Forbidden Nursery Rhymes for Little Girls – Book Review
Dark, Daring, and Unapologetically Provocative
What happens when the sharp edges of reality meet the purity of childhood rhymes? Olivia Loccisano exposes the pulsating darkness underlying the sugar-coated world of traditional nursery songs in Forbidden Nursery songs for Little Girls. Through the prism of sensual horror, this chapbook reimagines the familiar in a bold and delightfully frightening collection that is utterly compelling.
Loccisano immerses readers in a perilous, hallucinatory world where nothing is quite as it seems from the first page. The rhymes we used to sing as kids are now twisted into incisive, beautiful tales about maturing, losing one’s innocence, and the unsettling expectations society has on girls. Each of the brief yet impactful poems serves as a mirror reflecting both emotional truth and cultural critique.
The iconic image of Little Miss Muffet is used as a weapon in “Splendid Arachnid” to explore compulsive eating and the pressures young girls endure over their bodies because of their fears. In addition to being about a fall, “Humpty Dumpty” is a visceral metaphor for adolescence and the unfair weight of responsibilities that comes with it. Additionally, Loccisano transforms a straightforward query into a terrifying critique of tyranny and exploitation in “The Muffin Man.”
The way Loccisano strikes a balance between the grotesque and the poetic is particularly striking. Even though she is discussing a serious topic, her words are lovely. She writes with a persistent poetic elegance that combines vivid imagery with a constant sense of unease. Instead of holding your hand, this chapbook pushes you to read between the lines and deal with the ensuing discomfort.
Every poem reads like a covert confession or a warning in whispers. It has an eerie, primordial quality that resonates with people, particularly those of us who recall what it was like to be a girl in a society that all too frequently misunderstands our experiences.
This micro-chapbook should be on your shelves if you enjoy dark poetry, feminist horror, or writing that boldly expresses truth via art. Although Forbidden Nursery Rhymes for Little Girls is brief, its impact lasts long after you’ve put the book away.
Final Thoughts:
A lyrical book that reclaims and reframes childhood lore in a way that is both unnerving and indelible is something Olivia Loccisano has created that is uncommon and potent. It is meant for readers who are willing to be challenged, moved, and eventually transformed, but it is not for the weak of heart.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)