A review by reader44ever
Nursery Rhyme Comics: 50 Timeless Rhymes from 50 Celebrated Cartoonists by Vanessa Davis, Bob Flynn, Richard Sala, Jules Feiffer, Alexis Frederick-Fost, Marc Rosenthal, Richard Thompson, Gilbert Hernández, Mike Mignola, Raina Telgemeier, Gahan Wilson, Ben Hatke, Kate Beaton, Cyril Pedrosa, Tao Nyeu, George O'Connor, Lucy Knisley, Nick Bruel, Leonard S. Marcus, Mathew Forsythe, Laura Park, Dave Roman, Scott Campbell, Drew Weing, Nick Abadzis, Jordan Crane, Stephanie Yue, Mark Siegel, Theo Ellsworth, Mo Oh, Aaron Renier, J.P. Coovert, Eric Orchard, Lark Pien, Tony Millionaire, Gene Luen Yang, Rebecca Dart, Eleanor Davis, Jaime Hernández, David Macaulay, Jen Wang, Sara Varon, Roz Chast, James Sturm, Vera Brosgol, Patrick McDonnell, Craig Thompson, Lilli Carré, Stan Sakai, Chris Duffy, Mark Martin
4.0
I've updated my review to include my initial thoughts and my "I'm done with the book now" thoughts... :)
I liked what I read on my first night of reading this book, but I somehow expected more. The comics are from a variety of styles, some more enjoyable than others. Some of the comics are very basic: just drawn to match the rhymes; while others are more fleshed out: these cartoonists really put their imaginations to use. I'm enjoying these the most, as with the Queen of Hearts by [a:Eleanor Davis|981303|Eleanor Davis|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1309671535p2/981303.jpg]: I enjoyed reading first the rhyme and then the artist's suggested dialogue inserted into the comic. :)
Like the Queen of Hearts, I'm enjoying the ones that are not just drawn to illustrate the words, with only the rhyme typed in to accompany the illustrations. And yet...The Owl and the Pussy-Cat by [a:Craig Thompson|14151|Craig Thompson|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1312311495p2/14151.jpg] was drawn to illustrate the words, with no additional words/dialogue inserted, but I still really enjoyed this one because the illustrations were such that they spoke volumes all on their own. :)
Others of the ones I really liked that first night include The Donkey by [a:Patrick McDonnell|53088|Patrick McDonnell|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1231095013p2/53088.jpg] (simple but fun); Hickory, Dickory, Dock by [a:Stephanie Yue|3160010|Stephanie Yue|https://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png] (really liked this comic); There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe by [a:Lucy Knisley|731384|Lucy Knisley|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1361051635p2/731384.jpg] (enjoyed the idea of the Old Woman being a hip babysitter); Jack Be Nimble by [a:James Sturm|186652|James Sturm|https://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png] (super cute illustrations); There Was a Crooked Man by [a:Roz Chast|56952|Roz Chast|https://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png] (fun illustrations!); and Georgie Porgie by [a:Raina Telgemeier|21618|Raina Telgemeier|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1200153437p2/21618.jpg] (funny!).
Another especial favorite from my first night's reading was This Little Piggy by [a:Cyril Pedrosa|208436|Cyril Pedrosa|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1329178258p2/208436.jpg]: his vignettes to illustrate the piggy's actions were hilarious! The last panel is definitely smile-inducing. :)
My second night opened with Croak Said the Toad by [a:Laura Park|4486629|Laura Park|https://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png]. I don't understand the last two panels of this one. Well, I do (they're drawn straight-forward enough) but I don't see how they follow the rhyme and continue the story.
Others I enjoyed this second night include Hot Cross Buns by [a:Andrew Arnold|2538102|Andrew Arnold|https://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png] (loved this comic!); Old Mother Hubbard by [a:J. Crane|6221976|J. Crane|https://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png] (these panels made me smile, though the last one inspired a bittersweet smile); One, Two, Buckle My Shoe by [a:Dave Roman|266715|Dave Roman|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1200331121p2/266715.jpg] (I loved the clones!); Little Miss Muffet by [a:Mark Martin|121022|Mark Martin|https://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png] (Much to my surprise, I wasn't freaked out by the spider that frightened Little Miss Muffet); There Was a Little Girl by [a:Vera Brosgol|568999|Vera Brosgol|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1378830721p2/568999.jpg] (This was a fun comic); Pat-a-Cake by [a:Gene Luen Yang|68959|Gene Luen Yang|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1265028960p2/68959.jpg] (loved the aliens!); and Hush, Little Baby by [a:Mo Oh|4739115|Mo Oh|https://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png] (charming illustrations).
All in all, I really enjoyed a variety of styles that included the ones where the artists imagined the rhyme in somewhat basic ways (The Owl and the Pussy-Cat and Little Miss Muffet) and those where their imaginations took unusual turns (There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe and One, Two, Buckle My Shoe). For some of the good ones I've mentioned above, I was actually disappointed that the rhymes weren't longer so I could have seen more comic panels in the respective styles. :)
And lastly, there were other comics in this book that I really liked (or didn't like, as the case may be) that I haven't mentioned above. To include my thoughts on all 50 comics would make this review even longer than it already is, and I think it's already approaching too-long status. :)
I liked what I read on my first night of reading this book, but I somehow expected more. The comics are from a variety of styles, some more enjoyable than others. Some of the comics are very basic: just drawn to match the rhymes; while others are more fleshed out: these cartoonists really put their imaginations to use. I'm enjoying these the most, as with the Queen of Hearts by [a:Eleanor Davis|981303|Eleanor Davis|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1309671535p2/981303.jpg]: I enjoyed reading first the rhyme and then the artist's suggested dialogue inserted into the comic. :)
Like the Queen of Hearts, I'm enjoying the ones that are not just drawn to illustrate the words, with only the rhyme typed in to accompany the illustrations. And yet...The Owl and the Pussy-Cat by [a:Craig Thompson|14151|Craig Thompson|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1312311495p2/14151.jpg] was drawn to illustrate the words, with no additional words/dialogue inserted, but I still really enjoyed this one because the illustrations were such that they spoke volumes all on their own. :)
Others of the ones I really liked that first night include The Donkey by [a:Patrick McDonnell|53088|Patrick McDonnell|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1231095013p2/53088.jpg] (simple but fun); Hickory, Dickory, Dock by [a:Stephanie Yue|3160010|Stephanie Yue|https://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png] (really liked this comic); There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe by [a:Lucy Knisley|731384|Lucy Knisley|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1361051635p2/731384.jpg] (enjoyed the idea of the Old Woman being a hip babysitter); Jack Be Nimble by [a:James Sturm|186652|James Sturm|https://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png] (super cute illustrations); There Was a Crooked Man by [a:Roz Chast|56952|Roz Chast|https://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png] (fun illustrations!); and Georgie Porgie by [a:Raina Telgemeier|21618|Raina Telgemeier|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1200153437p2/21618.jpg] (funny!).
Another especial favorite from my first night's reading was This Little Piggy by [a:Cyril Pedrosa|208436|Cyril Pedrosa|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1329178258p2/208436.jpg]: his vignettes to illustrate the piggy's actions were hilarious! The last panel is definitely smile-inducing. :)
My second night opened with Croak Said the Toad by [a:Laura Park|4486629|Laura Park|https://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png]. I don't understand the last two panels of this one. Well, I do (they're drawn straight-forward enough) but I don't see how they follow the rhyme and continue the story.
Others I enjoyed this second night include Hot Cross Buns by [a:Andrew Arnold|2538102|Andrew Arnold|https://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png] (loved this comic!); Old Mother Hubbard by [a:J. Crane|6221976|J. Crane|https://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png] (these panels made me smile, though the last one inspired a bittersweet smile); One, Two, Buckle My Shoe by [a:Dave Roman|266715|Dave Roman|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1200331121p2/266715.jpg] (I loved the clones!); Little Miss Muffet by [a:Mark Martin|121022|Mark Martin|https://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png] (Much to my surprise, I wasn't freaked out by the spider that frightened Little Miss Muffet); There Was a Little Girl by [a:Vera Brosgol|568999|Vera Brosgol|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1378830721p2/568999.jpg] (This was a fun comic); Pat-a-Cake by [a:Gene Luen Yang|68959|Gene Luen Yang|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1265028960p2/68959.jpg] (loved the aliens!); and Hush, Little Baby by [a:Mo Oh|4739115|Mo Oh|https://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png] (charming illustrations).
All in all, I really enjoyed a variety of styles that included the ones where the artists imagined the rhyme in somewhat basic ways (The Owl and the Pussy-Cat and Little Miss Muffet) and those where their imaginations took unusual turns (There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe and One, Two, Buckle My Shoe). For some of the good ones I've mentioned above, I was actually disappointed that the rhymes weren't longer so I could have seen more comic panels in the respective styles. :)
And lastly, there were other comics in this book that I really liked (or didn't like, as the case may be) that I haven't mentioned above. To include my thoughts on all 50 comics would make this review even longer than it already is, and I think it's already approaching too-long status. :)