Old Dame Counterpane — Jane Yolen

PreS-Gr 2-Old Dame Counterpane is a maternal figure, like Mother Goose; a creator, like God; and a seamstress, like many old storytellers who sew and tell. The cumulative rhyme is reminiscent of ``Little Nancy Etticoat'' and ``The House That Jack Built.'' At the same time, it's also a counting book; Dame Counterpane takes 10 days to create the world and ``you and me.'' Like the sun gods of the Romans and Greeks, at the end of each day, she nips her thread and starts again the next morning. Seeming simplicity belies the depth and richness of this tale. The pacing is exquisite, both on the part of the author, who repeats and punctuates the verse with the timing of a comedian, and on the part of the illustrator, who provides meaning with each page turn. The charming watercolor illustrations are clever and full of interesting detail.-Ruth K. MacDonald, Bay Path College, Longmeadow, MA