Chris

3.5

42 ratings by Goodreads

9780374380434: Over the Hills & Far Away

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0374380430 ISBN 13: 9780374380434

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), 2004

View all copies of this ISBN edition:

Hold on to your hat!

Tommy was a piper's son,
He learned to pipe when he was young;
The only song that he could play
Was over the hills and far away.
Over the hills and a long way off
The wind shall blow my top hat off.

Come join the fun as Tom, an otter pup, sets out on a merry journey through the various seasons, enchanting young and old alike with his exuberant piping. Among his charmed listeners are raccoons, rabbits, pigs, and a well-dressed snail -- but the most charmed of all is Molly, who accepts his hand in marriage.

In reimagining this traditional folk song, Chris Conover once again proves her incredible skill, which was touted by School Library Journal: "No one portrays animals in a more charming and expressive way than Conover." For the musically inclined, music for piano and guitar is in the back of the book.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

About the Author:

Chris Conover is the author and illustrator of many children's books, including The Lion's Share. She lives in New York City.

From School Library Journal:

PreSchool-Grade 2–This version of the nursery rhyme "Tom, the Piper's Son" features a bright-eyed otter pup who knows only one tune: "The only song that he could play/Was over the hills and far away." Through the seasons and the years, he and his bagpipes encourage the woodland animals to drop their cares and dance. When he sees Sweet Molly in the market square, she steals his heart and soon they are wed. The story ends with Molly holding baby Tommy, who is learning to play the same song. Conover has reworked the traditional rhyme into a ballad, yet the text remains true in spirit to the original. The detailed illustrations are a joy to behold. The endpapers present Tom Piper's family tree, as well as a map of the places he visits while piping his tune. Done in muted earth tones, the single- and double-page paintings are festive, yet serene, showing clothed animals frolicking to the music. Under the verses, there are silhouettes of the characters following the piper, who wears a top hat with a red band. The lyrics and music are appended. A treat for the eyes and ears, this book would work well read or sung aloud in storytime.–Linda Staskus, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma, OH
Copyright � Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.