Each Friday I will feature every CD that comes across my desk. There's a TON of kids' music out there, so while I continue to post full reviews of what I consider to be the best of the best, everyone who sends music will get a shout out. I'll include links to artists' websites so you and your kids can check out a few samples, see if you dig 'em.
See you this Friday, February 22, 2008!
Reading is Fundamental!...no, wait, the Miasma of War is Fundamental!
Not surprising news from the White House:
If you want to get involved, follow this link. But really, people, attack stuff like this from the bottom up: Contact your Mayors, your County Representatives, your District Representatives, your School Principals, your local Librarians, your children's School Media Specialists ... I have very little faith that sending an email to the office of George or Dick will accomplish anything. A grassroots movement beginning with you, dear reader, now that I have faith in.
President Bush Eliminates Funding for Reading Is Fundamental’s Historic Book Distribution Program Serving 4.6 Million Children
Statement from Carol H. Rasco, president and CEO, of Reading Is Fundamental
"President Bush’s proposed budget calling for the elimination of Reading Is Fundamental’s (RIF) Inexpensive Book Distribution program would be devastating to the 4.6 million children and their families who receive free books and reading encouragement from RIF programs at nearly 20,000 locations throughout the U.S.
“Unless Congress reinstates $25.5 million in funding for this program, RIF would not be able to distribute 16 million books annually to the nation’s youngest and most at-risk children. RIF programs in schools, childcare centers, migrant programs, military bases, and other locations serve children from low-income families, children with disabilities, foster and homeless children, and children without access to libraries. The Inexpensive Book Distribution program is authorized under the Elementary & Secondary Education Act (SEC.5451 Inexpensive Book Distribution Program for Reading Motivation) and is not funded through earmarks. It has been funded by Congress and six Administrations without interruption since 1975.
“Since its founding in 1966, RIF’s programs have played an important role in improving literacy in this country. The U.S. Department of Education has shown that the number of books in a child’s home is a significant predictor of academic achievement. In addition, RIF programs also support academic achievement by involving hundreds of thousands of volunteers and other caring adults in encouraging children to read for fun. We urge all Americans to contact their Congressional representatives and ask them to reinstate funding for this important program.”
If you want to get involved, follow this link. But really, people, attack stuff like this from the bottom up: Contact your Mayors, your County Representatives, your District Representatives, your School Principals, your local Librarians, your children's School Media Specialists ... I have very little faith that sending an email to the office of George or Dick will accomplish anything. A grassroots movement beginning with you, dear reader, now that I have faith in.
poison apples
Almost a year ago, I posted about a new threat in the drug culture of marketing drugs to children. At the time, it was not a mainstream problem here in Florida. Unfortunately, I received an email alert today from the Florida Attorney General. This trend is growing around the country and drug dealers are actively trying to package and market methamphetamines, marijuana, and herione to children by making it more like candy. You can read the entire report here. It's is so important to remind your children not to take candy from anyone, even a friend at school. You never know where that friend may have gotten it from.
***The Harmonica Pocket***
As soon as I saw the Matthew Porter painting on the cover of this CD, I knew it was gonna be a winner! Ladybug One, the second collection of kids' songs from Washington State's The Harmonica Pocket, will win you over with its laid-back originals and quiet reworkings of traditional tunes. Meditative, atmospheric, gentle, inventive ... you won't hear arrangements like this on any other album for children.The Harmonica Pocket is primarily singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Keeth Monta Apgar, and a musical cast o' plenty. He's showcased his considerable pop songwriting talents on albums like Birds Falling from the Sky and Underneath Your Umbrella, which contains the original version of "Spiders in My Breakfast". Much like Matt Pryor's The New Amsterdams and The Terrible Twos, if you like Apgar's grownup albums, yer gonna like the kids' stuff, and vice versa.
This cool little concept album revolves primarily around the idea of insects and bugs, with songs like "Firefly", "Spiders in My Breakfast", "Ladybug 123", and "Bumblebee Lullabye". But then check out these tasty tidbits: "O Susanna" in 5/4 time with sitar and tabla accompaniment; the Hindi lullaby "Mere Bacche Ke Liye Lori"; and the 55-second brilliance of "Four Spaces".
One of my favorite parts of opening a new album is reading the credits, and I love some of the instrument descriptions listed in Ladybug One: waterphone, wind wand, dixieland kazoo ... but these and other exotic instruments aren't just thrown in on a whim. Everything is woven into each song in a way that doesn't bring attention to it, and songs are made stronger by their inclusion.
Apgar closes the album with five naptime songs: the previously mentioned "Mere Bacche", the ridiculously sweet "Bumblebee Lullabye", the bilingual "La Luna", Monica Schley's pedal harp instrumental "Lucid Dream #3", and Apgar's own mbira solo called "Mbira Dreaming" ... hey!
Wonderful little songs about acceptance and love, appreciation of and respect for nature and the environment, the beauty of our world, and, of course, ABCs and 123s. A perfect present for new parents or indie music fans, Ladybug One is a great representation of Apgar's gift of melody and lyric, and hopefully this won't be his last offering to the kids' music world.
Parts
We read this book a while back , and it is definately on my list of must reads for preschool age children. It's a zany way to explore all those phrases we use that don't always make sense to children. For example, my daughter asked me the other day if I knew what "loose feet and fancy free" meant. After I got done laughing hysterically, I told her it was "foot loose and fancy free" and it meant carefree. Can your feet really be loosened? Find out the answer to this and many other questions in these great books, Parts and More Parts by Tedd Arnold!
An Update from Ambassador Scieszka
Here's what Jon Scieszka has been up to in his first few weeks as National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, via Publishers Weekly's "Children's Bookshelf":"Dear Bookshelf Readers,
It has been a weirdly wild month. The whole combination of touring for Trucktown with Dave Gordon, Loren Long and Dave Shannon, and simultaneous Ambassador touring, has combined into a perfect storm of kid mania. I've been received by my people with small open arms.
Here, for instance, is a partial list of suggestions from Ambassador fans big and small of what I should receive as Ambassador:
cape
sash
laurel wreath/crown
bejewelled goblet
those little flags for my car
guards for my embassy
an Apache attack helicopter (my idea)
jetpack
Popemobile
jetpack-Popemobile
instant restaurant reservations anywhere, anytime
a fancy uniform
medals
epaulets
a Captain Crunch style admiral's hat (Dave Shannon's suggestion)
Secret Service Franking privileges (mine also)
lifetime diplomatic immunity, for anything (ditto)
a million dollars (surprisingly not mine, but very nice)
official seal diplomatic pouch rank above TSA officials
Ambassador underwear
championship wrestling style belt
require everyone to address me as "Your Excellency" or "Your Eminence"
A butt of Malmsey (traditional payment for England's Poet Laureate)
I'm thinking we should implement ALL of the ideas.
But the best, the absolute best tribute so far was my reception at the La Jolla Country Day School. The room was packed with 200 pre-K through first graders. As I entered, they presented me with a red satin Ambassador sash, and the fifth/sixth grade music class played an original composition, "Ambassador Fanfare," on kettle drums, trombone, trumpet, and xylophone.
I liked it so much that I went out and came in three more times. And Dave Shannon was with me, so I had them play it for him as Vice-Ambassador—
only half of it, and twice as fast.
It's been very cool to actually get the attention of the ever-fickle media to get across the message that we can and should let our kids read for pleasure. And that there are all kinds of good books out there that kids will want to read.
I have gotten an avalanche of requests. Some of them weird, but most of them heartfelt. The CBC is fielding more every day, looking for events important on a national scale.
I'm also working on a plan to promote the best of every publisher's list for Reluctant Readers, deputizing teachers, librarians, booksellers, parents, kids, and anybody who's found a book that works. Details to be released soon.
Oh, and Dave Shannon also taught a library full of 250 K and first graders the "traditional" way to say goodbye to the Ambassador: both arms straight up overhead, bowing/salaaming farewell. Priceless. Though my wife is not too crazy about doing it every time (or humming the Fanfare, now that I think of it).
Bum bum-bum Baaaahh!
Salaam,
Ambassador Jon"
This guy has things under control. Long live the Ambassador!
What in the world? the sequel
If you know me very well, then this one shouldn't be too hard. Don't forget to post your guesses as a response here.
***The Sippy Cups*** DVD
If you're lamenting the fact that you never got to take your kids to see the Dead, or if you don't think your little ones are ready for a Flaming Lips show, don't get bummed, man, check out the Sippy Cups! In their first live DVD, Electric Storyland! Live at the Great American Music Hall, the band feature songs from their 2006 CD Electric Storyland!, an album that came in at #6 on the 2006 Fids and Kamily Poll.The Cups also include on the DVD a new song, "Ladybug Beat", and a Ramones tribute from their first full-length album Kids Rock for Peas!, more or less a snapshot of their live show at the time, full of cover songs by the likes of Elton John, the Velvet Underground, War, the Beatles, the Monkees, and early Pink Floyd. In fact, the Sippy Cups cultivated their audience by putting on shows (but with a real live band) much like the Baby Loves Disco parties, where groovy oldies are played for family dancing fun.
And this ain't one of them one-camera, homemade deals, people: The whole thing was professionally and expertly directed and produced by Lou Weinert and Jim Iacona, and edited by Bob Sarles, filmed at San Francisco's Great American Music Hall, under Jeffrey Bihr's stage direction. The cynical might say nay to the Sippy Cups' over-the-top approach to kids' music, but hey, it looks like everybody is having a hell of a time! This is an incredibly interactive presentation, visually and performance-wise ... the band include members whose duties include juggling, unicycling, character portrayal (with lots of costume changes), and dancing, just dancing.
Equal parts carnival, magic show, vaudeville presentation, and musical happening, the Sippy Cups' concert dazzles the live audience and the viewers at home: Oversized puppets punctuate lyrics from several songs, a giant jellyfish glides gracefully across the stage, superheroes and robots make special appearances. Susan Verlander's illustrations fly superimposed across the screen while her husband Mark plays guitar and sings ... playfully trippy and impressively staged.
NOW, having said all that, the most important thing to remember about kids' music is ... TAKE YOUR CHILDREN TO SEE A LIVE SHOW! Nothing, not even the most mindblowing film of a concert, can beat hanging out with your kids while you listen to real music and watch musicians actually play their instruments. If it's a rainy afternoon, check out the Electric Storyland! DVD. Otherwise, take a walk to the nearest cafe, gazebo, park, or concert hall that features music for the whole family and rock out with your loved ones! I'm sure the Sippy Cups would agree.
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