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The Space Child's Mother Goose
A collection of space age poetry written in the 1950's.
92 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1958
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
September 6, 2022
Loved this off beat book of poetry that delves into everything from time travel to quantum mechanics! A very fun book that goes into some pretty deep concepts. If you are looking for a nice change of pace book then this could be it! A great way just to take some time off and expand your mind in a 'cosmic' way!
August 18, 2019
openlibrary.org
Very clever and smart. Not just astronomy, physics, and math, but also "modern" philosophy and composition. Includes glossary. Illustrations are marvelous fun, too. Recommended even if you don't like science (or, contrariwise, if you don't like children's books).
I can't choose a favorite so I won't quote any of the 44 poems. If you want to do a Look Inside, #22, Solomon Grundy, might be the one that is both most accessible and most fun.
Very clever and smart. Not just astronomy, physics, and math, but also "modern" philosophy and composition. Includes glossary. Illustrations are marvelous fun, too. Recommended even if you don't like science (or, contrariwise, if you don't like children's books).
I can't choose a favorite so I won't quote any of the 44 poems. If you want to do a Look Inside, #22, Solomon Grundy, might be the one that is both most accessible and most fun.
September 10, 2008
I grew up with my father reading this book to me. I was probably an under-1 year toddler at that point. And I love it as much now as I did then.
The number of languages 'Probable Possible, my black hen' is translated into is fantastic - and always well done. I love it to pieces - even though I don't have the copy myself (mine is the latest edition).
The artwork by Marian Parry is wonderful, and fun, yet keenly aware. A master at work, indeed.
Get it. Read it. Read it to your friends at parties. Read it to your children. Read it softly to your spouse when you're sitting under the stars. Read it again, and cherish it always.
There has never been a fun, loving, endearing and utterly unique book like this "filk" of the traditional Mother Goose tales - and since this exists, there probably is no need for another.
The number of languages 'Probable Possible, my black hen' is translated into is fantastic - and always well done. I love it to pieces - even though I don't have the copy myself (mine is the latest edition).
The artwork by Marian Parry is wonderful, and fun, yet keenly aware. A master at work, indeed.
Get it. Read it. Read it to your friends at parties. Read it to your children. Read it softly to your spouse when you're sitting under the stars. Read it again, and cherish it always.
There has never been a fun, loving, endearing and utterly unique book like this "filk" of the traditional Mother Goose tales - and since this exists, there probably is no need for another.
April 1, 2008
Just a sample:
Probable/possible my black hen
She lays her eggs in the relative when
She doesn't lay eggs in the definite now
Because she's unable to postulate how.
Probable/possible my black hen
She lays her eggs in the relative when
She doesn't lay eggs in the definite now
Because she's unable to postulate how.
September 2, 2009
I love this book, probably because my husband brought it home as a surprise. Sometimes he does that instead of bring me flowers. Sometimes he brings me flowers. At any rate, it has a cool and loving message in it so it's really sweet and that's why I gave it such a high rating.
It's basically a book that is a scientific spoof of Mother Goose. I would call it "cute".
A Follower of Goddard
And a rising Astrogator
Were agreed that superthermics
Was a spatial hot pertater.
They reached a Super-Nova
On a bicycle named Beta
And I'd tell you more about it
But they fused with all the data.
:-)
It's basically a book that is a scientific spoof of Mother Goose. I would call it "cute".
A Follower of Goddard
And a rising Astrogator
Were agreed that superthermics
Was a spatial hot pertater.
They reached a Super-Nova
On a bicycle named Beta
And I'd tell you more about it
But they fused with all the data.
:-)
January 15, 2021
If you love nursery rhymes and science, this volume will make your chuckle a few times. While most rhymes appear in English, several languages make appearances in one poem each. My LibraryThing 2020 Secret Santa chose a book I'm certain to revisit a few times.
August 12, 2014
Another winning reprint from Purple House Press. Winsor spoofs the classic Mother Goose nursery rhymes with a scientific twist. To the adult scientist, these are a chuckle-inducing, fun collection of rhymes. For the child scientist, they may be a little denser but could provide an easy springboard for all sorts of space-y and science-y discussions. The whimsical illustrations add to the book's charm; I particularly enjoyed the ever-growing pictures in "The Theory Jack Built".
Recommended for scientists of all ages.
Recommended for scientists of all ages.
July 2, 2008
What can I say about one of the most influential books of my childhood?! Wonderfully twisted and deliciously informative, full of knowledge that sticks like duct tape to silk. And the drawings, miro-esque in their Mid-Century-Modern way, are simple and gorgeous. If you do not enjoy this book, you do not enjoy tongue-in-cheek science.
Flappity Floppity Flip
The mouse on the Mobius strip
The strip revolved, the mouse dissolved
in a chronodimensional skip!
Flappity Floppity Flip
The mouse on the Mobius strip
The strip revolved, the mouse dissolved
in a chronodimensional skip!
July 10, 2011
I love this book; it was my mom's while I was growing up, and I'm so glad I finally talked her out of it! Classic nursery rhyme reworked with the "Space Age" in mind--for instance:
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
At three o'clock he had his great fall.
The King set the Time Machine back to two.
Now Humpty's unscrambled and good as new.
The poems are charming, and the illustrations equally so; I'm thrilled to be able to share this with my own children!
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
At three o'clock he had his great fall.
The King set the Time Machine back to two.
Now Humpty's unscrambled and good as new.
The poems are charming, and the illustrations equally so; I'm thrilled to be able to share this with my own children!
September 7, 2016
Not your typical children's corner poetry with items like -
Peter Pater
Astrogator
Lost his orbital calculator
Out among the asteroids...
They rang the Lutine Bell at Lloyd's.
Little Jack Horner
Sits in a corner
Extracting cube roots to infinity,
An assignment for boys
That will minimize noise
And produce a more peaceful vicinity
Like a whimsical twist on the fifties view of "Life in the 21st Century"
Peter Pater
Astrogator
Lost his orbital calculator
Out among the asteroids...
They rang the Lutine Bell at Lloyd's.
Little Jack Horner
Sits in a corner
Extracting cube roots to infinity,
An assignment for boys
That will minimize noise
And produce a more peaceful vicinity
Like a whimsical twist on the fifties view of "Life in the 21st Century"
August 4, 2013
Delightful, whimsical verse, poking gentle fun at science and science fiction, as they existed in the 1950s.
I see a number of readers bought this book thinking it was appropriate for young children. It isn't. It's humor for adults. Young children will simply be confused. Teens and up may be able to appreciate it, if they're also science nerds.
I see a number of readers bought this book thinking it was appropriate for young children. It isn't. It's humor for adults. Young children will simply be confused. Teens and up may be able to appreciate it, if they're also science nerds.
October 7, 2012
"The Space Child’s Mother Goose" is a book of poetry/nursery rhymes with verses by Frederick Winsor and illustrations by Marian Parry. It is intended for children, although I am unable to find a specific age range for the book probably since it was first published in the 1950’s. Suggestions for an appropriate age range I have found point to the book being for primary readers, ages 5 to 8. I definitely feel as though the content of the book is interesting to readers, of all ages. However, I find it to be a bit confusing for the age range it may be intended for and for children in general if they aren't fluent in math and science. I personally love the book but the first time I read it even I had to have a dictionary on hand.
"The Space Child’s Mother Goose" was written in the fifties during a time when the “space craze” was going on. Googie pop art was everywhere and gizmos and gadgets had a spacey out of this world feel. The book is basically a re-write of mother goose traditional nursery rhymes. The re-writes are centered on science and math and can be a bit complex for any reader to understand much less a young reader. The language and flow of the book is innovative and different and the use of poetic devices helps to enhance the meaning of the book, along with the amazing illustrations. The structure of the book does help readers understand more about the poetic subject and mood. I find that the book starts off with less complex mathematical and scientific theories and terms and begins to gradually ease the reader into the book. The arrangement of the book is logical and well thought out and the poetry is of the upmost quality.
If you love math and science it’s a great read, if you don’t, its still interesting and leaves a lasting impression. All in all I feel that The Space Child’s Mother Goose is a great book for young readers as well as adults. However, I think that intermediate readers will take more from the book. Primary readers I’m sure would get a kick out of the rhyming and illustrations. The Space Child’s Mother Goose has a timeless appeal and I hope its around for another 50+ years.
"The Space Child’s Mother Goose" was written in the fifties during a time when the “space craze” was going on. Googie pop art was everywhere and gizmos and gadgets had a spacey out of this world feel. The book is basically a re-write of mother goose traditional nursery rhymes. The re-writes are centered on science and math and can be a bit complex for any reader to understand much less a young reader. The language and flow of the book is innovative and different and the use of poetic devices helps to enhance the meaning of the book, along with the amazing illustrations. The structure of the book does help readers understand more about the poetic subject and mood. I find that the book starts off with less complex mathematical and scientific theories and terms and begins to gradually ease the reader into the book. The arrangement of the book is logical and well thought out and the poetry is of the upmost quality.
If you love math and science it’s a great read, if you don’t, its still interesting and leaves a lasting impression. All in all I feel that The Space Child’s Mother Goose is a great book for young readers as well as adults. However, I think that intermediate readers will take more from the book. Primary readers I’m sure would get a kick out of the rhyming and illustrations. The Space Child’s Mother Goose has a timeless appeal and I hope its around for another 50+ years.
August 19, 2007
Probable/possible my black hen
She lays her eggs in the relative when
She doesn't lay eggs in the definite now
Because she's unable to postulate how.
This book of altered nursery rhymes was one of my favorites as a child, and is I think is largely responsible for my associating science and logic with a feeling whimsical fun and playful exploration. Certain rhymes, like "this is the theory that jack built", still remain the definitive version in my mind, superseding any from mother goose. I can't recommend it enough, especially for kids, no matter how young.
From the dust jacket: "Only a few years ago we walked on solid earth. Today we whirl through space. Space is big. It is not cozy. But with these verses and drawings... cheerfulness breaks in. Suddenly, science seems merry. And space begins, with the rhyme on page 1, to feel a little more like home."
She lays her eggs in the relative when
She doesn't lay eggs in the definite now
Because she's unable to postulate how.
This book of altered nursery rhymes was one of my favorites as a child, and is I think is largely responsible for my associating science and logic with a feeling whimsical fun and playful exploration. Certain rhymes, like "this is the theory that jack built", still remain the definitive version in my mind, superseding any from mother goose. I can't recommend it enough, especially for kids, no matter how young.
From the dust jacket: "Only a few years ago we walked on solid earth. Today we whirl through space. Space is big. It is not cozy. But with these verses and drawings... cheerfulness breaks in. Suddenly, science seems merry. And space begins, with the rhyme on page 1, to feel a little more like home."
January 4, 2011
I had bought this book online thinking this would be the perfect gift for my best friend and her husband, newly minted parents. I had visions of them reading this to my goddaughter when she was older. When I got the book in the mail, however, it became apparent after flipping through the first few pages that when Alex was old enough to understand the poems, she would be more than able to read them to herself. So I'm keeping it until then (we'll see if I can still find it...).
While the verse was very witty and the illustrations were cute, I found I couldn't really like the book as much as I felt I should. Maybe it's because I'm very picky about my poetry. Maybe it was because of my preconception this was a children's book.
While the verse was very witty and the illustrations were cute, I found I couldn't really like the book as much as I felt I should. Maybe it's because I'm very picky about my poetry. Maybe it was because of my preconception this was a children's book.
December 12, 2014
For a bit of humor and a fun turn of phrase, one should pick up this book. My brother picked this up for my children and while they giggle at some of them, it is more because they know the Mother Goose rhymes that are being parodied. This book, really, is for the parent tired of the banal or silly and hoping to raise a rocket scientist in place of a Princess, or perhaps better yet, a child who can be both in equal measure. A good time and a good way to get my almost five year old to ask what the words mean and get her thinking about science...or at the least, science fiction.
December 31, 2010
Okay. I read the previous reviews for this, and I feel like I should be obligated to give it 5 stars or it proves I'm stupid, etc. However. I do not really like poetry. I like science. I understood this, and some of the poems were amusing, but this did not really change my feelings towards poetry.
I did like poem #30, the Theory that Jack built, it reminded me of a lot of the higher math classes that I have had.
But overall I would not recommend this.
I did like poem #30, the Theory that Jack built, it reminded me of a lot of the higher math classes that I have had.
But overall I would not recommend this.
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April 9, 2009This book was the first I ever owned. It was given to me the Christmas of my first year (During the IGY, if anybody remembers that).
Unfortunately, that copy was lost on my journeys, and all I have now is a photocopy. I should poke around and get a printed copy, I guess. One more thing for my to-do list
Unfortunately, that copy was lost on my journeys, and all I have now is a photocopy. I should poke around and get a printed copy, I guess. One more thing for my to-do list
January 23, 2013
I first read this a zillion years ago, back when I was in college, and I'm delighted to find it's still around. It's witty, sometimes hilarious, and thoroughly memorable. I recommend it for anyone who has the Geek or Nerd gene.
June 3, 2013
These are the first nursery poems I've read my child. Okay they put her to sleep but she's a week old, that is worth five stars there.
Spin along in spatial night,
Artificial Satellite;
Monitor, with blip and beep,
The Universe-and Baby's sleep.
My favorite so far.
Spin along in spatial night,
Artificial Satellite;
Monitor, with blip and beep,
The Universe-and Baby's sleep.
My favorite so far.
September 10, 2008
Please see my review on the original print which I grew up hearing and reading (1958 edition).
September 24, 2008
To this date, one of my favorite books of poetry ever. A little bit of mother goose, and a little bit of space/science, and really really funny.
June 15, 2011
You must read this. Then you must buy a copy for all the 7-12 year olds that you know.
Go. Do this. Now... I'll wait.
Go. Do this. Now... I'll wait.
December 8, 2011
This book captured my imagination when I was only 12, and 40 years later I had to track down a used copy online to add it to my own library. Enchanting parodies of Mother Goose set in the space age.
September 29, 2012
My father had a copy of this that I loved to read and reread growing up! Sure it's dated now...but it's still incredibly good fun!
July 23, 2013
A delightful, eccentric, and fun book of verse.
March 12, 2015
Delightful.
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November 10, 2023Erudite gibberish. Excellent!
February 1, 2017
Witty and whimsical.
March 2, 2023
Would have been absolutely hilarious when originally written in the 1950s. Today, science has advanced so much that many of the jokes are lost. However, there were still a number of gems that made me giggle and a few that I could enjoy after looking up a fact or two. At the end is a section called "The Answers" which is really a glossary of terms. That also helps immensely in understanding the verses. For example, we learn that Geniac is a "trade name of a do-it-yourself thinking machine," which is a little different than how we define it today.
January 19, 2021
Won’t lie, I don’t get it. But I can tell that for the right reader these poems are awesome. It’s just, I’m not that reader. But I wouldn’t want to discourage someone from checking this out. You may be the person who “gets it”.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews