A modern interpretation is given to the familiar nursery rhyme as McMillan's clearly reproduced color photographs show Mary as a contemporary rural African-American child. An afterword provides a history of the rhyme, full text of the original 1830 version and a sample lesson from an 1857 McGuffey Reader which used the rhyme to teach reading. (Ages 3-7)

What happens when Mary's lamb follows her to school one day? Children have delighted in the story of Mary and her pet lamb for more than 150 years. Now Salley Mavor brings this special friendship, time and place to life in the rich patterns, colors and textures of her distinctive fabric relief, creating a stunning picture book full of details and childlike whimsy.