Beneath a Blue Umbrella

The playful poet Jack Prelutsky takes young readers on a rhyming romp through the continental United States in Beneath a Blue Umbrella. Creating a whole new slew of nursery rhymes, Prelutsky writes, "Eleven yellow monkeys/in purple pantaloons/went to western Oregon/to play upon the dunes…" Heading eastward, Prelutsky picks goats for another verse: "Four fat goats upon a boat/sailed south from Newport News,/and there the four ate clothes galore,/they swallowed socks and shoes./They chewed on boots, on shirts, on suits,/they shared a sweater vest,/a dozen coats went down those goats/before they reached Key West." These rhymes are short and simple, presented in large type, so the youngest of readers will be able to follow along. Garth Williams, illustrator of Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, and Bedtime for Frances, adds his expressive touch to Prelutsky's work. (Ages 2 to 6)