Over in the Meadow

Over in the Meadow
John Langstaff with pictures by Feodor Rojankovsky/ published 1957 by Harcourt, Brace & World

I've owned a few versions of this story, but this is by far my favorite. I had John and Feodor's Frog Went A-Courtin' when I was little but only found this first edition recently at a library sale. It includes nine different verses of the tale along with music in the back.

Over in the meadow in a new little hive
Lived an old mother queen bee and her honeybees five.
"Hum," said the mother, "We hum," said the five;
So they hummed and were glad in their new little hive.

A paperback version is available from Voyager Books new I believe, and as far as I'm concerned this title is a must have for anyone who loves old kid's books. These illustrations are just marvelous and detailed... from the lace of the spiderwebs to the hearts of the blueberries growing underneath a toadstool... lot and lots to see on every reread.

And again the dedication gets me: For Deborah who loved this song about baby animals so much when she was two that she sang it wherever she went.

Also by:
Tall Book of Nursery Tales
The Golden Bible