Schwartz explains in this book that literary poetry is silently read and kept between a reader and the page, but folk poetry is meant to be performed. The poems in the collection are meant to be shared and passed along to other children. He includes very old rhymes and poems along with the new ones, and explains the known origins and history that go with them, which makes this much more comprehensive than a simple poetry book. The poems are organized into categories like food, work, love etc., and there's a first line index in the back to make it easier to find them. The book includes jump rope rhymes, riddles, and warnings, and some of the songs have scores included, which aids in learning the melody. The illustrations are black and white, but they're humorous and show children teasing and laughing at each other, and add to the narrative of the poems. ( )

Poetry books were made for every age and every person should and needs to read this book.

By opening up the pages on this book your foot starts to pat and your fingers start to beat. Each seperate poem tells a funny little story with a funny little beat and some funny little words. It makes a person smile and it makes a person laugh. A poem may be four little lines or it may be four big pages. The poetry is for all ages. Music or little tunes follow the poetry if it flows or moves the same way. The black and grey pictures help the reader to understand what is happening it this little story.

By reading this book or parts of it, your heart with have fun with the neat choice of words and the why each little story ends. By good to your heart.....read this book. ( )