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Whatever Happened to Humpty Dumpty?: And Other Surprising Sequels to Mother Goose Rhymes
What did ever happen to Humpty Dumpty after he fell off that wall? How did Peter the pumpkin eater's wife get back at him for putting her in a pumpkin shell? David T. Greenberg picks up where Mother Goose left off, adding his own deliciously wicked twists to 20 original familiar rhymes. Full color.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
December 31, 2017
Teaching tool! I would use this humorous collection of sequels to famous nursery rhymes (not famous anymore) for a few purposes: read-aloud entertainment after, and only after, I knew that my students were familiar with these rhymes; a lesson on rhyme scheme and meter; a prompt for creative writing, such as "Write your own sequel to a classic tale or one of these nursery rhymes. If I'm choosing to have them craft a sequel to a nursery rhyme, they'd need to keep the meter and rhyme scheme consistent, which would be the ultimate way to demonstrate understanding of the concept. This would work well in middle school for sure, and probably younger.
Classic rhymes and fairy tales are a unit in at least one elementary grade level, right? I think it's important that children are exposed to these for cultural literacy, to catch the ubiquitous references to them in popular and classic literature and art. For example, Shrek and Hoodwinked show that it's assumed that even kids these days are familiar with these classic rhymes and tales, and I just read Heartless by Marissa Meyer and had I not knows the "Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater" rhyme, much would have been lost on me.
I recommend this for classrooms and libraries that feature nursery rhymes or teach rhyme and meter.
Classic rhymes and fairy tales are a unit in at least one elementary grade level, right? I think it's important that children are exposed to these for cultural literacy, to catch the ubiquitous references to them in popular and classic literature and art. For example, Shrek and Hoodwinked show that it's assumed that even kids these days are familiar with these classic rhymes and tales, and I just read Heartless by Marissa Meyer and had I not knows the "Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater" rhyme, much would have been lost on me.
I recommend this for classrooms and libraries that feature nursery rhymes or teach rhyme and meter.
December 16, 2013
As if nursery rhymes weren't already crazy enough, David Greenberg went and decided to add on to some of the classics making them even crazier. Often with touches of dark humor, and not always with the best rhythm and rhyme, Greenberg's versions seldom add much to the originals and make me wonder who the target audience is. It seems a little too dark for early elementary, (there's a high tendency for characters to end up dead or missing an appendage) but not sophisticated enough for an older audience. I guess a few middle graders would appreciate the humor.
November 13, 2017
Postmodern absurdism added to the endings of all your favorite nursery rhymes . A shock comedy LOL for children as well as adults . and a clever mockery of the supposedly inviolable originals : ) Nice !
August 8, 2019
A way to take a step beyond the nursery rhymes. Greenberg extends the story or changes it to make a humorous or darkly humorous bend. Choosing with care which rhymes you would share with the age group you could get some real fun here. Not all the rhymes were that great, but wouldn't that be a challenge to see if any one could come up with something different on their own. I never thought of the crooked man as a crook -ed man - a thief.
The Oxford book of nursery rhymes has a ton more of really weird stuff if you want to challenge older students.
The Oxford book of nursery rhymes has a ton more of really weird stuff if you want to challenge older students.
February 4, 2018
Quick, silly read where nursery rhymes are given funny continuing verses and endings.
May 7, 2019
At first Jasper (5yo) didn't want me to read this book to him at all. But once I read a few of the nursery rhymes he wanted to read it ALL right away!
Illustrations are wonderfully quirky.
Illustrations are wonderfully quirky.
February 18, 2023
Horrible.
November 8, 2011
1. Mother Goose- Picture Book
2. The author took the familiar mother goose rhymes, and wrote endings for them.
3. a- One area to comment on is the author’s efforts for continuing the rhymes. These nursery rhymes may seem a bit boring for some children, but the author tried to use humor in the new rhymes, and children might appreciate them.
b- This version of mother goose rhymes would not be a good read for younger children because the endings are a bit violent. Older children might think they are funny, and it might encourage them to read. The rhymes are not exactly appropriate, they all end with violence or death. There are no real strong points, except maybe if teachers used it as an example of re-writing an ending. It reminded me of the Three Pigs by David Weisner. However, this book was not as clever.
c- One example that might help portray my mixed feelings, is the It’s Raining nursery rhyme. The very end of it says “At last they called in an expert and this is what she said; ‘Why this man’s been dead for twenty years-ever since bumping his head.” I just think there is a more creative way to go about adding endings to these rhymes.
4. This could be tied into a poetry lesson about rhyming, and possibly even a creative writing lesson plan. Showing students that they are in control of their writing, and this book will help show students how easy that is.
2. The author took the familiar mother goose rhymes, and wrote endings for them.
3. a- One area to comment on is the author’s efforts for continuing the rhymes. These nursery rhymes may seem a bit boring for some children, but the author tried to use humor in the new rhymes, and children might appreciate them.
b- This version of mother goose rhymes would not be a good read for younger children because the endings are a bit violent. Older children might think they are funny, and it might encourage them to read. The rhymes are not exactly appropriate, they all end with violence or death. There are no real strong points, except maybe if teachers used it as an example of re-writing an ending. It reminded me of the Three Pigs by David Weisner. However, this book was not as clever.
c- One example that might help portray my mixed feelings, is the It’s Raining nursery rhyme. The very end of it says “At last they called in an expert and this is what she said; ‘Why this man’s been dead for twenty years-ever since bumping his head.” I just think there is a more creative way to go about adding endings to these rhymes.
4. This could be tied into a poetry lesson about rhyming, and possibly even a creative writing lesson plan. Showing students that they are in control of their writing, and this book will help show students how easy that is.
May 24, 2008
CIP: Humorous verses are added to traditional Mother Goose Rhymes.
Review: For those who love fractured fairy tales, this is the book for you! These additional verses will make you giggle and laugh out loud as the traditional Mother Goose characters are in for some serious surprises. Ideal for 7-11 age group, perhaps useful in a creative writing situation where students can create their own endings for familiar rhymes.
SLJ says: "The overall effect is so funny that the few forced rhymes will be forgiven"
Kirkus says: "little of the grace or beat of the originals"
Review: For those who love fractured fairy tales, this is the book for you! These additional verses will make you giggle and laugh out loud as the traditional Mother Goose characters are in for some serious surprises. Ideal for 7-11 age group, perhaps useful in a creative writing situation where students can create their own endings for familiar rhymes.
SLJ says: "The overall effect is so funny that the few forced rhymes will be forgiven"
Kirkus says: "little of the grace or beat of the originals"
August 2, 2012
Older readers will appreciate these parodies of Mother Goose's classic rhymes. These may be of particular interest to those who enjoy a bit more gruesome renditions - where Jack turns to a pile of ash, as he jumped over the candlestick and as Humpty Dumpty is put into a blender to become omelets for the king and queen. This is a small collection that is accompanied by illustrations.
April 20, 2013
This book gives a surprising twist to Mother Goose Rhymes, accompanied with silly illustrations. Personally however, I found the book to be a little too dark for my taste; all the rhymes seem to end even worse than they originally started. Yet I do see how some older children would find it funny; due to the violent out comes of most of these rhymes I would recommend it for fourth grade and up.
January 12, 2014
I usually finish any book I start, but I just had no desire with this one. The concept, of providing sequels or further endings to nursery rhymes, is great, but this execution is not enjoyable. The new verses are clunkier than the originals, and they feel lacking in creativity, since almost all of the "sequels" involve the deaths of the nursery rhyme characters.
October 15, 2008
I feel like I would have liked this more if I had come across it 10-20 years earlier. Now with all the other works involving twists on familiar tales this doesn't seem so original. However it was cute and a couple made me smile.
October 31, 2011
Ever wonder what happened to Humpty Dumpty? The Pumpkin Eater? This book provides continueations to some of the best loved fairy tales. Some of the endings are better than others, but can help kids learn to think beyond what is written.
March 3, 2015
Meh. I was looking forward to fun and insightful sequels to the nursery rhymes we all grew up with, but instead I found gross and lame endings. I got a few chuckles out of the book, none of them memorable and that's okay.
January 13, 2010
This book was okay it was just baciclay all of mother gooses poems .
October 14, 2011
This is a very cute poetry book. This book is filled with great quick reads. Each story is a famous rhyme with an added ending. I loved some endings, but some were strange.
October 27, 2011
Humorous and clever extensions of classic Mother Goose rhymes.
March 28, 2012
A fun finding....a little hard for me to make rhyme easily so I think I will skip it for storytime at school. Did make me laugh.
November 2, 2013
I didnt really like this book, I guess it was too modern and gross for me, but I did enjoy how it ended where it began!
November 8, 2013
This was a very funny continuation of classic fairy tales!
December 3, 2014
Literary features: poetry, rhyme
November 30, 2016
Great book of rhymes that takes the classics and adds to them. If using for younger ages I would read allowed and skip a few of the more graphic ones.
October 10, 2015
Not the rich story telling I hoped for, funny at times and inappropriate at other times.
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March 2, 2016interesting take on some old Mother Goose rhymes...
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews