Many of you know the classic nursery rhyme, which goes,
Little Miss Muffet
Sat on a tuffet,
Eating her curds and whey.
Along came a spider
Who sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet away.
Trapani's book takes this nursery rhyme, adds illustrations, and expands it to include many more antics with animals to create a new classic! The animals get larger and larger along the way.
Her book trailer gives you a glimpse of her story additions, as well as a sense of her gorgeous illustrations:
Trapani was recently interviewed at Robyn Campbell's Blog about how she crafts her picture books. In response to how long it takes her to write them, she responded,
The writing varies. Sometimes I can conceive a story in a few hours. I wrote a rough draft of The Itsy Bitsy Spider on an hour-and-a-half bus ride. Other times it may take months or even years for an idea to germinate. But generally, once I have a plot, I can write a story in a few days.
Trapani writes all her books in rhyme, and she noted this about the revision process:
Writing for children is much harder than most people think. Exult in your writing, but keep a critical eye. Do not get too attached to your words. This is especially true of rhyming verse, where rhythm and meter are critical. A clever or beautiful line is worthless if the meter is off.
Read about Trapani's illustrating process, too, as well as many other insights in the full interview here.
Below are some of the fantastic reviews that have come in so far for Little Miss Muffet:
“Readers will barely be able to contain themselves when they spy the spider climbing up the tuffet leg. Indeed, Trapani slyly inserts clues as to what might next befall the hapless Miss Muffet in her brightly colored illustrations, which humorously capture both Miss Muffet's primness and her fright...A fun romp...Those with similar fears may feel empathy for Miss Muffet's plight; others will just giggle at the improbability of it all.” --Kirkus
“Rediscover this adored, classic nursery rhyme with delightfully charming illustrations by acclaimed author and illustrator Iza Trapani. Incorporating all the directional words kids need to learn early on in this silly story, Trapani creates a wonderful rendition of a perennial favorite that's sure to have kids hoping for the little miss to find a safe space from all those fearful creatures.” --New Age Mama Blog
“Adorable...Beautifully and richly rendered. And funny, too. Poor Miss Muffet’s face is animated and hilarious...Lively, descriptive words.” --Sing Books with Emily Blog
“A joy to read (and sing) aloud. [Trapani's] accompanying art is warm and inviting, a safe-haven for young children, full of comfort, perfect for bedtime or anytime...A must-have!” --Susanna Hill Blog
Sky Pony Press, September 2013
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Oh how nice! Thank you!
ReplyDeletecute book!
ReplyDelete