O, What a Pretty Little Book Lyrics
Four lines in praise of a small picture book, ending with an offer to buy it, and printed on the title page of an old Mother Goose book.
O, What a Pretty Little Book
O, what a pretty little book
So full of pictures too;
I should like through it to look.
I'll buy it, wouldn't you?
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/o-what-a-pretty-little-book/
- Type
- Mother Goose
- Tune
- Spoken like a bookseller's call
- Best for ages
- 3 to 7 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| O, what a pretty little book | Hold your hands together like an open book. |
| So full of pictures too | Turn an imaginary page and point at a picture. |
| I'll buy it, wouldn't you? | Hold out a hand as if giving coins, then nod. |
What Does O, What a Pretty Little Book Mean?
The speaker has found a small book that is full of pictures and likes the look of it so much that the speaker wants to buy it. The last line turns to the reader with a question: wouldn't you?
It is a good rhyme to say when opening a picture book with a child, because it invites them to look through the pictures.
History and Origin
The verse is printed on the title page of Mother Goose's Melody, in an edition published at Concord, New Hampshire, by R. Merrill in 1843.
Learning Activities
- Picture book walk: say the rhyme at the start of a picture book and look at each page together.
- Make a little book: fold a few sheets of paper in half, staple them and fill the pages with drawings.
- Favourite page: ask each child which picture in a book they like best and why.