Six Books to Celebrate Mother Goose Day

May 1 is Mother Goose Day, an entire day dedicated to celebrating nursery rhymes and the mysterious author who created them. 

Who is Mother Goose?

Mother Goose is actually the name attributed to the author of thousands of children's stories which have been passed down through oral tradition and published over centuries. According to PoetryFoundation, many believe that Mother Goose was a real woman who lived in Boston, Massachusetts during the 17th century. After being widowed by Isaac Goose, Elizabeth Foster Goose or Mary Goose moved in with her eldest daughter, and was well known by her grandchildren for her amusing jingles, which soon became popular among the other neighborhood children. Her son-in-law, a publisher, printed her rhymes, according to legend, and her stories have been famous ever since. 

For educators teaching younger students, celebrating Mother Goose Day could be a fun way to bring in rhymes and storytelling into the classroom. Education World has gathered six books to share with students to teach them about Mother Goose and nursery rhymes.

1. Original Mother Goose by Blanche Fisher Wright: According to Amazon: "A glorious, full-color collection of Mother Goose rhymes, featuring the classic Blanche Fisher Wright illustrations. Favorite nursery rhymes fill the pages of this deluxe volume, complete with a real cloth binding and beautiful tipped-on cover art."
2. The Real Mother Goose by Blanche Fisher Wright: Amazon says: "For more than seventy-five years The Real Mother Goose has been delighting millions of children, and today the magic is as strong as ever. Heralded as the "standard" Mother Goose by parents, grandparents, teachers, and librarians, this wonderful book with Blanche Fisher Wright's lively, colorful pictures makes an enchanting introduction for the very young."
3. Favorite Nursery Rhymes from Mother Goose by Scott Gustafson: In this book, Amazon says,"From nonsense to lessons learned, these 45 rhymes include the very well known (Itsy Bitsy Spider) and the somewhat familiar (Hickety, Pickety, My Black Hen). The truly fantastic pictures speak more than a thousand words as artist Scott Gustafson riffs in paint on themes present and imagined in each verse."
4. Very First Mother Goose by Iona Opie: Amazon says: "To a small child, words are magical. And the most magical of all are the beloved, venerable words of Mother Goose. Now folklorist Iona Opie has gathered more than sixty treasured rhymes in their most perfect, honest form."
5. Sylvia Long's Mother Goose by Sylvia Long: In this book, Amazon says: "From bestselling artist Sylvia Long comes an enchanting collection of over seventy-five classic Mother Goose rhymes. Imbued with the artist's love of nature and overflowing with charming details, this spectacular compilation includes such timeless favorites as Old Mother Hubbard, Mary had a little lamb, and Rock-a-bye baby. Sylvia Long's Mother Goose is a perfect gift that, like the rhymes themselves, will be passed from one generation to the next."
6. My First Mother Goose by Tomie dePaola: Amazon says: "From Humpty Dumpty and Georgie Porgie to Little Miss Muffet and the old woman who lived in a shoe, children will love reading and laughing along with all of their favorite characters. The accessible trim and beautiful illustrations by Tomie dePaola make this book the perfect addition to any child's library."

Article by Kassondra Granata, Education World Contributor