Book Review: There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly

 


1.     BIBLIOGRAPHY

Taback, S. (1997). There was an old lady who swallowed a fly. Viking.

ISBM: 0670869392

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

This classic song tells the story of a corky old lady who swallowed different insect and animals before she died.

3.     CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Taback uses of rhyming, repetition and predictable patterns makes this story a must read among young children. Taback also adds humor by including dialogue from different animals as they see first-hand what the old lady is swallowing. I read this book to my kids and in no time, they were singing along with me as the “silly old lady” swallowed each animal.

Simms Taback’s illustrations are bold and loaded with details. He uses a dark back ground and the words are written out on stripes of cut out paper in a contrasting color to give young readers a wonderful visual.  Another added touch to this wonderful classic, was a cut out of the old lady’s stomach so readers can see the different insects and animals that “wiggle and jiggle inside her.” As the old lady begins to swallow different insects and animals, you begin to see how her stomach begins to get bigger and bigger, not to mention the changes to her facial expressions, which are sure to make readers laugh.  

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Starred review in Kirkus Reviews: “eye-catching artwork”

Starred review in School Library Journal: “Each page is full of details and humorous asides.”

Caldecott Honor Book

5. CONNECTIONS

* Using FLIP, have students record themselves as they retell the story following the correct Sequence of Events.  

* Using their creativity, have students create props that can be used to retell the story.

* Engage readers to make inferences about the story. Why do they think the old lady kept swallowing different insects and animals?

* Group students into groups of 3-4 students, ask them to rewrite the ending of the story.

* Other books written like song lyrics:  

Cauley, L. B. (1992). Clap your hands. G.P. Putnam’s Sons. ISBN: 0399237100

Rosen, M., & Oxenbury, H. (1997). We’re going on a Bear Hunt. Little Simon. ISBN: 0689815816

Review completed for SHSU MLA course

 

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