There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly by Simms Taback

As for the old lady, with her toothy grin and round bloodshot eyes, she looks wacky enough to go so far as to swallow a horse. Each page is full of details and humorous asides, from the names of different types of birds, to a recipe for spider soup, to the rhyming asides from the spectating animals. From cover to moral (never swallow a horse), this cleverly illustrated version of an old folk favorite will delight children. CHILDREN’S LITERATURE IN ACTION: A LIBRARIAN’S GUIDE. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.PreSchool-Grade 3. “THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO SWALLOWED A FLY.” September 1. “THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO SWALLOWED A FLY.” September 15.

THERE WAS AN OLD FLY WHO SWALLOWED A LADY. If you would like to listen to a humorous Simms Taback singing version of this story, you can view the following video made by Jeff Seaver: For instance, the Spanish language version of this song can be found here. Assist children to “explore neighborhood, cultural, and language variations” by translating this rhyme and song into differing dialects (Vardell 2008, 102). The BBC website has a version of this traditional song, sung by Andy Day, freely available on their website ( ). The oral repetition of a familiar rhyme, read aloud from a storybook, “helps validate children’s experiences, connect written and oral expression, and invite active, physical participation” (Vardell 2008, 102). THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO SWALLOWED A FLY is a popular rhyming tale that can be told orally in a familiar sing-song format. A Publisher’s Weekly starred review stated, “everything about the elderly woman’s exterior is equally askew, including the pupils in her eyes” (Publishers Weekly 1997). The Old Lady takes on an increasingly large and humorously zany appearance as the story progresses. The distressed and “digested wide-eyed animals float in a confetti-dusted space (which matches her dress)” after being swallowed by the Old Lady (Publishers Weekly 1997). The graphics in this retold tale are boldly colored and have “the look of a ransom note” (Kirkus Reviews 1997). This Caldecott Honor book is gorgeously illustrated and includes a peek-a-boo die-cutout view of the Old Lady’s stomach as she munches her way through a menagerie. However, the vibrant illustrations, interspersed additional facts, and witty animal commentary make Taback’s version of this story unique.

The story also follows its predictable conclusion (she died, of course). This tale includes the traditional cast of characters: fly, spider, bird, cat, dog, cow, and horse. Simms Taback brings the classic folktale about a little old lady’s disturbing eating habits to new life in his modern retelling of THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO SWALLOWED A FLY. THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO SWALLOWED A FLY.

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly by Simms Taback