4.

Development/ Types of
Poetry for Children
The Puritans believed that literature's sole
purpose was to save souls. The child could
be saved by strict moral tales, lessons, hymns
and poems.
1650 - Mother Goose's National Rhymes of
the Nursery - - -
Mother Goose was actually a collection of
numerous authors of these fun short verses
for young people. Many did teach lessons
and some of them with cruel consequences,
but many were just filled with enjoyable
stories that widened the imagination.
Types of Children's Poetry
Nursery Rhymes
Traditional poems for young children.
 Limericks
A limerick is a witty, humorous, or
nonsense poem, especially in five lines with
a strict rhyme scheme.
 Haiku
Haiku is originally an old Japanese poem
with three lines and seventeen syllables.
Narrative Verse
A story told in the form of a
poem, epics and ballads ("Paul Revere's Ride" by
Henry Wadworth Longfellow).
Nonsense Verse
A type of poetry featuring fantastic images
or made-up words that entertains through its wild
silliness. ("Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll)
Free Verse
A style of poetry with no set length
or rhyme scheme: its only rule is that it has no
rules.
Mother Goose Rhymes or
Nursery Rhymes
 1697 - Charles Perrault’s "Tales of Mother Goose"
("Contes de ma mère l'Oye") or called "Histories and
Tales of Long Ago, with Morals" was published in France.
This book contained none of the rhymes associated
with Mother Goose.

 1729 - Perrault's tales were translated into English by

Robert Samber. The words on the frontispiece were
"Mother Goose's Tales".

 1744 - The earliest known collection of nursery

rhymes called "Tommy Thumb's Song Book" was
published in London by Mary Cooper
 1765 - The single most important promoter of the
designation of Mother Goose as writer of children's
rhymes was John Newbery (1713-1767). He
adopted this name for a collection of mostly
traditional rhymes: "Mother Goose's Melody" or
called "Sonnets for the Cradle."

 1786 - Isaiah Thomas published the first

authorized American edition of "Mother Goose's
Melody".

 In 1860, a claim was made that the originator of the

tales was Elizabeth Goose, great-grandmother of
publisher Isaiah Thomas's wife.
QUALITIES OF MOTHER
GOOSE RHYMES:
 Musical Quality: Children are captivated
by their sounds, rhyme and rhythm.
Example: Little Miss Muffet.

 Action: Children like action. Example:

Jack and Jill Humor: Children laugh at the
sound or the unusual combination of
words. Example: Humpty Dumpty
 Story interest: Children love the story element. Variety of
Subject Matter: Children enjoy the different subject matter of
rhymes.
 a. Animals
 b. Alphabets
 c. Dialogue
 d. Counting rhymes
 e. Games
 f. People
 g. Tongue twisters
 h. Weather
 i. Accumulative stories
 j. Singing rhymes.
Thank you!