Mommy Goose's Appalachian Melodies - Hardcover

by Mike Norris (Author), Minnie Adkins (Illustrator)

Children's books play a critical role in building a child's worldview, introducing new vocabulary, and imparting moral lessons in a young reader's own context. Yet there is a serious need for a perspective more attuned to the cultural and verbal complexities of Appalachia. Mommy Goose's Appalachian Melodies bridges the gap in children's literature and offers readers an opportunity to delight in language and the richness of music and storytelling in the region.

Each lyrical poem and nursery rhyme, in tandem with whimsical and vibrant wood carvings, taps into the world of natural wonder and homespun charm. Revealed is a world populated with people, farm animals, and wildlife that is equally familiar and fantastic to Appalachian children. The quaint and heartwarming poems offer lessons of kindness, acceptance, and respect, while not shying away from poignant glimpses of life's harsh realities. This colorful collection celebrates the art, language, and culture of Appalachia and creates a unique and magical world--for children of all ages.

To hear a complete recording of the book's companion song, "Waltzing with Elephant,"
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Author Biography

Mike Norris is the author of four additional children's books: Bright Blue Rooster, Sonny the Monkey, Mommy Goose: Rhymes from the Mountains, and Ring Around the Moon: Mommy Goose Rhymes. Also a songwriter, one of his compositions, recorded by Jeff Parker and Company, reached #1 on the Bluegrass Today charts in 2023. Minnie Adkins is a folk artist with permanent collections at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Gallery of Art, the American Folk Art Museum, Huntington Museum of Art, and the Kentucky Folk Art Center. She received the Artist Award from the Kentucky Arts Council for lifetime achievement in the arts and holds an honorary doctorate from Morehead State University. She has collaborated with Mike Norris on four previous books: Bright Blue Rooster, Sonny the Monkey, Mommy Goose: Rhymes from the Mountains, and Ring Around the Moon: Mommy Goose Rhymes.