Gloria T. Delamar
The ultimate Mother Goose reference book!, This adult reference researches the history "in" nursery rhymes as well as the history "of" them, interprets the changing mores revealed, analyzes the rhymes' effects on children, and traces literary evolution as well as some original authors. It includes literary references (Shakespeare, Burns, etc.) to Mother Goose, and parodies. The "Uses and Abuses" chapter is both humorous and enlightening. 
Mother Goose: From Nursery to Literature