Over in the Grasslands

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Wilson's first book smoothly adapts the lively rhythms of the classic childhood song "Over in the Meadow" to the denizens of African plains: "Over in the grasslands/ in the heat of the sun/ Lived an old mother rhino/ and her little rhino one./ `Munch,' said the mother. `We munch,' said the one./ So they munched all day/ in the heat of the sun." The following spreads devote similar attention to different animal families of increasing size. The verses wind down with grown-up monkeys "and their little monkeys ten," the latter being put to sleep "in a big warm den." Bartlett's (Oliver's Vegetables) sunny full-page paintings give this straightforward rhyme considerable appeal. Saturated tropical colors light up frontal views of friendly animals, who face the audience almost as if grouped for a family portrait. On verso spreads, the number featured in each verse appears in the top left corner, below which flows a border echoing a motif from the painting paired with it. The hard-to-resist cover illustration, of four tangerine-colored lion cubs snuggling with their mother under a lush orange sky, gives a good indication of the pleasures within. Ages 3-7. (Sept.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

Children's Literature

Based on the nursery rhyme, "Over in the Meadow," this counting book features animals from Africa and their babies. Each number is represented by a different animal and the whimsical, painted illustrations place the animals in their native habitat. This is a beautiful introduction to the wildlife of Africa, with a rhyming text that kids find so comforting. A review spread brings all of the numbers and animals together at the end. The illustrations are particularly noteworthy¾loose, colorful and expressive. 1999, Little, Brown and Company,

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 1-An appealing takeoff on "Over in the Meadow," this counting book enumerates 10 cozy mother-and-offspring sets, from rhinos to monkeys. Though the rhymes are sometimes predictable (bees buzz) or slightly strained (rhyming "four" with "roared"), these slight offenses are tamed by the textured vignettes done in energetic colors like tangerine, lemon, and azure. The wavy outlined illustrations, familiar from Bartlett's art in Vivian French's "Oliver" books (Orchard), work well here, presenting fine habitat details. The creatures are droll-mother hare's bewilderment and Ms. Toad's wide grin will easily engage youngsters. The patterned vertical borders on the versos pick up a design element from the facing page and present the Arabic numerals. The book finishes with a double-page spread showing the animals and numbers learned.-Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

The familiar childhood song of "Over in the Meadow" receives a makeover in a lush new setting. With an upbeat tempo, catchy rhymes take readers on a tour of the African landscape while they learn about the numbers one through ten. From three squawking eaglets to ten sleepy monkeys, Wilson introduces a wide array of exotic and familiar animals. Rhythmic verses remain faithful to the original format of the traditional poem: "Over in the grasslands / where the sun shines late / Lived an old mother toad / and her little toads eight / ‘Hop,' said the mother. / ‘We hop,' said the eight. / So they hopped and they hopped / while the sun shone late." Adult readers will be hardpressed not to warble the singsongy rhymes during readaloud sessions while the repetitive structure of the poem invites preschoolers' exuberant participation. Bartlett's illustrations shimmer with the colorful intensity of the African plains; the slightly blurred renderings capture the abundant flora and fauna of the terrain. A twopage spread is dedicated to each new number introduced, with the verse on one side and an accompanying illustration on the other. Prominently placed in the upper lefthand corner of each spread is a picture of the highlighted numeral. The fullbleed, fullcolor illustrations on the facing pages depict an animal mother and babies in their natural habitat; lions loll on a grassy slope while hippos soak in a sapphireblue, fishfilled pond. End pages include an overview of the numbers and animals. A melodious and edifying addition to the genre. (Picture book. 36)