And the Green Grass Grew All Around: Folk Poetry from Everyone
by Alvin Schwartz
1. Bibliography:
And the Green Grass Grew All Around: Folk Poetry from Everyone. ed. Alvin Schwartz and Sue Truesdell (ill). Harper Collins Publishers. 1992.
ISBN 0060227575

2. Plot Summary
And the Green Grass Grew All Around is a collection of folk poetry compiled into one volume that focuses on a variety of topics including people, food, school, teases and taunts, wishes and warnings, love and marriage, work, stories, nonsense, riddles, fun and games, rain and shine, animals and insects, a tree and other things. “Schwartz organizes them by topic and/or form and proves all kinds of fascinating supporting material: an engagingly conversational introduction; general explanatory notes plus full item-by-item sources, many of which are intriguing in themselves”(Kirkus) Many of the items located on the pages are well known playground or jump rope chants. Musical scores are also included so the child can sing along with the words to a familiar tune.

3. Critical Analysis
The largest percentage of the book is a wonderful compilation of folk poetry by known and unknown authors that Alvin Schwartz compiled into one volume. Many of the items within this book are familiar and brought back childhood playground memories while others were unfamiliar with a few originating 400 years ago. I did not particularly enjoy a large portion work in the “non sense” category. The book has a reading level for ages 9 - 12 years but many of the poems, rhymes, chants, riddles and songs can be enjoyed by children of all ages as well as adults. Factual and resource information is also included for further studying many of the works. The illustrations are black and white cartoon characters (people and animals) with wide-eyes, exaggerated physical features and silly expressions that add to the humor of this book.

4. Review Excerpts
From School Library Journal

Grade 3 Up-- A marvelous book that is sure to become a classic if children have any say in the matter. Schwartz has gathered sassy, funny, scary, and slightly naughty children's folk poetry heard on school grounds and wherever else kids are having fun.

From Kirkus Reviews

Not since Carl Withers’s A Rocket in My Pocket (1948) has there been such a grand compilation of familiar (and unfamiliar) rhymes and chants from the children’s own tradition: riddles, games, wishes and taunts; poems about love, food, school, or animals; parodies, nonsense, and stories.

Connections: Read the following poem to children of all ages and see if they are familiar with the tune “Turkey in the Straw”
Re-read the second time to music and invite the children to sing-along:
Do your ears hang low,
Do they wobble to and fro?
Can you tie them in a knot,
Can you tie them in a bow?
Can you throw them over your shoulder
Like a Continental soldier?
Can you pluck a merry tune?
Do your ears hang low?

Ask for volunteer to read a riddle from the book and see who knows the answer.
On the playground, try a jump-rope chant or have the students bounce a ball to the words.
Encourage children to write in their journal a favorite work from the book and then have them create their own folk poetry with illustrations.

End with this hilarious tune to: The Farmer in the Dell
I with I wath a fith,
I with I wath a fith,
I’d thwim and thwim the deep blue thea,
I with I wath a fith.

I with I wath a thip,
I with I wath a thip,
I’d thail and thail the deep blue thea,
I with I wath a thip.

I with I wath a thafety pin,
I with I wath a thafety pin,
I’d rutht and rutht till everything butht,
I with I wath a thafety pin.

I with I wath thum thlime,
I with I wath thum thlime,
I’d ooth and ooth in everyone’s thoose,
I with I wath thum thlime.

I with I wathn’t a thimp,
I with I wathn’t a thimp,
I’d thing a thong that had thum thenthe,
I with I wathn’t a thimp.

Additional works by Schwartz include:
Scary Stories (multiple works listed under this topic)
Tomfoolery: Trickery and Foolery with Words
A Twister of Twists