Merry-go-day

Title	Merry-go-day
Publication Type	Book
Year of Publication	1991
Authors	Fitch, Sheree, and Molly Lamb Bobak
Publisher	Doubleday Canada
City	Toronto
Descriptors	English Language; Fredericton; New Brunswick; Nova Scotia; Picture Book; Poetry
Abstract	This poetry picture book was written while New Brunswick/Nova Scotia author Sheree Fitch was living in Fredericton and is inspired by the Fredericton Exhibition. The poems describe the sights, sounds, and tastes of a day at the fair. The book was illustrated by New Brunswick artist Molly Bobak.
Jurisdiction	Jurisdiction: New Brunswick; Jurisdiction: Nova Scotia
Age Range	Age Range: 6-9

Overview:

Fitch's Merry-Go-Day tells of a family's trip to the Fredericton Exhibition – an
annual, summer carnival featuring rides and other fun amusements. Bobak's lively
illustrations appear as vibrant watercolours depicting the crowds and various activities.

Reviews, Awards and Further Information

Themes:

Family; Community; Festival; Carnival; Fun; Crowds; Watercolours; Colour Illustrations; Public

Analysis:

Bobak's eye-catching watercolours, often lined with darker underdrawing
sketches, depict the crowds and the carnival atmosphere of the Fredericton Exhibition.
Bobak incorporates an array of strong, lively colours to highlight a sense of merriment and
youthful fun. Crowds are consistently pictured, often enjoying the same activity, in
energetic and celebratory depictions of communal activity. These illustrations, through
their use of line and colour, achieve an impressionistic sense of movement and activity as
the transitory nature of the carnivalesque is revealed.