When They Are Up…

Description

32 pages
$19.95
ISBN 1-55041-707-X
DDC jC811'.54

Year

2004

Contributor

Illustrations by Kirsti Anne Wakelin
Reviewed by Linda Ludke

Linda Ludke is a children’s librarian at the London Public Library.

Review

In this fun spin on the traditional nursery rhyme “The Grand Old Duke
of York,” the soldiers are distracted while on their marching duties:
“And when they are up they knit scarves. / And when they are down they
knit socks. / And when they are only halfway up, / They knit overcoats
for rocks.” The rollicking verses gain momentum, and the silliness
continues as they “wrestle with grizzly bears,” “shop at rummage
sales,” and “play basketball with gnomes.”

Wakelin’s oil illustrations feature red-coated soldiers that look
like characters from a deck of playing cards. The sidebars have suits of
cards as backdrops and highlight an element from the verse. A border of
chopsticks, knives, and forks frames “And when they are only halfway
up, / They eat whatever they please.”

The verses are reprinted in their entirety on the last page, along with
sheet music. The strong rhythms of the text and the playful spirit make
this title perfect for reading aloud. Highly recommended.

Citation

Spicer, Maggee, and Richard Thompson., “When They Are Up…,” Canadian Book Review Annual Online, accessed February 17, 2025, https://cbra.library.utoronto.ca/items/show/23312.