Review of Over in the Meadow

[Rebecca De Figueiredo]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Over in the Meadow" by Illustrated by Chandler Strange.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Title: OVER IN THE MEADOW
FORWARD BY CELESTIA FRENCH
ILLUSTRATION BY CHANDLER STRANGE

There are two types of children's books on the market: those that serve the purpose of the moment with prose the child can understand and learn from and those that adults buy for themselves just as much as for the child. This book, Over in the Meadow, is one of the latter types. With its beautiful illustrations, it is rather like a collector's item and will find a place on the bookshelf indefinitely.

The book retells an old folk song by Olive A. Wadsworth from 1870. I do not recognise it as an English folk song, so it probably originated on the other side of the Atlantic. It is a rhythmical verse that helps small children learn to count to ten with relevant pictures. Rhythm, in itself, can help children remember things well.


I love the wildlife theme, and it is very relevant today when our environment and natural habitats are so important.

The illustrations are so lovely. They are vivid and lifelike, with a lot of movement. Small children can immediately pick out recognisable animals; the book helps them with their names, and their imaginations will be stirred.

The prose is mostly in uppercase, which is helpful for children who have progressed to reading independently, as it gives them a chance to grasp that particular element. This book is a valuable tool for learning to count, with the bonus of the thought-provoking pictures. The music score and a glossary regarding the animals are at the end.

I found nothing to dislike and enjoyed the excellent editing. This little book would be lovely as a gift or in a primary school classroom. It could be sung, which would be enjoyable for the little one. Old-time folksongs and nursery rhymes have always been helpful teaching tools; this is no exception. I will award five stars out of five.

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Over in the Meadow
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