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@Mother Goose 2.0

#We Need Diverse Books

@MotherGoose 2.0#We Need Diverse Books
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An Updated Tradition

Reciting nursery rhymes is a wonderful childhood tradition, but it can also place your child on the path to literacy. The silliness and rhymes entice children to recite them over and over again. Collections of nursery rhymes are often some of the first books children get as they transition from reciting these rhymes to reading them. To make these treasured tales as accessible as possible, children should be able to find themselves in them. Take a look at these nursery rhymes that have been re-imagined to reflect all children and to include diverse authors and illustrators.


Image Citation: Owens, JennRene (2013, September 13). Zoey reading special. Retrieved from Flickr.com. CCO Public Domain.

Origins Origins

Originating with the traditions of oral stories, Mother Goose nursery rhymes have been popular for generations. Take a look at this early version of The Three Blind Mice.


Ivimey, John W. (n.d.). Complete version of ye three blind mice. Illus. by Walton Corbould. New York, NY: Frederick Warne & Co.

Evolution Evolution

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Mother Goose Collections

The Neighborhood Mother Goose by Nina Crews


Filled with delightful full-color photographs, this collection retells traditional nursery rhymes in a modern setting. Crew uses children of many ethnicities to play the parts of our favorite nursery rhyme characters.


Crews, Nina. (2003). The neighborhood mother goose. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books.

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Mother Goose Singles

Three Little Kittens by Jerry Pinkney


Pinkney's illustrations trace these kittens' adventures through the loss of their mittens and pie as well as their joyfulness as they find them again.


Pinkney, Jerry. (2010). Three Little Kittens. New York: The Penguin Group.

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Mother Goose Variants

Maria Had a Little Llama (Maria Tenia Una Llamita)

by Angela Dominguez


This version of Mary Had a Little Lamb takes place in Peru. Complete with a Spanish translation, kids enjoy the award-winning illustrations has they hear how the llama follows Maria to school.


Dominguez, Angela. (2013). Maria had a little llama. New York: Henry Holt and Company.

Further Explorations

  • Nina Crews is the daughter of Donald Crews, the winner of the 2015 Laura Ingalls Wilder medal. Find out more about Nina Crews and her work here.
  • Jerry Pinkney is an award winning illustrator. He won the 2010 Caldecott medal, and has been honored with the Coretta Scott King award multiple times. If you enjoyed this book, you can watch Pinkney talk about Three Little Kittens here.
Jerry Pinkney talks about THREE LITTLE KITTENS
  • Maria Had a Little Llama won the ALA's Pura Belpre honor for illustrations. Angela Dominguez has also won another Pura Belpre honor for Mango, Abuela, and Me. Find out more about Dominguez below.
Writing Children's Books: Angela Dominguez

References

MaryAnne K. (2013, March 22). Writing children's books: Angela Dominguez [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ogpge6NNxcg


Penguin Teen. (2010, March 25). Jerry Pinkney talks about Three Little Kittens [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk9ht42Dh3g

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About the Author

I have treasured memories of reading Mother Goose rhymes at bedtime with my parents. As a child with mixed ethnicity, I didn't see myself in a lot of books. However, my parents were able to find a collection of Mother Goose tales filled with illustrations of children from various cultures. How did it affect me? I have been a teacher for over 15 years who will transition into the library this fall. I still have that book too!

Email: mwill@mothergoose.com
Website: mothergoose.com
Phone: 757-123-4567

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