The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780198600886)

Here is a brand new edition of the classic anthology of nursery rhymes--over 500 rhymes, songs, nonsense jingles, and lullabies traditionally handed down to young children. Included are all of your favorites, ranging from "Yankee Doodle Came to Town" and "A Frog He Would A-Wooing Go" to "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep," Jack and Jill" and "Old Mother Hubbard." And complementing the rhymes are nearly a hundred illustrations, including reproductions of early art found in ballad sheets and music books, which highlight the development of children's illustrations over the last two centuries.

With each piece, Iona and Peter Opie introduced a wealth of information, noting the earliest known publications of the rhyme, describing how it originated, illustrating changes in wording over time, and indicating variations and parallels in other languages. Moreover, in the general introduction, the Opies discuss the different types of rhyme and the earliest published collections, and they address such questions as who was Mother Goose and whether or not individual rhymes originally portrayed real people. For this second edition, the notes have been updated and extended in light of recent scholarship, providing an unrivaled wealth of literary and bibliographic information.

The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes is now more than ever an indispensable reference source for scholars and book collectors as well as a volume to be treasured by parents and children alike.

Author: Iona Opie
ISBN-10: 0198600887
ISBN-13: 9780198600886
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Language: English
Published: 03/19/1998
Pages: 592
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.86lbs
Size: 8.85h x 5.80w x 1.54d

Review Citation(s):
American Reference Bks Annual 01/01/1999 pg. 418
ALA Ref Srces for Small/Med Li 01/01/2000 pg. 259