And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon

Lots of people know the nursery rhyme, "Hey Diddle Diddle," but has anyone ever thought about what happens each night after it's read? The dish runs away.
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Stevens and Crummel use the traditional rhyme as the start of a merry dream sequence in which dish and spoon disappear one night, thus preventing the repetition of what seems to have been a nightly ritual for all concerned. The efforts of the other characters--Cat, Dog, and Cow--to locate the missing pair is the organizing theme of an inventive, amusing farce that blends elements of Gilbert and Sullivan with Monty Python and Mel Brooks.

Encounters with familiar personages--Boy Blue, Miss Muffet's spider, the Big Bad Wolf--in wildly manipulated versions of their familiar roles add to the comedy, as do allusions to contemporary idioms or other nursery rhymes. Jack of Beanstalk fame now operates a repair shop with the slogan "You blew it, I glue it," a pivotal point in the resolution of the dilemma.

Even the endpapers are part of the whole, serving as prologue and epilogue by depicting the various personae as inanimate objects surrounding a book of Mother Goose rhymes on top of a bed, setting the story in the context of a dream where anything can happen and where events have their own logic. The real audience for this book is not preschoolers but those already familiar with the original and somewhat conversant with the art of irony; it's a New Yorker version of a nursery tale--and it's must reading for anyone who's reached the age of reason.

Horn Book starred Fall, This postmodern version of a classic nursery favorite pays homage to the past yet acknowledges contemporary sensibilities in a piquant combination of sprightly text and large, impeccably drawn illustrations. Dish and Spoon disappear one night, and the efforts of Cat, Dog, and Cow to locate the missing pair is the organizing theme of an inventive, amusing farce.

In the familiar nursery rhyme, the dish and the spoon run away, but they always come back. Except for this time. All of the characters have a different spin on where the dish and spoon could be, so they set off to locate them, bring them back, and be able to "diddle diddle" again. Puns and sight gags galore lead the merry crew on quite an adventure, during which they encounter the likes of Little Boy Blue, Miss Muffet, and so forth.

The characters finally locate the lost duo, only to find poor Dish all in pieces. Jack-of beanstalk and nimble fame-puts her back together in time for the rhyme to commence all over again. This delightful tale will be a favorite at storytime. May Copyright Cahners Business Information.

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School Library Journal May 1, Gr A familiar Mother Goose rhyme is transformed into a rollicking picaresque adventure for school-aged children. Apr 30, Bethany rated it liked it Shelves: The story is read every night, but suddenly things start to fall apart. The dish and the spoon are nowhere to be found, the cow is too tired to jump over the moon? These witty, sarcastic animals must reunite and tell the story the way it was meant to be told. A refreshing take on the traditional version Hey diddle diddle.

The expansion on Awards received? The expansion on the traditional story makes it an enjoyable read for a larger audience.

Hey Diddle Diddle

Students could use a graphic organizer with this book. They could be given a few options to select from. Apr 23, Natalie Guido rated it really liked it Shelves: Awards the book has received if any: None Appropriate grade level s: Preschool through First grade Original summary: This story expands on the classic rhyme, telling the story of the dish and the spoon when they don't return back.

What are the rest of the animals to do when their story is read every night and two of their characters have gone missing? This clever twist off of the rhyme intrigues the reader and pulls them into their adventure. I remember reading this nursery rhym Awards the book has received if any: I remember reading this nursery rhyme as a child and this brings me back to that time. This could be used to focus on the importance of characters in stories, rhymes or poems. Sep 07, Emily rated it it was amazing Shelves: I really enjoyed how this book took multiple fairy tale stories and put them into one giant story.

Definitely fun for the kids that know about fairy tales. May 19, Rosemary rated it it was amazing Shelves: My second graders loved this twist on the nursery rhyme. Apr 15, Sarah rated it it was amazing. It is so cute and clever! My daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Feb 09, Gabriella Norat rated it really liked it Shelves: The story follows a fiddling Cat, a grumpy Dog and a jumping Cow that are on a search for the Dish and the Spoon that ran away.

Without these two, the nursery rhyme they are all in will not be sung like every other night. The three characters follow a map given to them by a Fork In The Road that includes different locations where the Dish and the Spoon might be. The three characters encounter many different other characters along the way and they find themselves in a tricky situation at The Big Bad Wolf's house.

They eventually find the Dish and the Spoon at the top of the Beanstalk, but unfortunately, they fell down and the Dish broke into a bunch of pieces. While searching for a solution, the characters come across Humpty Dumpty's Wall and a sign for a repair shop. A repairman named Jack was able to fix the dish and they all went happily home. When the nursery rhyme was sung again, they lyrics were changed to "and the Dish stayed at home with the Spoon.

This book is an enjoyable read for children, but it does contain vocabulary and terms that may be new to readers such as a "tuffet" a "curd" and a "predicament". A teacher or a parent should introduce and discuss these terms before reading, or a student in elementary school should ask their teacher or look up the definitions of these terms first. Also, there are many vivid verbs that may be new to students such as "crooned" and "stammered", so they should also be introduced before a read aloud.

The book refers to many other tales and popular stories and contains a "play on words" in multiple parts of the book. The illustrations are very detailed and will definitely catch the reader's eye. Students can improve their fluency when reading the rhyming song sections of the book. The voices of characters are very animated at times, so students can practice or listen to their teacher adjust their voice for different characters, which is also an important part of fluency.

Children who are in pre-k may not understand some of the puns in this book or the vocabulary, but the actual concept and story is easy to follow and understand. Teachers and parents can ask many questions about the characters, discuss details in the pictures and give a prediction of where the Dish and the Spoon may be. There is not a lot of text on each page, and the text is an appropriate size for young children. Overall, the book is very entertaining and allows for readers to be engaged in the story and enjoy reading it.

Possible In Class Uses 1. Mentor text during a song and poetry unit. Lesson on how authors use vivid verbs. Use during a lesson on rhyming phonological awareness Jan 06, Sara rated it it was amazing. A fun book for Elementary readers familiar with nursery rhymes. Might be a fun read aloud for the end of a unit on nursery rhymes. Love susan and Janet's books. Feb 23, Kyoungbin Min rated it it was amazing Shelves: The cat, cow, and dog start their adventure to find their missing friends, the dish and spoon, to make the rhyme which they used to make together go on.

They go everywhere and ask a fork, boy, spider, and wolf to find the tracks but when they finally find the dish and spoon, the spoon is hurt and the dish is broken in pieces. They take the broken dish to a repair shop and they successfully finish their rhyme at home. This book would be a great choice for a read-aloud t 1. This book would be a great choice for a read-aloud time. It has so many rhymes for children to catch, fun stories, and colorful illustrations.

I also like how this book has maps and signs as a environmental print. Sep 23, Celeste Powell rated it it was amazing. It tells the story of how the Dish and Spoon wander too far off when their nursery rhyme ends and how they get lost. The tremendous trio go from place to place in search of the lost couple. They look in a stack of hay, but they only find Little Boy Blue. Climbing down the beanstalk, Dish and Spoon fell, and Dish broke all to pieces. Then, everyone had to hurry back home before the nursery rhyme began.

"Hey, diddle, diddle,"

When the story ended, the Dish and Spoon decided to stay instead of running away. We all have our own unique personalities and experiences, but we are all connected and tied to each other.

If one of us was in trouble, then we would all go to help out because that is what friends do. This book illustrates the length that friends will go to help another friend out. Sep 18, Lindsey Richard added it Shelves: Cute book with fun pictures and some fun text. Also is an old, famous story students should become familiar with. Feb 10, Jenny rated it really liked it Shelves: I loved this story and its illustrations. The cat wakes up the cow and the dog to explain that the dish and the spoon have NOT returned.

Each night, the dish runs away with the spoon, but each morning they are back so that the nursery rhyme can be repeated the next evening. So they set off to try to find the dish and spoon, using a map given to them by a Fork in the road Love this! The fork is from the same place setting as the spoon. He's dressed in clothes. The map includes fairy tale and nu I loved this story and its illustrations. The map includes fairy tale and nursery rhyme characters. They meet some nice and not so nice characters along the way. Will they be able to find the dish and spoon?

And if they do, will the dish and spoon come back home? There is humor and silliness and this book is just a lot of fun. My 7 and 9 year old loved it and my 4 year old has wanted me to read it over and over. My 9 year old did say to a friend something like, "It was about a nursery rhyme which is kind of babyish, but it was actually pretty funny even though it was about a nursery rhyme.

Jul 29, Jen rated it really liked it Shelves: I would give this 4. Hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle, the cow jumped over the moon, the little dog laughed, to see such sport, and the dish ran away with the spoon Is this actually the end of the story?

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This amusing take on the classic nursery rhyme follows the adventures of the dog, cat, and cow as they go off to find out what happens to their two friends. This map leads the trio on a crazy, dangerous adventure through other nursery rhymes such as Little Miss Muffet, Little Bo Peep, the Three Bears, Three Little Pigs, and more as they are determined to find out what is keeping the dish and spoon away.

This book is great for readers of all ages as it allows adults to reminisce about being read the rhymes as a child and children get wrapped up in the delightful stories and illustrations. Nov 04, Rachel rated it really liked it Shelves: Hey diddle the cat and the fiddle, the cow jumped over the moon; the little dog laughed to see such sport, and the dish ran away with the spoon. Every night this rhyme is read and every night the dish and spoon come running back until tonight.


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Where have they gone? Cow, Cat and Dog embark on an adventure through Nursery Rhyme land to find their friends; and as they travel they encounter many favorite Nursery Rhyme characters. Little Boy Blue is sleeping on the job, the Three Bears house must be Hey diddle the cat and the fiddle, the cow jumped over the moon; the little dog laughed to see such sport, and the dish ran away with the spoon.


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    7. They race from one nusery rhyme to the next on an exciting journey full of puns, twists and turns. Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel have a way with words. This tale is engaging and laugh out oud funny. I was afraid it would be over my kindergartner's heads but they eonjoyed the ride through the familiar rhymes and giggled at the conclusion. Kids of all ages will roll their eyes and love this one. Oct 16, Sarah Braden rated it really liked it.

    This book was adorable, growing up reading fairy tales was a tradition in my house. Every night before bed my mom would get the three of us together and read on her bed. I remember reading this when I was really young and loved looking at the pictures. The pictures in this book were a bit "dark," but the context of the pictures were great. Another great aspect of this book was the "adult" jokes hidden throughout which made me realize a lot of children's literature has many adult innuendos. Throu This book was adorable, growing up reading fairy tales was a tradition in my house. Throughout this story they get the reader to reflect because of the idea that its a rhyme that goes wrong, reflects on the idea that a lot of things go wrong in life, how to overcome and conquer.

    I would recommend this book for classroom use and personal library. Children need the context of life's hidden concepts. It's a great story with a lot meaning behind it, which are the best stories for young children to read! Jan 28, Angela rated it it was amazing Shelves: Best for kids ages 5 and up. They'll just have to read Fork's map, ask directions, and try not to get los Best for kids ages 5 and up.

    A story with a lot of twists and turns, literally. With the dish and spoon no where to be found, Cat, Dog, and Cow set off to find them meeting so other rhymes as they go. Beautifully illustrated with fun, quirky character kids will get a laugh at reading this book. Mar 24, Kendra rated it it was amazing. Another fun Janet Stevens book!

    In this story the dish and the spoon do not return home after the story is read. The dog, the cat and the cow begin a search for the dish and spoon. The fork in the road draws a map to help in the search. When they find the dish and spoon, dish has been broken by a fall from teh beanstalk. The group finds Jack of al Another fun Janet Stevens book! The group finds Jack of all trades and has dish fixed and then heads home. The end is the best when the rhyme is changed to, "And the dish stayed at home with the spoon. Students could then write their own stories after learning that it is ok to change things up a little bit.

    Dec 02, Alexandria rated it it was amazing Shelves: This story is one of my absolute favorites. It was first read to me by one of my education professors. I later found it at Half Price Books for. Readers follow the characters of cat, dog, and cow as they try to find their friends so that they can complete their riddle.

    The funny illustrations, rhythm of the book, and overall plot of the story will have readers of This story is one of my absolute favorites. The funny illustrations, rhythm of the book, and overall plot of the story will have readers of all ages falling in love; as they experience mystery, the value of friendship, and even suspense. This would be an excellent story for students to do a readers theater with.

    Each character has a distinct role and young children will have a blast. If teachers wanted to further expand this tale they could do a play instead. Sep 02, Leeza Paredes rated it liked it. This sequel to the fun rhyme we all know "Hey Diddle Diddle", will make you feel nostalgic as you read it aloud. When the cow is too tired from jumping, and the dog too tired from laughing, the cat is in panic as he realizes two key characters in their rhyme ran away too far!

    This early readers book details a long journey through various nursery rhymes to find Dish and Spoon. This book has a bit of long text for an early reader and is not as easy on the eyes as some text are written sideways and This sequel to the fun rhyme we all know "Hey Diddle Diddle", will make you feel nostalgic as you read it aloud.

    This book has a bit of long text for an early reader and is not as easy on the eyes as some text are written sideways and upside down. Children may not get the humor in the books if they have not been exposed to other nursery rhymes. The photos interplay with the text and are very detailed. With every page turn you feel excited to see what happened to Dish and Spoon.

    I would recommend this early readers book as long as its being read to or if the child has read other nursery rhymes prior.

    Mix - Hey Diddle Diddle

    There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Janet Stevens began drawing as a child. Pictures decorated her walls, mirrors, furniture and school work -- including math assignments. While this didn't always sit well with her teachers, it was what she loved to do. After graduating from high school in Hawaii in she landed a job creati Janet Stevens began drawing as a child. The little dog laughed, To see such sport, And the dish ran away with the spoon.

    The rhyme is the source of the English expression " over the moon ", meaning "delighted, thrilled, extremely happy". The rhyme may date back to at least the sixteenth century.

    And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon by Susan Stevens CrummelJanet Stevens | Scholastic

    Some references suggest it dates back in some form a thousand or more years: They be at hand Sir with stick and fiddle; They can play a new dance called hey-diddle-diddle. But since you think't an easy thing To mount above the moon, Of your own fiddle take a spring And dance when you have done.

    The name "Cat and the Fiddle" was a common name for inns, including one known to have been at Old Chaunge, London by The earliest recorded version of the poem resembling the modern form was printed around in London in Mother Goose's Melody with the lyrics:. There are numerous theories about the origin of the rhyme, including: James Orchard Halliwell 's suggestion that it was a corruption of ancient Greek, probably advanced as a result of a deliberate hoax; that it was connected with Hathor worship; that it refers to various constellations Taurus , Canis Minor , etc.

    The melody commonly associated with the rhyme was first recorded by the composer and nursery rhyme collector James William Elliott in his National Nursery Rhymes and Nursery Songs Some memoirs claim it was a real incident. The children's book Goodnight Moon features a bunny saying "good night" to everything around, including "Goodnight cow jumping over the moon". From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. For other uses, see Hey Diddle Diddle disambiguation.