Pop Goes The Weasel - Albert Jack

Mr Jack has been nimble and he's been quick, searching through the history of nursery rhymes and he's found out all kind of plum tales, just like little Jack Horner. He's unearthed the answers to some very curious questions...Who were Mary Quite Contrary and Georgie Porgie? How could "Hey Diddle Diddle" offer an essential astronomy lesson? And if "Ring a Ring a Roses" isn't about catching the plague, then what is it really about?

 This ingenious book delves into the hidden meanings of the nursery rhymes and songs we all know so well and discovers all kinds of strange tales ranging from Viking raids to firewalking and from political rebellion to slaves being smuggled to freedom. Full of vivid illustrations and with each verse reproduced, here are a multitude of surprising stories you won't be able to resist passing on to everyone you know. Your childhood songs and rhymes will never sound the same again.


This books gives an interesting insight into the stories behind many classic Nursery Rhymes.  Jack proposes several theories behind each story in a brief and simple manor - although he does explain these are theories only as we may never know the truth, and with some of the rhymes he explains serval different ideas to how the rhymes came about.  However I do somewhat think he is trying to over think these rhymes and they may have no reference at all to what he is pinning them on.

This is a great book to dip in and out of, and one i would recommend reading more than once. As looking back I only vaguely remember what the stories were behind the rhymes as nothing seems to have stuck which is a shame. Is this purely because I need to read it again, or was the style of writing just not memorable? However great book to get an idea of how these rhymes came about.