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

Taback, Simms. There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly! New York: Penguin  Books, 1997. ISBN: 0-670-86939-2.

PLOT SUMMARY

An old lady, for a reason unknown, swallows a fly! When she realizes what she has done, she tries to remedy the situation by swallowing a variety of critters in order for them to capture the critters previously swallowed. Her highly unusual and humorously sequenced eating habits can only lead to disastrous results that will leave the reader wondering why she swallowed the fly in the first place.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Simms Taback retells the cumulative folktale of the poor old lady whose bad luck causes her to swallow a fly. The tale is always fun to read and recite; the rhythm of the words, the haunting thought that "Perhaps she'll die," and the twists and turns throughout the story lend to its ageless entertainment for all audiences.

Many authors have retold this story in a variety of picture books, but Simms Taback's illustrations are as dynamic as the story itself. He uses mixed media and collage for the illustrations, and then cleverly interjects a die-cut hole that reveals the ever growing population of animals in the old lady's stomach. Each illustration bursts forward from its page and calls out for attention. Vivid contrasts and colors with incredible detail abound throughout the illustrations, from the colorful pattern of the old lady's dress to the pictures of each animal before she swallows it. The story cannot just be read: The words and illustrations must be savored, unlike the poor critters collecting in the old lady's belly.

Slight deviations from the original tale include comments from the unsuspecting critters who observe the old lady's actions, not realizing they will be the next to be swallowed. When she first swallows the fly, the cow feels like crying, the cat comments, "She gulped it out of the sky," and the dog merely says, "Oh, my!"  While Taback stays true to the original lines of the story when telling the tale, the little sidelines cause the reader to pause before turning the page and look at all that is going on around the old lady. The technique works: The reader and audience become aware of the animals that will be swallowed before they are swallowed. Her size increases as she swallows the animals. In each die-cut hole, all of the swallowed animals look out with somewhat stunned expressions on their faces. In the end, they appear to be fine, but the poor old lady, well, "She died of course!"

AWARDS AND REVIEWS

Caldecott Honor Book 1998

"All in all, this illustrator provides an eye-catching, energy-filled interpretation that could easily become a classic in itself." School Library Journal

"A tour de force in innovative book illustration and design; the art is kinetic using mixed media and collage elements and enhanced by glossy black backgrounds." ALSC  Review

CONNECTIONS

Cumulative folktale picture book ages 4-8

Related Books

This is the House that Jack Built, Simms Taback

Enrichment Activities

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/there-was-old-lady

Science: A terrific engagement activity for introducing the Food Chain. After reading this book, have students rewrite it following real-life examples of a food chain.

PERSONAL  RESPONSE

This tale has always been a favorite, so I was curious to see Simm Taback's version. True to his art, he created a fun-filled, slightly bizarre version of a slightly bizarre story! The fun of this story has always been in reciting it. I love how it builds and builds. In this version, a new fun has been created in looking at the pictures. I am always finding something new in them.

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly! cover illustration. Internet on-line.  Accessed September 22, 2012 from http://www.simmstaback.com/Simms_Taback_Books.html

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly