THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO SWALLOWED A FLY by Simms Taback

1.  BIBLIOGRAPHY

Taback, Simms. 1997. THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO SWALLOWED A FLY. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 0590631888

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

This version of THERE WAS AN OLD LADY THAT SWALLOWED A FLY, retold and illustrated by Simms Taback is a favorite American folk poem.  This repetitive, humorous story goes through a series of events beginning with an old lady swallowing a fly.  The poor old lady somehow swallows a fly and is tries desperately to find something to rid her stomach of the insect.  However every time she swallows an insect or animal she finds herself with a new problem…something else to get rid of.  In her attempts to get rid of the fly she swallows a spider, bird, cat, dog, cow, and a horse.  The poem ends with the death of the old lady.  Moral of the story “Never swallow a horse.”

3.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Taback doesn’t simply retell the folk poem he adds imagination and character to each and every page.  He incorporates some of the next victims to be swallowed into the pages with a caption.  For example it’s the dogs turn to get swallowed Taback strategically places him on the previous page saying “I hope it’s a lie.”  The cow is also featured before he is swallowed saying “There’s a tear in my eye.” 

Taback’s illustrations fill the pages with vibrant, bold colors.  From beginning to end the pages are filled with amazing illustrations bursting with character and color.  Taking the illustrations one step further he add die cut holes for her stomach that take the shape of what she has currently swallowed.  Each time her waist line grows bigger and bigger adding visual detail.  Each page is bursting with imagination from the different types of flies to the newspaper reading “Lady wolfs down dog.”  The added illustrations and comments bring the reader to a different level. 

4.  REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

*SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:  “From cover to moral (never swallow a horse), this cleverly illustrated version of an old folk favorite will delight children.”

*CHILDREN’S LITERATURE: “This song is a favorite with children, although, you might wonder why, perhaps it is the rollicking rhythm and the simple absurdity of it all.”

*Caldecott Honor Book1998

5.  CONNECTIONS

*Retelling – This is a great book for teachers to use to teach retelling.  Have the students use an old lady and animal cut outs to retell the events in the story.

* Read THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO SWALLOWED A FLY by Simms Taback and then read another THERE WAS AN OLD LADY… book.  Discuss both books with the class and compare and contrast the two books.  Some suggestions for reading are THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO SWALLOWED A BELL or THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO SWALLOWED A PIE.

*Other books by Simms Taback:

JOSEPH HAD A LITTLE OVERCOAT

THIS IS THE HOUSE THAT JACKBUILT