Performance Poetry - You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Mother Goose Tales to Read Together

1. Bibliographic Citation

Hoberman, Mary Ann. 2005. You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Mother Goose Tales to Read Together. New York: Little, Brown, and Company. ISBN 9780316144315

 

2. Summary and Review

This poetry book written for two voices is a fun take on traditional Mother Goose rhymes. The introduction explains to readers how to read the poems correctly. The red text in the middle is for both voices, while the blue text on the left is the first reader and the purple text on the right is the second reader. It would be a good idea to begin practicing reading with this introduction before moving on to the actual Mother Goose rhymes. The rhymes included in this collection are humorous extensions of Mother Goose rhymes including “Humpy Dumpty” (who gets put together again by a doctor), “Little Miss Muffet” (who looks like a witch and shares her curds and whey with the spider), and “Jack and Jill” (who successfully fetch a pail of water the second time around). There are also fun mash-ups of “Old King Cole and the Cat and the Fiddle” and “Little Boy Blue and Little Bo Peep.” In keeping with Mother Goose tradition, all of the poems have a strong rhyme scheme and rhythm. Michael Emberley’s illustrations depict the characters in a different way than expected. Many of the characters are animals, while others look like caricature drawings. All of the illustrations add to the fun feel of the poems. The poems, themselves, are written at about a 2^nd grade reading level, so even young readers would be able to read and perform them with a little practice. Below is an excerpt from “Humpty Dumpty.”

Humpty Dumpty

Dear Doctor Brown,

Please take a try.

If you don’t operate,

I’ll die!

                                    Dear Humpty Dumpty,

                                    Don’t despair!

                                    I’ll do my best

                                    On your repair.

Why, Doctor Brown,

You’ve done so well!

You’ve patched me up!

You’ve fixed my shell!

                                    Dear Humpty Dumpty,

                                    That’s so kind –

                                    And now my fee

                                    If you don’t mind.

Why, Doctor Brown,

You charge a fee?

My operation

Wasn’t free?

                                    I never heard of

                                    Such a thing!

                                    Why don’t you ask

                                    Your friend the king?

3. Awards and Reviews

Book for All Season Winner, 2006

Children’s Catalog Nineteenth Edition Best Book, 2006

Positive Reviews in Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, and School Library Journal

4. Activities

My first suggestion when using this book is to first read aloud the original Mother Goose rhymes. Otherwise, these poems will not make sense to students. Next, divide the class into 2 groups and practice reading the class’s favorite poem. The poem could be printed on paper but also shown on a screen using a document camera and projector. Then the students could create little puppets out of paper and popsicle sticks. The class could put on a Mother Goose (with a twist) puppet show for other classes to watch. Each section of a grade level could choose a different poem, and they can all watch each other perform them.

5. Related Books

You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You: Very Short Fairy Tales to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman ISBN 9780316146111

You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You: Very Short Scary Tales to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman ISBN 0316017337

You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman ISBN 9780316363501