Playing hopscotch in the schoolyard or hide-and-seek in the woods, Appalachian children once recited traditional nursery rhymes from memory. As kids do, they frequently altered the original rhymes, making them even more colorful in the process. In Mommy Goose: Rhymes from the Mountains , author Mike Norris honors this special piece of American heritage with a one-of-a-kind collection of fifty original nursery rhymes celebrating Appalachian tradition and speech. Illustrated with art-quality photographs of more than one hundred new hand-carved and -painted works by renowned folk artist Minnie Adkins, this enchanting book introduces readers of all ages to the whimsical world of Mommy Goose and shares her love of the rare music of Appalachian speech and of words in general. Mommy Goose is designed to engage young children with a series of simple and often humorous verses that gradually become more challenging as the book progresses. Readers can advance to longer, more complex rhymes as their skills develop―at home or with the guidance of teachers. Featuring sheet music for the original song "Tell me, Mommy Goose," this multidimensional book is certain to entertain while introducing a new generation to hallowed folk traditions. To hear a complete recording of the book's companion song, "Tell Me, Mommy Goose," Click Here K-Gr 3—Norris, a native of eastern Kentucky, has gathered a collection of traditional Appalachian nursery rhymes heard in school yards and frequently altered by children as they played. His introduction relates little about the origins of "Mommy" Goose, but the photographs of folk artist Adkins's hand-carved and hand-painted crafts fill in some gaps. Readers can follow the carving of Mommy Goose throughout the book, which lends some flow to the narration. However, Norris's compilation consists of an uneven assortment of rhymes. A few humorous poems such as "Raccoons," "Rooster," "Level Cows," and "June Bug" are vivid and memorable and will lend pictures to active imaginations. But many of the lines and phrases are as nonsensical as folk rhymes can be, yet these selections are not that melodious to the ear and are rife with adult sensibilities. Out of 48 rhymes, only a handful will be chosen for reading aloud easily—"I bit my tongue, and now it's sore. I hope I don't bite my tongue no more." VERDICT Even though the text is rendered in a large font similar to the font found in easy readers, this book will probably be only of regional interest to adults enamored of Appalachian folk art.—Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA "Infectious and endlessly charming. . . When you combine Norris' rhymes with Adkins' carvings, the effect is nothing short of marvelous."―Stan Campbell, Centre College "There is a great deal to delight in here. These rhymes manage to convey both the timeless charm of the old nursery rhymes, and the subtle humor and language of the Appalachian South."―Anne Shelby, author of The Adventures of Molly Whuppie and Other Appalachian Folktales "What if that venerable Goose came to the mountains and wanted new rhymes and hand-carved characters to illustrate them? Why, she'd get Mike Norris and Minnie Adkins to make us this fine book!"―George Ella Lyon, Kentucky Poet Laureate and author of All the Water in the World "A delightful collaboration of two authentic Appalachian geniuses. Minnie Adkins' sprightly carvings are the perfect complement to Mike Norris's wry, artful, deceptively simple verses. This little book is a real charmer."―Ed McClanahan "It seems destined to become a timeless classic with humor and charm galore, age appropriate for everyone from toddlers up. Writer Mike Norris and carvings illustrator Minnie Adkins' work will appeal to anyone with a sense of whimsy as do the works of the ingenious Sandra Boynton. . . . The clever wordplay and bright illustrations are sheer delights."― Midwest Book Review " Mommy Goose . . . is a truly unique patchworked word quilt of some 50 original nursery rhymes straight out of the mountains, all illustrated with art quality photographs of more than 100 new hand-carved and painted works by the one and only Minnie Adkins."― Herald-Dispatch "Norris and Adkins's creative presentation engages youth with Appalachian oral and visual traditions. Each Appalachian children's rhyme in this collection has accompanying photographs of hand-carved figurines of the characters in that rhyme. Colorful, bright, and catchy, the rhymes progress through varying levels of difficulty for young readers."― Appalachian Heritage "Preserving our language is a cause that is near and dear to my heart and I commend [the authors] for trying to keep our rich colorful Appalachian language alive."―Blind Pig and the Acorn "Recognized for its distinctive storytelling tradition, Appalachia is home to generations of artists, musicians, and writers. Mommy Goose: Rhymes from the Mountains is a visual and rhythmic celebratio