AND THE GREEN GRASS GREW ALL AROUND: FOLK POETRY FROM EVERYONE

REVIEW

1.BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Schwartz, Alvin. 1992. AND THE GREEN GRASS GREW ALL AROUND: FOLK POETRY FROM EVERYONE. Ill by Sue Truesdell. U.S.A.: Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN: 0060227575.

2.PLOT SUMMARY

Older readers are most likely to remember some of the poetry, riddles, rhymes and taunts from familiar folklore, and written by topic in, AND THE GREEN GRASS GREW ALL AROUND. The creative Alvin Schwartz organizes his work by topics ranging from People, Food, School, Wishes—and Warnings, Riddles, A Tree, and more. Older readers will remember many of the street rhymes from their own childhood like jump rope games, taunts, and songs. Most children in public schools probably do not know any of the items in this golden selection. The collection is also diverse in that it offers short poems and long poems such as “On top of spaghetti, All covered with cheese, I lost my poor meatball, When somebody sneezed.” The caricature like drawings pulls the collection together. In addition to organizing his work by topic, Alvin Schwartz, treats the readers to a section of useful resources, notes, and abbreviations.

3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS

While this collection will be known to some adults, the majority of children in public schools will not be familiar with these rhymes. Despite that, this great collection will appeal to most because of the variety of themes like, “Row, row, row your boat Gently down the stream, Throw your teacher overboard And you will year her scream.”) Children will definitely enjoy most of the silly rhymes and riddles because they are easy to remember due to the playful language. Alvin Schwartz and Sue Truesdell collection is impressive because of the text, jingles, and Shel Silverstein’s look alike illustrations that create a composition where everything is put together to elicit feelings of joy in the reader.

4.EXCERPTS

School Library Journal: “A marvelous book that is sure to become a classic.”

CONNECTIONS
An opportunity to explore and encourage poetry on an accessible and often hilarious level with younger children to develop language and reading.