There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe

PreS-K—As she did in Baa, Baa Black Sheep (2015), Row, Row, Row Your Boat (2014), and Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star (2012, all Holiday House), Cabrera continues to adapt classic nursery rhymes and children's songs into engaging picture books. Here she reimagines the Old Woman as a warm, resourceful, and loving mother, doting on her brood of rambunctious, adorable children and animals. Over the course of the story, the Old Woman uses her problem-solving skills to help her family out of several quandaries, from hitching a ride with a gnu when the family's car breaks down to gluing and hammering furniture back together after it falls apart, while always maintaining an upbeat, positive attitude. The result is a sweet story that showcases a mother who loves and works hard for her family. Cabrera uses acrylic paint on paper with a little collage to create her familiar charming, colorful, and bright illustrations, which help to further portray the affection the Old Woman and her family have for one another. The rhyming text is bouncy and lively, making it suitable for sharing aloud with a group. This is a charming reimagining of an originally more cynical nursery rhyme.