Mother Goose's Songs & Rhymes

 This week, I'm sharing some nursery rhyme picture books.  This includes traditional Mother Goose rhymes and songs along with newer rhymes.  Here are a few of my favorites . . . .

This Little Piggy by Tim Harrington

Expands on the traditional counting rhyme, revealing exciting things the second set of toes does which inspire the first set to try more "fun stuff" too.

After the Fall by Dan Santat

After falling off the wall, Humpty Dumpty is very afraid of climbing up again, but is determined not to let fear stop him from being close to the birds.

Crankee Doodle by Tom Angleberger

Find out just why this Yankee was so cranky in this hilarious take on a traditional nonsense song every child learns in school but doesn't understand.

Mary Had a Little Lamp by Tim Harrington

Mary takes her "bendy," gooseneck lamp wherever she goes, much to the dismay of her parents and classmates, but after leaving it at home during summer camp, Mary finds that she has outgrown her need for her odd companion.

If You're Hoppy by April Pulley Sayre

In rhyming text reminiscent of the traditional song, "If you're happy and you know it," presents various animals that are hoppy, sloppy, growly, flappy, or slimy, scaly and mean.

More Books --

5 Little Ducks by Denise Fleming

The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon by Mini Grey

The Completed Hickory Dickory Dock by Jim Aylesworth

A Dog Needs a Bone by Audrey Wood

Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Mo and Flo! by Laurel Molk

The Farmer in the Dell by John O'Brien

Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow
Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush by Jane Cabrera

If You're a Monster and You Know It by Ed Emberley

The Itsy Bitsy Spider by Iza Trapani

Jack and Jill by Daniel Kirk

Little Miss Muffet by Iza Trapani

Mary Had a Little Lamb by Mary Ann Hoberman

The Neat Line: Scribbling Through Mother Goose by Pamela Duncan Edwards

Old MacDonald Had a Farm by Gus Grimly

Over the Moon by Rachel Vail

A Pocketful of Posies: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes by Salley Mayor

Row, Row, Row Your Boat by Jane Cabrera

The Seals on the Bus by Lenny Hort

Three Little Kittens by Barbara McClintock

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Car by Kate Dopirak

Check these and more nursery rhyme and song books out on display at the Arnold Branch through June 5, 2021.

Sing a Song with Your Child

I love music!  Other than reading, it is probably the thing I love the most.  So it's wonderful when music and books are blended together.  Here are some of my favorite picture books based on songs . . .

The Croaky Pokey by Ethan Long
Frogs sing and do their own version of the Hokey Pokey.

Farmyard Beat by Lindsey Craig
The sounds of the farm animals create a lively beat that keep Farmer Sue, the chicks, sheep, and other farm animals awake.

If You're Hoppy by April Pulley Sayre
In rhyming text reminiscent of the traditional song, "If you're happy and you know it," presents various animals that are hoppy, sloppy, growly, flappy, or slimy, scaly and mean.

Crankee Doddle by Tom Angleberger
A pony tries to convince his cranky owner to take a ride into town. Includes notes about the song, "Yankee Doodle."


More Books --
All Through the Night by John Hughes
Dance by the Light of the Moon by Joanne Ryder
Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah (A Letter from Camp) by Allan Sherman
Hey Diddle Diddle by Eve Bunting
I Ain't Gonna Paint No More! by Karen Beaumont
I'm a Manatee by  John Lithgow
If You're A Monster and You Know It by Rebecca Emberley
Jazz by Walter Dean Myers
Jazzmatazz by Stephanie Calmenson
Mary Had a Little Lamb by Mary Ann Hoberman
The Middle Child Blues by Kristyn Crow
Naamah and the Ark at Night: A Lullaby by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
The Nuts: Sing and Dance in Your Polka Dot Pants by Eric Litwin
One Grain of Sand: A Lullaby by Pete Seeger
Over at the Castle by Boni Ashburn
Punk Farm by Jarrett Krosoczka
Rock & Roll Mole by Carolyn Crimi
Take My Out to the Ballgame by Maryann Kovalski
There Was a Cowpoke Who Swallowed an Ant by Helen Ketteman
This Jazz Man by Karen Ehrhardt
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star by Jane Cabrera
Who Bop? by Jonathan London
You're A Grand Old Flag by George Cohan
Zin! Zin! Zin! A Voilin by Lloyd Moss


Check out these books on display at the Arnold Branch through April 15, 2016.

I Just Want to Laugh

While emotional books are great at times, often we just want a book that will make us laugh.  So here are some of my favorite funny picture books . . .

Crankee Doodle by Tom Angleberger
A pony tries to convince his cranky owner to take a ride into town. Includes notes about the song, "Yankee Doodle."

Cats Are Cats by Valeri Gorbachev
Miss Bell loves her cat Tiger, despite his tendency to act like a tiger.

Mustache Baby by Bridget Heos
A picture book about baby Billy, who is born with a mustache, and his parents, who must figure our if it's a Good-Guy mustache, or a Bad-Guy mustache.

Sylvie by Jennifer Sattler
When Sylvie the pink flamingo learns her color comes from the little pink shrimp she eats, she decides to expand her choices, trying everything under the sun and, unfortunately, overdoing it.

Falling for Rapunzel by Leah Wilcox
A prince tries to get Rapunzel to throw down her hair so he can rescue her, but she mishears him and throws down random objects from her room instead.


More Funny Picture Books --
Bark, George by Jules Feiffer
Beware of Tigers by Peter Horacek
The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak
Brief Thief by Michael Escoffier
Chickens to the Rescue by John Himmelman
Count the Monkeys by Mac Barnett
Cowlick! by Christin Ditchfield
Don't Squish the Sasquatch! by Kent Redeker
Ducks Don't Wear Socks by Jon Nedwidek
The Entertainer by Emma Dodd
Farmer Brown Goes Round and Round by Teri Sloat
Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems
I'm a Shark! by Bob Shea
Is Everyone Ready for Fun? by Jan Thomas
Let's Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy by Jan Thomas
Little Nelly's Big Book by Pippa Goodhart
Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Mail Harry to the Moon! by Robie H. Harris
Moo! by David LaRochelle
A Pet for Petunia by Paul Schmid
Put It on the List! by Kristen Darbyshire
This Is a Moose by Richard T. Morris
This Is Not My Hat! by Jon Klassen
This Little Piggy by Tim Harrington
The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli
Who Needs a Hug? by Jeff Mack


Check out these books on display at the Arnold Branch through December 23, 2015.

Crankee Doodle by Tom Angleberger

Have you wondered what the real story was behind the song "Yankee Doodle"?

Why did he ride to town?
Why did he put a feather in his hat?
And why did he call the cat "macaroni"?

Well this book answers those questions!

His horse desperately wants to go to town.  He is cranky and does not want to go. 

How will the horse eventually get him to go to town?

Check out this book and find out!

A hilarious "history" that everyone will love.