Over in the Meadow

A classic English counting rhyme beautifully illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats, one of the most important children's book figures of the 20th century.

Over in the Meadow describes a lush meadow scene, bustling with life. Each animal or bird is described in the rhyme, and counts their babies from one to ten. The book conveys a lovely sense of nurturing, as each mother animal teaches her babies a lesson.

Over in the meadow, in the sand, in the sun,
Lived an old mother turtle and her little turtle one.
Dig! said the mother.
'I dig!' said the one.
So he dug all day.
In the sand, in the sun.

Ezra Jack Keats - winner of the Caldecott Medal and author of The Snowy Day and Whistle for Willie - has used stunning collage and watercolour to evoke a different mood for each double page of this book.