Over the Candlestick: Classic Nursery Rhymes and the Burning Questions Behind Them

The children's literature version of VH1's Behind the Music, Over the Candlestick: Classic Nursery Rhymes and the Real Stories Behind Them, collected by father-and-son team Michael G. Montgomery and Wayne Montgomery, illus., by Michael G. Montgomery, gives the historical scoop on such classics as ""Little Miss Muffet,"" ""Old King Cole"" and ""Jack and Jill."" Chapters on ""Riddles"" and ""Tongue Twisters"" accompany the oldest recorded versions of the 14 tales. (Mar.)