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CM . . . . Volume XXI Number 3 . . . . September 19, 2014
excerpt:
Kids Can Press' There Was an Old Sailor is a modern take on the classic children's rhyme There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. The story introduces readers to a sailor who has swallowed a krill and decides to remedy the problem in a very unusual and surprising way. The jolly sailor elects to swallow a jelly in an attempt to catch the krill. When this proves ineffective, the sailor continues to consume increasingly larger sea creatures to catch the preceding marine animals. This whimsical rhyme will have children gasping with laughter and disbelief as the determined sailor gulps down a plethora of marine life.
Readers will enjoy artist Cassandra Allen's attractive, full-page and double-page spread illustrations. Her artwork was created using a combination of gouache and pencil. The simple, colourful designs effectively complement the cheerful feel of the text. Readers will be engaged in the story as they make connections between the rhymes and the large, striking illustrations. The lyrical verses coupled with the smooth lines and rounded edges of the artwork create a light-hearted experience for the reader. The swirling shape of such things as the waves, the jellyfish stingers, the squid tentacles, the coiled rope, and the fish scales all lend movement to the artwork, propelling the reader forward in a manner consistent with the rhythmic song-song flow of the text. Saxby and Allen are both Australians. This book was first released in their country in 2010. It was enthusiastically received and honoured with awards, including one selected by other children's book authors and illustrators who recognised the quality of Saxby and Allen's work. We believe that this story will be both appreciated and enjoyed by the target audience of children from age three to seven for several reasons. Each page starts off by repeating the previous page's lines while adding on a new verse detailing the jovial sailor's latest feat. This repetition is complemented on each page by a large, vibrant illustration showing the jolly sailor in the midst of swallowing the most recently mentioned creature. Children will begin to recognize new words and phrases as they memorize the infectious rhymes. In addition, readers will enjoy learning more about marine life while reading the "Fishy Facts" at the end of the book. There Was an Old Sailor is likely to becoming a cherished bed-time favourite. Highly Recommended. Chasity Findlay is a high school English teacher and a graduate student at the University of Manitoba.
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- September 19, 2014. |
Claire Saxby's rhythmic verses will have children singing along and predicting the next line as the sailor tackles astonishingly large creatures. Despite the fact that the sailor's actions are outrageous, the story does, in fact, open the door for discussions on the food chain. This cheery story concludes with two pages of "Fishy Facts" which will allow children to learn interesting pieces of information about each of the sea creatures that appear in the story. We think this is a particularly nice touch which adds a factual learning experience about marine life to this amusing tale.