Sesame Street Treasury (Celebrating 40 Years), A Singable Book
Posted on: April 25, 2010
I can easily say that Sesame Street is one of my Top 10 greatest cultural influences.
I was born in Würzburg, Germany in 1968, when my parents were stationed there with the US Army. My parents brought me to the USA when I was one, just in time for the first episode of Sesame Street in 1969. I know the songs, the sets, original characters, and sketches like I know a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Sesame Street was show made for city kids, but it spoke to me (influenced and shaped me) just the same in my home town of Indianapolis.
Stopping in Target (a surprisingly good source of Singable Picture Books!) this morning, I found,
Sesame Street Treasury (Celebrating 40 years)
Published by Publications International, Ltd.
Written by Various Artists
Illustrated by Various Artists
The book’s first chapter is an illustration of the song, “People in Your Neighborhood”
The People in Your Neighborhood
Words and Music by Jeffrey Moss
Illustrated by Leon Jason Studios
Sung by Bob, here’s a link to the tune:
http://www.amazon.com/The-People-In-Your-Neighborhood/dp/B000QNMNQ0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1271087520&sr=8-2
Another Singable entry is,
The House That Biff Built
Words Adapted by Janet Campbell
Traditional Tune
Illustrated by Tom Cooke
Many sung versions of this rhyme are annoying. My favorite Singable Version of this song is found on a CD which accompanies,
This is the House that Jack Built
Traditional Words and Tune
Illustrated by Pam Adams
If you get the tune in your head, it works perfectly with “The House that Biff Built.”
You can also hear a version of the tune here,
http://www.amazon.com/This-House-That-Jack-Built/dp/B002JF7YHG/ref=sr_1_41?ie=UTF8&qid=1271087678&sr=1-41
A book of poetry is included in the treasury,
I Think That it is Wonderful
Written by David Koor
Illustrated by A. Delaney
(I’ve not yet gone through the book to determine a tunes that fit the poetry, but poetry is SINGABLE and I look forward to discovering how some of these charming poems can be sung.)
The last pages of the book offer a brief history of Sesame Street. I am particularly amazed to read that Caroll Spinney has provided the voices for Oscar the Grouch and Big Bird since the very first episode in 1969. That amounts to over 4, 000 episodes.
Read a quick, yet inspiring biography of Caroll Spinney: http://www.greatertalent.com/CarollSpinney
