Mrs. Goose's Baby - Hardcover

Charlotte Voake is one of the most acclaimed contemporary children's book illustrators and has been shortlisted for the Kurt Maschler Award four times. She is the author-illustrator of Ginger, its prequel Ginger Finds a Home (9781406312706), Pizza Kittens (9780744598100), winner of the 2002 Smarties Book Prize Silver Award, and Hello Twins (9781406305234). She also illustrated the children's classic, Elsie Piddock Skips in Her Sleep (9781406314052) by Eleanor Farjeon. She lives in Woking, Surrey.

PreSchool-K-- This picture book is so well-executed, from the front endpapers to the back, that it will prove to be a favorite for group or individual storytime. Mrs. Goose finds an egg, nurtures it faithfully with her motherly instincts, but is rather mystified with "her" baby once it hatches. It "cheeps" rather than "honks," will not eat grass, and has brown ruffled feathers. Identity clues, through pictures and text, continue and everyone --except Mrs. Goose--knows why there are differences. Not until the last double-page spread is its identity revealed, thus fostering enticement to turn pages from beginning to end. Cross-hatched pen-and-ink drawings give a country flavor reminiscent of James Stevenson's style. Each pastel watercolor is surrounded by ample white space to emphasize the simple but evocative tenor of the story. The eye-catching pages are complemented by a succinct, well-placed text, which will encourage the very earliest of readers to "give it a try." A similar storyline with contrasting cartoon illustrations can be found in Eastman's Are You My Mother? (Random, 1967). Mrs. Goose's Baby will be another solid addition for early-age storytimes. --Mary Lou Budd, Milford South Elementary School, Ohio
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