Mother Goose Song Book

Musical Arrangements by Adam Stemple
Illustrated by Rosekranz Hoffman
Boyds Mills 1992
ISBN# 1-878093-52-5 Boyds Mills hardcover

The first of four music books I did for Boyds Mills. Adam was wonderful to work with, shipping me off the simple arrangements which I then played on the piano. We figured if I could sight read them, ANYONE could! Many were Mother Goose songs I’d taught him when he was a child. I picked the songs, wrote the historical notes. Adam did all the musical arrangements. Rosekranz Hoffman was my first choice for artist, and I persuaded Boyds Mills to use her. Her quirky, cranky illustrations are perfect for the book. I wish my name weren’t so prominent in the title, however. That was the publisher’s choice. The book was a Hungry Mind’s Review Book of Distinction and the 1993 IRA/CBC Children’s Choice.

What reviewers have said:

• “Yolen, Stemple and Hoffman make beautiful music together … this trio’s fine work explains anew the timelessness of Mother Goose.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review
• “In a particularly handsome edition, Yolen has gathered many of the best-known and best-loved Mother Goose songs … Hoffman’s wonderfully rich, decorative borders are a unifying element throughout the book, tying the pages together and framing her humorous and fanciful illustrations and the words and music.” — The Horn Book