Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
Spinster Goose: Twisted Rhymes for Naughty Children
Some children are simply too naughty for Mother Goose to handle. Luckily her sister Spinster Goose knows just how to deal with these uncouth urchins. Her school is home to some world-class troublemakers: they bite and pinch, they talk back and fight--they eat chalk! But brats beware--this isn’t just any school, and Spinster isn't your average goose. Her curious methods wil...more
Hardcover, 48 pages
Published
March 8th 2011
by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
188)
Since some children are too difficult for the sweet-natured Mother Goose to handle, she sends these scoundrels to her sister, the much stricter Spinster Goose. The twenty-seven nursery rhymes that follow the misbehaving children are all, indeed, twists on the familiar Mother Goose rhymes. These aren't sweet little stories, but the author's own take on what should happen to those who don't know how to behave. There is much to enjoy in this collection as Bobby Shaftoe, Jack and Jill, and even Baa...more
Mar 17, 2013
Relyn
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
teachers, parents, kids
Recommended to Relyn by:
I'll read anything Sophie Blackall illustrates.
Shelves:
lawsonland
Well, first of all, I love Sophie Blackall. Secondly, I thought the kids would enjoy this naughty twist. I was right. This book was in use (see below) constantly for the entire month.
Classroom Connection
As an educator, one of my goals is for my students to experience poetry in a way that will help them understand how to read it and learn to love it. I want my students to learn to read poetry for pleasure. I did not learn to love poetry until I was in college working on my minor in English Liter...more
Classroom Connection
As an educator, one of my goals is for my students to experience poetry in a way that will help them understand how to read it and learn to love it. I want my students to learn to read poetry for pleasure. I did not learn to love poetry until I was in college working on my minor in English Liter...more
This was REALLY funny to me, an adult reader. I knew the original nursery rhymes and loved the tarrying in darker waters. The illustrations were eerily cute.
I read it aloud to my 5-year old twin girls and I wasn't too sure they understood some of the vocabulary. They definitely didn't get the references or have the proper context to "get" it.
The language was dark and fun to read, which seemed to frighten my one daughter a bit. Maybe I hit the Macabre note a little too hard?
I would rate this 5-st...more
I read it aloud to my 5-year old twin girls and I wasn't too sure they understood some of the vocabulary. They definitely didn't get the references or have the proper context to "get" it.
The language was dark and fun to read, which seemed to frighten my one daughter a bit. Maybe I hit the Macabre note a little too hard?
I would rate this 5-st...more
I loved nursery rhymes as a child and Sophie Blackall, the illustrator, is one of my favorites!
That being said, this is a strange collection of twisted nursery rhymes and I have to say that I'm not sure that it's really appropriate for a K-5 audience. Mother Goose sends "uncouth urchins" to her sister, Spinster Goose, so she can whip them into shape. Each nursery rhyme describes what happens to the naughty children. For example, Baa Baa Black Sheep because 'The Swearer,' a sheep who bleats until...more
That being said, this is a strange collection of twisted nursery rhymes and I have to say that I'm not sure that it's really appropriate for a K-5 audience. Mother Goose sends "uncouth urchins" to her sister, Spinster Goose, so she can whip them into shape. Each nursery rhyme describes what happens to the naughty children. For example, Baa Baa Black Sheep because 'The Swearer,' a sheep who bleats until...more
When children are too naughty to learn from Mother Goose, she sends them to her sister, Spinster Goose. Spinster Goose is the head master of her very own school. She runs a tight ship and delivers harsh consequences. The verses paint a vivid picture of how the students and staff carry out their days at the school for naughty children.
The verses are humorous and the illustrations pair well but there are some stereotypes and generalizations made that don't account for the many factors that contrib...more
The verses are humorous and the illustrations pair well but there are some stereotypes and generalizations made that don't account for the many factors that contrib...more
I usually love this kind of thing (George who played with a dangerous toy & suffered a catastrophe of considerable dimensions by Hilaire Belloc is one of my favorites) but this was just, well, flat. The crimes were sketchy (poor hygiene, okay; fibbing & stealing, absolutely; but hair twirling?). It isn't colorful or exciting enough to hold a child's interest or useful enough for a teacher or parent.
So I really really wanted this to be amazing and it was just kind of meh. So it's a book of Mother Goose rhymes turned on their heads, where the children are all bad and Spinster Goose (mother's sister) punishes them. Some of the ryhmes; the Introduction, Spinster Goose, The Thief, Student of the Week, The Ditchers, The Bully really worked for me. Others just kind of fell flat. Either the rhyme schemes were off or something in the rhyme felt dumb rather than funny and it just didn't work.
I can't decide if I liked this book or not. It's dark rhymes about famous Mother Goose characters are smart and witty, but kind of depressing (the characters are all very naughty and incarcerated in a juvenile detention-style school). It has fantastic illustrations. I might recommend this to older kids who like Lemony Snicket and Neil Gaiman.
This will probably appeal to Roald Dahl, Lemony Snicket, dark humor types, but even then I don't know that it is suitable for younger readers. I found some of the rhymes (Baa Baa Black Sheep) entertaining and funny, but I can think of more kids who would be frightened or confused by these rhymes than I can who would like them.
Genre: Poetry
Copyright: 2010
Thoughts: Very funny set of poems about what Spinster Goose does to misbehaving students. All of the usual Mother Goose characters are included (Jack Sprat, Humpty Dumpty, etc). Humor is a little complicated for younger readers, but they'd probably still enjoy the naughty children theme anyhow.
Copyright: 2010
Thoughts: Very funny set of poems about what Spinster Goose does to misbehaving students. All of the usual Mother Goose characters are included (Jack Sprat, Humpty Dumpty, etc). Humor is a little complicated for younger readers, but they'd probably still enjoy the naughty children theme anyhow.
I quite enjoyed these twisted mother goose tales but I am not sure they are appropriate for younger audiences. They may be more suited for elementary age students. I think they are very clever and smart nursery rhymes and funnyand too. I love the sparse illustrations they really enhance the tales.
I don't think kids are the audience for this parody of Mother Goose nursery rhymes. It's dark, but not funny, with a negative view of children that made me uncomfortable. I plan to pass it to a few open-minded young readers to see what they make of it.
There are books that will find an audience but that audience isn't me. As a result I tend not to rate them. Some will like these twisted nursery rhymes and will even share with a class. I am not certain I would feel comfortable in doing so.
I liked the premise of this collection of twisted nursery rhymes-- that naughty children are sent to Spinster Goose's school for punishment. Some of the rhymes described life in the school, while others described some of the naughty students. What I expected was poems about how each of these naughty children get their punishment or learn their lesson at this school, but that only happened in a few poems. I think that's why I was disappointed with the book as a whole. I did particularly like a fe...more
The subtitle is true-- these ARE very twisted rhymes. Most of them are funny, while others are creepy and downright mean. Definitely for older kids, and a few of the rhymes I could see pulling out for a school-age storytime.
Funny, twisted, modern takes on nursery rhymes. Jack and Jill get busted, etc. Spinster Goose runs a school for all the naughty kids, the ones too tough for Mpther Goose to handle. Especially fun for 4th grade or so.
I acknowledge the talent and wit behind these poems. But they aren't quite to my taste. I know plenty of others who will find them funny though. But I wouldn't recommend them for any of the younger crowd.
While I agree that this book had a darker humor, I see elementary kids really liking that! Especially older kids who have grown out of Mother Goose, but into poetry and witty, clever things.
This picture book is certainly not for everyone. I would recommend it to twisted parents, such as myself, and fans of Adam Rex's Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich and Frankenstein Takes the Cake.
Sophie Blackall remains one of my favorite illustrators; the success of the rhymes are dependent upon her pale, ghastly children. This is not for the little ones--fans of Edward Gorey will rejoice.
Lots of fun. Share with older children who know the originals well, or with anyone who has a solid funny bone. I especially like the signs hung around Spinster Goose's school.
Grades 4-7. If your kids have liked Jon Scieszka's fractured tales/fables they will like this collection of totally WRONG and funny rhymes-- based on mother goose characters.
Very funny. A good understanding and familiarity of the basic nursery rhymes is important to fully appreciate the clever twists and turns of these rewritten poems.
This popped up on a request list. I found the pointed poems quite funny - spinster goose has little patience with miscreants. Viola Swamp you have found a soul mate.
I almost fell out of my chair I laughed so hard at this book! Lisa Wheeler is a genius at re-writing the Mother Goose rhymes. Great for read-alouds with older kids.
I think this is supposed to be like Shel Silverstein but it just isn't. I can see some kids loving these though, and the illustrations are fun and creepy!
The rhymes are clever enough, but I'm not thrilled that the entire premise is based on the sexist stereotype of the spinster.
This is a snicker-worthy choice for those of us who like children's books but don't especially like children.
blah--
however, we did find one redeeming poem perfect for Lainey called the Hair Twirler
however, we did find one redeeming poem perfect for Lainey called the Hair Twirler
Clever rhymes and illustrations - I especially like the little "urchin." Some of the rhymes made me laugh aloud!
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
