Review of AND THE GREEN GRASS GREW ALL AROUND: FOLK POETRY FOR EVERYONE

Bibliography
Schwartz, Alvin. 1992. And the Green Grass Grew All Around: Folk Poetry from Everyone. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 9780060227586


Plot Summary
And the Green Grass Grew All Around is a compilation of over 250 folk poems. The introductory chapter reveals Alvin Schwartz’s fascination with silly chants and whimsical folk poems and songs. His interest in folk poems began in childhood where his classmates relentlessly teased him. When he cried on his first day of school, children chanted, “Cry, baby, cry. Stick your finger in your eye. Tell your mother it wasn’t I.” Schwartz being an exceptionally thin child only added fuel as children fired rhymes at him such as: “Skinny bone, skinny bone, in the corner all alone.” Yet, through adversity, Shwartz found comfort in the rhythm of words, and what he presents to us is his personal record of the folk poetry that has rung through the American culture for decades.


Critical Analysis
This 196-page book is divided into fifteen thematic chapters ranging from “People” to “Fun and Games.” Within the pages of And the Green Grass Grew All Around are nearly 300 folk poems and songs that have been handed down generation after generation. While Alvin Schwartz has recorded these poems for posterity’s sake, there is no single author who can be credited for penning these culturally classic rhymes; however, Schwartz includes an extensive “Sources” section that attempts to trace the origins of each rhyme in the book.

The text is printed in simple Times New Roman black font set against cream colored paper. The subtle airiness of the pages lends plenty of space for the fun illustrations of Sue Truesdell. Truesdell accompanies the text with humorous black and white ink drawings that are reminiscent of satirical newspaper cartoons. She also keeps the lines of her drawings loose and fluid—a perfect accessory to the often irreverently playful rhymes.

Each poem is variant in length, many are as short as two lines while others span two or three pages. Songs that have been shunned in our modern “politically correct” era pop up their cheeky little heads with lyrics such as, “Mine eyes have seen the glory of the closing of the school. We have tortured all the teachers, we have broken every rule.” Of course, these old favorites were created in more innocent times. This book is sure to take its adult readers back to a time of beautiful naitivité while causing snickers and giggles among children. A fun read aloud for children and adults of all ages, Schwartz holds a captive audience and continues the folk poetry tradition of “passing it on.”


Review Excerpts
School Library Journal: “A marvelous book that is sure to become a classic if children have any say in the matter.”
Kirkus: “It's hard to imagine a child who wouldn't greet this treasure trove with enthusiasm.”


Connections
*Can be used as an introduction to folk poetry and the concept of folk tales.
*This book could be used as an example for children to create their own poem, song, or rhyme.
*Other books containing children’s poetry:
Prelusky, Jack. The 20th Century Children’s Poetry Treasury. ISBN 9780679893141
Sierra, Judy. Schoolyard Rhymes. ISBN 9780375925160