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Over in the Meadow
This traditional rhyming tale takes children on a counting journey through Jill McDonald s colorful meadow scenes, meeting a variety of busy animal families along the way. Children will relish the vivid descriptions of the animals and their activities, from a bumpy mother toad and her baby basking in the sun to a hairy mother spider and her ten children spinning webs in a den.
30 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
March 15, 2018
I like this book because it is repeating Over in the meadow and it rhymes.
December 17, 2011
This vividly rendered picture book retells an old English folksong. Little readers will be enthralled by counting the baby creatures found in a meadow landscape. Panoramic collages and painted papers spread in a panoramic view over both pages, depicting each set of animals. Children will meet Mothers Toad, Sheep, Robin, Muskrat, Bee, Crow, Mouse, Lizard, Fish, Spider, and all their little ones. Maintaining the sing-song rhythm, each rhyming verse begins with bolded, black, larger text and then the text shrinks until the animals make their particular sound boldly. The first line and last line repeat the habitat of each animal, creating predictability for the reader. Painted papers and collage illustrations depict the animals and their meadow in a variety of dizzying patterns, except where the text is, to ensure readability. Little readers will want to linger over the striking pictures of primary patterned colors and their varying hues. These illustrations reflect the folksy history of the text with clean shapes and lack of perspective, as the animals appear on the same scale as objects located near them. This edition provides a CD with four songs. The first and last ones are introduction and closing credits. However, the second song features musician and storyteller Susan Reed and her daughters singing along with the book. The third song is an instrumental version of the song, for readers who may want to sing along without leaders and also reflects the folk history by employing fiddles and banjos. The author also provides a section about "meadows and wildlife" as well as the written music for the song. This book is sure to delight little and big readers and would be an excellent resource at storytimes. Highly recommended for public libraries.
October 28, 2011
This book gives a good introduction to the inhabitants of the meadow ecosystem. Not only are the illustrations darling, but the rhythm of the words and music make it hard not to tap one's toes. The kindergartners that I shared this with enjoyed it and some of them joined me in singing with the CD that came with the book. There are lots of discussion worthy topics in this book, everything from what an ecosystem is to how the different animals that live there each contribute to the environment. There is a small amount of additional information about each animal at the end of the book. The book also has great interactive potential as a call and response read-a-loud or as a creative drama activity starter. Highly recommended.
December 14, 2016
I had to read this in preparation for reading to kids (they were getting a copy of it). It's not a song I'm familiar with, so thank goodness for YouTube and the CD that's included. As I was singing it to the kids, they were astonishingly quiet - something that rarely happens. I know it wasn't because of my singing skills, so I think the illustrations must have captured their attention. One little boy got stuck on the fact that each page had an extra animal on it (because of the mother), so I don't think he liked this for a counting book as much as the others did. Still, fairly enjoyable and I hope the kids like their copies!
July 25, 2020
This was not a song I heard in my childhood. Since having my kids, I've come across versions of this by multiple authors and wondered about the original. As far as I can tell, this is the original song or close to it. Not the original singer, of course.
I have mixed feelings about this book. It's a counting book without numerals, which is a big negative for me. This book comes with a CD. I find I don't like the music. But my kids do like the music and they like animals. I prefer to read this myself so I can sing it my way.
I have mixed feelings about this book. It's a counting book without numerals, which is a big negative for me. This book comes with a CD. I find I don't like the music. But my kids do like the music and they like animals. I prefer to read this myself so I can sing it my way.
January 24, 2012
I am deducting a star for what I feel is a gratuitous video animation CD included with the book. The song? Fine, so kids and parents can sing along.
But for the same reasons that I wouldn't use this in a storytime, this is the sort of illustrations that should be pored over and examined by a child in a parent's lap, or a child on their own, not watched on a computer. The patterns and designs are lovely and complex and too good to be watched speedily on a video!
But for the same reasons that I wouldn't use this in a storytime, this is the sort of illustrations that should be pored over and examined by a child in a parent's lap, or a child on their own, not watched on a computer. The patterns and designs are lovely and complex and too good to be watched speedily on a video!
May 16, 2017
Over In the Meadow is a children's book full of rhyming and counting. I like this book because of the rhyming and response possibilities for the students. It also teaches children where these animals live and play. The illustrations were also bold and eye-catching, something lower elementary will enjoy.
May 2, 2015
a little long but the interactive singing/repeating feature might make it worth it. Each animal is introduced with over in the meadow and then talks about the animals habitat and the sounds they make which is repeated by all who live there.
March 20, 2012
Song and Rhyme...love the scrapbook illustrations. Smart book: Dictionary about all the different animals featured in the book.
January 22, 2015
pretty picture, and my kids enjoyed me reading this book to them.
March 14, 2015
Beautifully illustrated collage pictures-- bright, engaging, would be fun to extend with collage art.
I seriously dislike the text. Even doesn't rhyme with seven!
I seriously dislike the text. Even doesn't rhyme with seven!
April 28, 2018
a little long for baby storytime
December 1, 2018
My favourite book in the Barefoot Books series because of the story and melody.
June 22, 2019
I love everything about this book except for them trying to rhyme seven and even. Gotta listen to the cd that comes with it to figure that one out.
Would be great for story time, in my opinion.
Would be great for story time, in my opinion.
May 15, 2020
Mae fell in love with this book! While we were reading, we found ourselves singing and laughing! It is enjoyable and I love how it counts and rhymes.
September 2, 2020
I’ve read this hundreds of times probably but I love the pictures even more than the words!
January 8, 2024
Jack borrowed this book from the Ashland Public Library.
Well, he didn’t engage much with the book itself, he sat quietly and listened to the whole thing while playing with the blanket fringe that he’s currently obsessed with. I had forgotten all about this childhood rhyme and loved revisiting it. I don’t normally like the patchwork art style, but I think it’s done really well here. Everything is clearly recognizable, colorful, and enchanting.
Well, he didn’t engage much with the book itself, he sat quietly and listened to the whole thing while playing with the blanket fringe that he’s currently obsessed with. I had forgotten all about this childhood rhyme and loved revisiting it. I don’t normally like the patchwork art style, but I think it’s done really well here. Everything is clearly recognizable, colorful, and enchanting.
November 9, 2024
I love this version of the song. The illustrations are lovely! Additionally, there is a QR code on the back cover to a really beautiful version of the song that I like to play while I sing along and show kids the pictures in the book.
February 27, 2022
bright and cheerful, cute little story that my toddler class enjoyed on a snowy day
April 23, 2022
At the time of my reading, an audio singalong and video animation was available online at the Barefoot Books site.
January 22, 2024
Super cute! The song is clever and the illustrations darling:)
June 22, 2024
Borrowed a different book with this song from the library and had to YouTube this one so I knew how to sing it. 23 month old liked it
March 28, 2025
Extremely charming patchwork illustrations, an introduction to a full meadow ecosystem, and a repeating pattern of rhymes that (mostly) work!
August 17, 2026
toad, sheep, robin, muskrat, bee, crow, mouse, lizard, fish, spider,
September 23, 2011
I didn't hear all of this book, but what I heard I liked it. It was a nice mix of counting an animals. The illustrations were pleasant. The text seems to be quite popular as there are many different versions.
June 21, 2011
cute book
September 8, 2011
This is one of the more appealing versions of the classic rhyme/song...nicely illustrated title to share with preschoolers through early elementary students. Includes CD with both audio/video.
October 21, 2011
A fun rhyming book.
November 25, 2012
Cute rhymes, great cadences.
April 26, 2021
Earth Day. This was a stretch to fit the theme, but I love all of the sing-along stories.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews