Japanese and English Nursery Rhymes. Danielle Wright

      Introduction

      Wherever in the world there are mothers and fathers, aunts and uncles, grandmothers and grandfathers, there are nursery rhymes. These traditional verses and songs have endured every fad and fashion imaginable over hundreds of years to remain a favorite part of childhood, continuing to create magical moments between children and parents.

      When my son was a few weeks old, I searched for nursery rhymes from around the world and found quirky, touching, funny and heartfelt children’s songs he loved—ones that didn’t have gruesome endings like some of the Mother Goose rhymes I was familiar with. Each country I researched offered unique verses that spoke directly of its culture.