There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Boot

by Linda Smith, Jane Manning (Illustrator)

After succeeding in getting rid of the noisy family next door with their five loud children, the old woman ends up with an even bigger problem when the new neighbors move in.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fairy Tales, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2003

About the author

Linda Smith is the author of When Moon Fell Down, Mrs. Biddlebox, There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Boot, and the Charlotte Zolotow Award Honor Book Mrs. Crump's Cat. Linda lived a full life in a short period of time. On June 28, 2000, she passed away after a two-year battle with breast cancer, but she left behind a world of language, love, and good humor that shines through in her books.

Reviews

[Lauren Schlueter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book under the age category of 4-7. This book is about an elderly woman and her cat who lived in a boot and didn't like children because they were too noisy and how she gave them a potion to make them "be gone" but they actually turned into elderly people too! The rest of the book is about how she was able to turn them back into children and she learned to love them. This book rhymes the whole way through, which the children will love. Just reading it to my self was very enjoyable. I think it will interests students because it is kind of silly, a women who lives in a boot. And the pictures in this book are amazing! All the pages are full of color from top to bottom, which can help keep students' attentions. Teachers can use this book as a lesson learning tool. After reading this book, the teacher can talk about how the way the old woman handle the situation of the kids was wrong and do an activity with the students about what else could she have done in this situation.

[Heidi-Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It has a magic theme and will work for school age. By this point I just need anything!

7/13/17 Used at an Outreach storytime (American Diabetes Association Utah Day Camp with a Magic theme). They were K-3rd age. The kids enjoyed the story well enough. Not sure they got some of the humor with the rhyming text. But they loved seeing the cat become a kitten.

[MeganRuth - Alohamora Open a Book · Rating 2 out of 5]

A twist on the old nursery rhyme, and I think the story is fun. However, I think it is best suited for elementary school aged kids. There is great vocabulary and word choice in this picture book.

[Kieran Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superb wordsmithery for kids - pungent, smart rhyming which snaps, crackles, pops, and crucially, scans. Great illustrations too. A gem.

[Set · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the Original Mother Goose nursery rhyme:
There was an old woman
Who lived in a shoe.
She had so many children,
She didn't know what to do.
She gave them some broth
With plenty of bread.
She kissed them all sweetly
And put them to bed.

[Tahira Hamilton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a twist off the old nursery rime "there was an old women who lived in a shoe". This is a cute book becuase the main character lives alone and trys many funny ways to get rid of the neighbor children. The ending of this book has an interesting twist. The pictures in this book are also very nice.
Because this book has a poetic feel to it, in an interesting rythem, I would use this book with older students to introduce poems. Students who had listened to this book could then come up with their own unique twistes on old mother goose poems. With younger students I could discuss the different moods that the old women had. We could talk about how she was feeling why and when do the students feel the way she does. I also would let the studnets pick an emothion mention in the book and make a mask that represent that feeling.

[drowningmermaid · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm really not sure how to rate this one. Wonderful, colorful illustrations. Catchy rhyme-scheme. The intended message is a good one, too. Would be a good read for polygamist kids.

But... um... I found the whole notion of a neighbor poisoning a whole houseful of children disturbing. "Kid-b-gone" seemed a bit too much like arsenic, in its intended use.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story of a mean old woman who learns the error on her ways through a foiled attempt to rid herself of some children is simple and nicely told. The moral is pretty plain and the story has humorous illustrations to tie it all together.

[Shawn Deal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A twist on the old classic, this story is about an older woman living alone and the family that moves in next to her. This is a story that embraces the chaos of youth and lots of running around children and how that energy and fun can help keep an older woman young.

[Chardell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book for prediction! I love this story; it's about woman that does not like children, but soon changes her mind.

[Alma Loredo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book that can be used to introduce students to the home-away-home writing process.

[Tania]

Funny! This could be used to teach the don't knock it until you try it strategy, predictions, just for fun, and for morals.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute rhyming book. Some of the words were difficult for third grade.

[Mackenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love this book