First Song Books

Poetry and song come from the same roots. If you are introducing your very little one to verses, one of the easiest and most irresistible ways of doing this is with some of the beautiful little inexpensive illustrated paperback versions of nursery rhymes.

“Hush Little Baby” is an old, old lullaby eminently suitable for rocking or comforting your tiny one. Published in paperback by Dutton, the little song is hilariously illustrated by Margot Zemach, who has added great visual jokes. The book concludes with the musical notation easy enough for anyone to read.

Similarly, the nursery rhyme “Sing a Song of Sixpence”, published in paperback by Dial, illustrated by Tracy Pearson, is a book of rollicking, jolly water colors and a tune with suggestions for chords that can easily be played on a guitar or on a harp.

Peter Neumeyer is a professor of English at San Diego State University and highly recognized in the field of children’s literature. He is the author, editor, or translator of 10 books and over 100 articles. His articles and reviews appear regularly in Mother and Parents’ Choice. In 1994, he published The Annotated Charlotte’s Web, and he is currently assembling his second collection of poetry.