The Saturday Book Bunch

Today, let's talk about music!  Yes, I know.  These posts are supposed to be about books.  But among the many books available to us in our libraries and bookstores, there is also great music.

We listen to a lot of children's music in the car.

I mean a lot of it

Over and over and over.

When I was a little kid in the car with my Dad, we'd listen to Eric Clapton's Slowhand.  My favorite songs were "Wonderful Tonight" and "Lay Down Sally."  We would listen to these two songs again and again and again.

Today we listen to Raffi, Dora the Explorer, and nameless little children singing nursery rhymes.  Can get a little, um, tedious, no?

However, I found a CD at the library I actually like listening to. It's called Rock & Roll Playground and features children's performers I'd never heard of but will definitely check out including  Rhythm Child, Melissa Green, and Uncle Rock.

I'm no music critic, but I think these songs groove.  There's a great rendition of Willie and the Hand Jive by Taj Mahal and Linda Tillery.  And a bouncy number called Let's Shake by Dan Zanes and Friends.

Putumayo Kids also has CDs called NEW ORLEANS PLAYGROUND and REGGAE PLAYGROUND which I'm sure are of the same quality as Rock & Roll Playground.

Steve Martin (yes, the Steve Martin, the comedian, the "I'm a wild and crazy guy!" guy.  I'm really showing my age with this post.) has recently come out with a book and CD entitled Late for School, illustrated by C.F. Payne.  Payne's illustrations resemble Norman Rockwell's characters in a fun house mirror.  The text is a little hard to read until you listen to the CD, but once you listen to Martin picking away on the banjo, it's easy to get into the swing.





Payne's illustrations come to life again in John Lithgow's The Remarkable Farkle McBride.  You may want to exercise your tongue before reading this with passages like

He went Rootle-ee

Tootle-ee

Tootle-ee Too

With all the winds at his side.

Rootle-ee

Tootle-ee

Tootle-ee Too

The remarkable Farkle McBride!

This story takes the reader through the entire orchestra, from the strings to the woodwinds to the percussion section, all in good fun!

 

Happy Saturday and happy reading!