Mother Goose’s Pajama Party

Smith and Allyn romp through the Mother Goose canon as characters like Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary and the Dish and the Spoon prepare for a slumber party thrown by Ms. Goose herself. The invitation is written in the stars (Mother Goose’s magic-tinged version of skywriting), and the opening pages feature the characters telling each other about the party: “Wee Willie Winkie spread the word/ and Georgie Porgie overheard./ He told Bo-Peep with one quick kiss,/ then shared it with another Miss.” (It’s a good way to introduce everyone, if not to move the story along.) Allyn’s digitally created illustrations have the warmth of acrylic paintings, and she gives her ethnically diverse young cast round faces, gleaming eyes, and fuzzy heads of hair. The atmosphere is definitely slumber party cozy, especially after the children settle down to hear Mother Goose read stories from her “famous book.” Fifteen Mother Goose rhymes are reproduced at the end, allowing the book to serve as a nursery rhyme primer in more ways than one. Ages 3–7. Author’s agent: Ronnie Ann Herman, Herman Agency. Illustrator’s agent: Mela Bolinao, MB Artists. (Oct.)