Salley Mavor

Magic. X 100.

I brought this book with me for a short visit to see my 2 Littles (granddaughters ages 7 and 9). I brought two books specifically for them, one each, and told them I had hoped they would read them to me.

This one I selected for the 9 year old, my plan was to quickly make sure she was introduced to some of the classic kid's nursery rhymes before she would (very soon) outgrow their magic.

She sat with the book open in front of her and page by page, with complete improvisation, sang show more each rhyme to me, each with different melody matching the tone of the message and the classic rhyme's inherent rhythm. Both of her parents are musical, but nothing at all prepared me for this repertoire of her innate talent. I was dumbstruck.

With each magical turn of the page, I was the happiest Granny on the planet.

See also the other book I brought and its own musical rendition!
https://www.librarything.com/work/21533950/reviews/301944197 show less

A quite beguiling and clever illustration method. Mavor creates her scenes with felt and thread, in flattened 3-D. It's the next stage up from stumpwork.

Traditional nursery rhymes illustrated in "hand-sewn fabric relief collages." Most of the rhymes are familiar - old classics including Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater, The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe, and the like. But a few may be so old as to be new,

"I'm dusty Bill from Vinegar Hill. Never had a bath and never will."

The depictions of the exquisitely detailed needlework are simply stunning. Even a child who can't appreciate the work involved will know that this book is something special.

My daughter says I own this, but it's in her possession. I liked it well enough to share it with her again. Mavor uses her sewing skills to create enchanting scenes from felt and a bit more to illustrate nursery rhymes and the like. I found some of her best stuff circulating on Pinterest. This is Mavor's how-to offering for the rest of us folk.
Charming.