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I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
A cumulative folk song in which the solution proves worse than the predicament when an old lady swallows a fly.
- GenresPicture BooksStorytime
32 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 1990
1 person is currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
Glen Rounds
152 books11 followersGlen Harold Rounds was a distinguished American writer and illustrator whose career spanned over six decades, during which he wrote and illustrated more than 100 books. Known for his vivid storytelling and masterful illustrations, Rounds garnered over 25 literary awards, cementing his legacy as one of the prominent children's authors and illustrators of his time.
Born in a sod house near Wall, South Dakota, Rounds had a rugged childhood that involved various jobs such as baker, cook, and ranch hand, alongside adventures in the carnival and logging industries. His early years on a Montana ranch provided a rich foundation for the characters and landscapes that would appear in his later works. Rounds was drawn to art from a young age, and after studying painting and drawing at the Kansas City Art Institute and the Art Students League of New York, he spent time touring the Western U.S. with fellow student Jackson Pollock and their teacher, Thomas Hart Benton. It was during this period that Rounds began his lifelong pursuit of illustrating stories.
Rounds’ breakthrough came with Ol' Paul, the Mighty Logger (1936), a collection of Paul Bunyan stories he largely created himself. The book's success launched his career, and he went on to write and illustrate numerous titles, including The Blind Colt (1941) and the Whitey series, which featured a young Montana cowboy. His works often explored themes of the American West, wildlife, and the natural world, with a unique ability to convey both humor and pathos through his illustrations and writing.
Throughout his career, Rounds introduced a variety of beloved characters, including Mr. Yowder, the itinerant sign painter, and his books continued to win critical acclaim. Even in his later years, after arthritis forced him to switch to drawing with his left hand, Rounds remained a prolific creator. His last book, Beavers (1999), was lauded for its informative and succinct prose, paired with illustrations that demonstrated his enduring skill and patience.
Rounds received numerous accolades, including the Kerlan Award (1980) and the North Carolina Award for Literature (1981). He was also inducted into the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame in 2002, shortly before his death. His works continue to be celebrated for their captivating illustrations and stories that bring the American landscape and its characters to life.
Born in a sod house near Wall, South Dakota, Rounds had a rugged childhood that involved various jobs such as baker, cook, and ranch hand, alongside adventures in the carnival and logging industries. His early years on a Montana ranch provided a rich foundation for the characters and landscapes that would appear in his later works. Rounds was drawn to art from a young age, and after studying painting and drawing at the Kansas City Art Institute and the Art Students League of New York, he spent time touring the Western U.S. with fellow student Jackson Pollock and their teacher, Thomas Hart Benton. It was during this period that Rounds began his lifelong pursuit of illustrating stories.
Rounds’ breakthrough came with Ol' Paul, the Mighty Logger (1936), a collection of Paul Bunyan stories he largely created himself. The book's success launched his career, and he went on to write and illustrate numerous titles, including The Blind Colt (1941) and the Whitey series, which featured a young Montana cowboy. His works often explored themes of the American West, wildlife, and the natural world, with a unique ability to convey both humor and pathos through his illustrations and writing.
Throughout his career, Rounds introduced a variety of beloved characters, including Mr. Yowder, the itinerant sign painter, and his books continued to win critical acclaim. Even in his later years, after arthritis forced him to switch to drawing with his left hand, Rounds remained a prolific creator. His last book, Beavers (1999), was lauded for its informative and succinct prose, paired with illustrations that demonstrated his enduring skill and patience.
Rounds received numerous accolades, including the Kerlan Award (1980) and the North Carolina Award for Literature (1981). He was also inducted into the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame in 2002, shortly before his death. His works continue to be celebrated for their captivating illustrations and stories that bring the American landscape and its characters to life.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 9, 2018
Terrifying illustrations!
June 19, 2019
**Warning: this text may contain spoilers** i know an old lady who swallowed a fly.
April 11, 2015
Personal Response: This traditional English book was not unfamiliar to me, but it was interesting to see a slight change in verbs, yet synonymous to those used in America, such as "wrickled and ickled" instead of "wiggled and tingled." The illustrations were a bit dark and simple, but it did not take away from the plot.
Purposes
-read independently: Young students would be able to enjoy the repetition of this story. Those in the early stages of reading could easily grasp this book.
-read for curriculum: I would use this book when having students write stories that mocked the repetitive aspect. Instead of eating animals, a woman could eat too many types of toys. Instead of an old woman, it could be a young boy. They could decide what happens to their character in the end. Having students explore their own variant to a repetitive tale will helpful practice for those just beginning to write their own stories.
-key literary elements: Plot, its repetitive nature in particular, would be the element I would most explore. It is more prominent and reminiscent with young children. They could mock this style in their own writing.
Age Level
This book is appropriate for students in grades K-2. Early readers could easily grasp the repetitive plot. Students in second grade could begin to mock the writing style and form their own variants.
Purposes
-read independently: Young students would be able to enjoy the repetition of this story. Those in the early stages of reading could easily grasp this book.
-read for curriculum: I would use this book when having students write stories that mocked the repetitive aspect. Instead of eating animals, a woman could eat too many types of toys. Instead of an old woman, it could be a young boy. They could decide what happens to their character in the end. Having students explore their own variant to a repetitive tale will helpful practice for those just beginning to write their own stories.
-key literary elements: Plot, its repetitive nature in particular, would be the element I would most explore. It is more prominent and reminiscent with young children. They could mock this style in their own writing.
Age Level
This book is appropriate for students in grades K-2. Early readers could easily grasp the repetitive plot. Students in second grade could begin to mock the writing style and form their own variants.
Read
October 30, 2016I had to read this book for my Children's Literature class pretty good book.
September 2, 2023
It's a quiet, lazy Saturday morning on the kids floor, and while searching for storytime books, I came across this. The cover is QUITE...something.
The inside is even more. Would you like to terrify yourself, or the child in your life? Try to find a copy of this book. I wish I could insert pictures into this review.
Illustrations of incredibly spooky looking animals and an old lady looking more ill with each page makes you think this is what Stephen King would create if he was a children's book illustrator. Truly, these animals look like they came from the pet semetary. It is not a shock that the old lady dies at the end. Besides her poor choice to eat all of them, it's highly likely that all the animals have rabies.
Glen Rounds has a distinct illustration style. That the eyes of the animals and people are primarily shown without pupils really gives it that feeling of unease. One drawing of each the dog and the husband show the pupils, and those are the drawings where you feel a sense of humanity about them. What Dirk Zimmer did for In a Dark, Dark, Room and Stephen Gammell did for Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Glen Rounds brought to folklore. Consider me terrified.
A sign of the times, this book was originally published in 1990, and received a starred review from Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books.
Couple of highlights:
Reading this book to a friend (hi Batsy!) who stopped into the library and was not familiar with this particular tale, and I spoiled the end before I read it to her. I really assumed everyone was familiar with this song/story.
Diving down a Glen Rounds rabbit hole. Glen died in 2002 and was born in 1906 in a sod house. When his family moved after he was born, they moved in a covered wagon. What a time span to have lived through. https://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/28/ar...
The inside is even more. Would you like to terrify yourself, or the child in your life? Try to find a copy of this book. I wish I could insert pictures into this review.
Illustrations of incredibly spooky looking animals and an old lady looking more ill with each page makes you think this is what Stephen King would create if he was a children's book illustrator. Truly, these animals look like they came from the pet semetary. It is not a shock that the old lady dies at the end. Besides her poor choice to eat all of them, it's highly likely that all the animals have rabies.
Glen Rounds has a distinct illustration style. That the eyes of the animals and people are primarily shown without pupils really gives it that feeling of unease. One drawing of each the dog and the husband show the pupils, and those are the drawings where you feel a sense of humanity about them. What Dirk Zimmer did for In a Dark, Dark, Room and Stephen Gammell did for Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Glen Rounds brought to folklore. Consider me terrified.
A sign of the times, this book was originally published in 1990, and received a starred review from Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books.
Couple of highlights:
Reading this book to a friend (hi Batsy!) who stopped into the library and was not familiar with this particular tale, and I spoiled the end before I read it to her. I really assumed everyone was familiar with this song/story.
Diving down a Glen Rounds rabbit hole. Glen died in 2002 and was born in 1906 in a sod house. When his family moved after he was born, they moved in a covered wagon. What a time span to have lived through. https://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/28/ar...
August 16, 2017
Hmmm...for some reason I just couldn't get into this one. Guess I was looking for a version that had the same words I used as a kid. My memory doesn't have the extra part between each animal repetition. Except the spider, and the words here were different from those I learned. This made it too hard for me to use at storytime. And, honestly? I didn't really like the illustrations, either.
April 3, 2019
Grade: Preschool-K
Poetry
This book is a classic and is fun for kids to memorize together as a class.
Poetry
This book is a classic and is fun for kids to memorize together as a class.
March 17, 2017
This is one of my favorite rhymes, but I didn't care for this version or the artwork.
November 12, 2014
This may be one of my favorite story. It is a must read to every child. It is a very silly story that has been turned into a fun song as well. The words are repetitive and descriptive. The pictures are colorful. Glen Rounds is the author and illustrated and does a great job on both.
November 9, 2014
Like the big bold font but not the illustrations
December 10, 2013
Good story for sequence of events. Funny, but the illustrations are creepy.
January 9, 2015
traditional folk song but the illustrations made the old lady look like a skinny witch instead if a smily daffy plump grandma. interesting twist
July 10, 2016
Not my favorite in terms of illustration styles for this well-known nursery rhyme.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews