Now, I like nursery rhymes. Something about the tradition and
the timelessness and the possibilities they suggest; it’s a very similar to my
feelings towards fairy tales. But never before have a come across a collection
of nursery rhymes that has so completely captured my imagination as Jackie Morris’ has. Her illustrations are nothing short of stunning. But more than
that, she has avoided the typical, literal interpretations that are so common
in other collections. Each page explores all of the fantasy, the whimsy, the
possibility that is overflowing from these very short rhymes.
Rhymes of two or four lines are given life and story and
place with her amazing watercolours. Tiny background details allude to other
poems in the book, or simply suggest endless alternative stories. Talking about the title poem and the cover jacket you will see what I mean.
Hey
diddle diddle… we’ve heard it before, we’ve see cute, cartoon illustrations of
a cat playing a fiddle and the cow in the evening sky jumping a smiling
crescent moon. Would you have thought to put a beautiful woman with long
flowing hair playing a fiddle on a cat larger than a horse? No, probably not. But it’s beautiful
in its concept and its execution. Then, to have that cat pulling a carriage
which is decorated with an oversized clock which looks like it keeps some sort of
celestial time and on which the ‘cow hand’ is about to overtake the ‘moon hand’
and the ‘dish’ and ‘spoon hands’ are ticking away ahead. Ooo, it gives me
goosebumps. And that’s the cover image alone! Think of where the 62 pages of
imagination and flights of fancy could lead you?
As for the collection of nursery rhymes goes, there is the
perfect balance between well known ones, and those that are less familiar (or
not at all), which, if you ask me, is perfect. It’s great to be introduced to
something new while at the same time allowing for the pleasure of revisiting
recognised favourites.
The Cat and The Fiddle, illustrated by Jackie Morris, is one
of this year’s must haves for any shelf. Rhymes to share with the very young,
pictures and possibilities to pore over with the not so young (I’m including
myself here).
