Product Description

In this bedtime poem, three fishermen in a wooden shoe catch stars in their nets of silver and gold.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #759380 in Books
• Published on: 1982-09-29
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 30 pages

From School Library Journal
Starred Review. PreSchool-Grade 2—Potter's fanciful, artistic interpretation is ideal for this 19th-century poem about the wistful place between sleep and dreams. Wynken, Blynken, and Nod are portrayed as three young boys in matching green pajamas, wooden shoes, and red hats. They embark in their vessel, a large wooden shoe, and sail "...on a river of crystal light,/Into a sea of dew." Sea and sky flow into one another and soon the lads are speeding through the air, where the "little stars" are "herring fish" and the young fishermen cast their nets. The wooden shoe brings them home, where readers learn that the episode is a lullaby sung by a mother to her son who is tucked in bed, snug in his green pajamas with his toy fish. Done in Potter's characteristic style, each spread is a dreamy still life; the mixed-media paintings are drenched in the calming blues of the sea and sky, and the muted hues lend a soporific tone. There is an otherworldly quality to the artwork, and a note describes why the illustrator was attracted to this poem. Share this vividly imagined book with youngsters who need a little help gaining entry to the world of dreams.—Shawn Brommer, South Central Library System, Madison, WI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
PreS-Gr. 1. Few texts have inspired so many picture books as Field's familiar bedtime rhyme. In this large-format book, McPhail's interpretation sends three bunnies, clothed as sailors, off in the wooden shoe that sails through a dreamy version of the night sky and into the bedroom of a little girl. After they scatter stars onto her blanket, and she quickly falls asleep, they glide back toward the benevolent moon. Rich with deep, soft colors, the illustrations sweep broadly across the double-page spreads. The same sailors and wooden shoe appear on nearly every spread, which could have been yawn inducing in itself. But McPhail smoothly varies the perspective and composition from scene to scene, so like the lullaby itself, the pictures suggest rhythm, grace, and mystery. A natural for reading aloud, and even better for singing aloud, this book may become a bedtime favorite. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
"A natural for reading aloud, and even better for singing aloud, this book may become a bedtime favorite." -- Booklist, February 1, 2004

"With its lovely swirls of warm color and inviting pictures this would be a welcome addition to poetry shelves." -- School Library Journal, February 1, 2004

* Starred "In a fresh visual interpretation of this classic, McPhail infuses the text with vitality enriching the familiar lullaby." -- Kirkus Review, February 15, 2004

Customer Reviews

An incredible and beautiful book, always to be remembered
This is a book that my father grew up on, and after having kids of his own, read it to us. As we grew up, this book had somehow disappered, and, having missed it so much, set upon looking for it on the internet. This is a beutiful children story, but not only for children... Don't miss it!

Wynken, Blynken, & Nod is an enchanting, magical tale
that is as captivating as it is beautiful. It's a wonderful bedtime tradition, for both children and parents. This amazing poem is a timeless classic; there's always something new to discover from the entrancing journey of our trio of fishermen! It's perfect for people of all ages. Come along, and bring somebody you love on the voyage on Wynken, Blynken, and Nod; you won't regret it!

A Classic Must Have for Every Child
I was not introduced to this poem until I was 18. We were performing it in concert as a part of Midge of Gold which is a collection of children's tales set to music. I fell in love with it and when I found out it was an actual book, it became one of the first gifts I give to parents and children. The melody is one that stays with me and it's a great lulaby. This book is worth more than what you will pay for it. I have not met one person who read it as a child and didn't love it. The poem and illustrations are wonderful. Buying this book for your child, or any child, is a great investment.