WYNKEN, BYNKEN, AND NOD

Wynken, Bynken, and Nod

Written by: Eugene W. Field

Illustrated by: David McPhail

Scholastic Inc. Publisher, 2004

24 pages

Fantasy/Poem

               This book was recommended to me by the librarian at my local library. Wynken, Bynken, and Nod is a poem/fantasy that has been rewritten and illustrated. The story is about three sailors who sailed to the moon in a wooden shoe to catch herring fish. The fish in the story are the stars. As the sailors embark on their journal they capture the stars with their nets of gold and bring them down to Earth for a sleeping child. 

               The award winning illustrator, David McPhail, brings the story to life using what I believe is coloring pencils or watercolors. For this version of the story, the illustrator paints the characters as being rabbit which is unlike the original. The text in the story is informally place throughout the book and is written in a lullaby form.

               I would recommend this story for children preschool age to first grade. If presented in the classroom I would pull sight word recognition and phonics. This version of the story has not won, any awards, however, the illustrator is no stranger to winning awards for his art.