Schoolyard Rhymes selected by Judy Sierra

Bibliography
Sierra, Judy. 2005. Schoolyard Rhymes. ill. Melissa Sweet. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0375825169.

Plot Summary
Judy Sierra compiled 50 of the best loved schoolyard rhymes for this collection. Everything from Miss Mary Mack, Mack, Mack to Cinderella dressed in Yella is included in Schoolyard Rhymes. These rope skipping, hand clapping, and ball bouncing rhymes are a perfect addition to recess.

Critical Analysis
Sierra did an excellent job selecting the rhymes to be included in this collection. She included a variety of silly subjects like losing your pants in The King of France and to relationships in I am a Pretty Little Dutch Girl.

Melissa Sweet added her own touch with bright, colorful illustrations. Every color you can imagine is included: yellow bananas, grey elephants, green alligators, red wagons, and blud birds just to name a few. The words are incorporated into the illustrations as clothlines, jump ropes, and flower stems. Kids will fall in love with these cheerful illustrations.

To complete this collection, an index of first lines are arranged alphabetically in the back of the book with the page numbers included.

Reviews
School Library Journal: "Sierra has selected some of the funniest and most memorable schoolyard rhymes available in this appealing collection. Sweet's animated watercolor-and-collage illustrations fill the pages with expressive faces, thin lines of verse shaped into jump ropes and borders, and hilarious interpretive scenes from the rhymes. This is a definite winner."

Kirkus: "There are many available collections of children's traditional rhymes, but this one uses bright colors, great illustrations and pleasing design elements to reach out to contemporary children."

Connections
*Have the children pick out their favorite rhyme and create their own illustrations for it.
*Write the rhymes down in parts on index cards, mix them up and see if the children can arrange it in the proper order.