Archive for January 2011
*
We Three Kings (and other Christmas Carols)
Words and Music by Various Artists
Illustrated by H. A. Rey
*
Victor Vito and Freddie Vasco
Words and Music by Laurie Berkner
Illustrated by Henry Cole
*
It’s Raining, It’s Pouring
Traditional Words and Music
Words Adapted by Kin Eagle
Illustrated by Rob Gilbert
Singable Pop Up Picture Books and Smithsonian Exhibit, “Paper Engineering: Fold, Pull, Pop & Turn”
Posted on: January 30, 2011
My children and I went to the National Museum of American History the other day and I got the chance to poke my nose into the
“Paper Engineering: Fold, Pull, Pop & Turn” exhibit.
Marion Bataille’s fabulous ABC3D was one of the books enshrined in the exhibit.
*
ABC3D
By Marion Bataille
Children always respond with excitement when we sing the ABCs or ZYXs with ABC3D! The letters come to life ingeniously as they emerge from the pages, sometimes sharing dots or when a stick of a letter suddenly moves out from behind a leg.
Experience ABC3D yourself in this YouTube :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnZr0wiG1Hg
Here is the exhibition’s website where you will find videos, pictures, links and lots of info:
http://smithsonianlibraries.si.edu/foldpullpopturn/
Learn more information about the exhibition, here:
http://www.sil.si.edu/Galaxy.cfm?id=1.2
Click here to download the exhibition’s wonderful brochure:
http://www.sil.si.edu/pdf/FPPT_brochure.pdf
A YouTube about the exhibition:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=srpzCFA8uMc
Besides the brochure, you can also print out this very cool “Make Your Own American Eagle Pop-Up” page:
*
Make Your Own American Eagle Pop-Up
Concept and Illustration by Chuck Fischer
Design and Paper Engineering by Bruce Foster
http://www.sil.si.edu/PDF/eagle_popup.pdf
Put this together and sing with patriotic favorites or “The Preamble” as set to music by Lynn Ahrens”
Now for a List of Singable Pop Up Picture Books
*
ABC3D
By Marion Bataille
(Sing along with the tune for ABC’s, then sing the ZYX’s [the ABC's backwards]. Then instead of “…next time won’t you sing with me” you sing “Now I know my ZYX’s, next time let’s all go to Texas” and the kids will LAUGH!!)
*
America the Beautiful (A Pop-Up Book)
Poem by Katharine Lee Bates
Music by Samuel A. Ward
Illustrated by Robert Sabuda
*
The Animals Went in Two by Two (A Noah’s Ark Pop-Up Book)
Traditional Words and Music (Sing this traditional song to the tune you might know as “When Johnny Comes Marching Home“)
Illustrated by Jan Pienkowski
*
The Christmas Alphabet (a Pop-Up Book)
Illustrated by Robert Sabuda
Sing the ABCs and ZYXs with this fun whimsy for Christmas!
*
Christmas Sing-Along (a Pop-Up Book)
Words and Music by Various Artists
Book Design by Pat Paris
Paper Engineering by Wayne Kalama
Illustrated by Kathy Coville
*
If You’re Happy and You Know it Clap Your Hands! (a Pop-Up Book)
Traditional Words and Music
Illustrated by David A. Carter
*
Jingle Bells, A Pop-up Holiday Song
Traditional Tune
Poem excerpt by James Lord Pierpont
Illustrated by Eren Blanquet Unten
*
Knick Knack Paddy Whack (A Moving Parts Book)
Traditional Words and Tune
Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky
*
The Movable Mother Goose
Words and Music by Various Artists
Illustrated by Robert Sabuda
*
The Night Before Christmas (A Pop-Up Book)
Poem by Clement C. Moore
Musical settings by Various Artists
Sing the Unedited Text with Musical Setting by Noel Paul Stookey
Illustrated by Robert Sabuda
*
Nursery Rhymes Pop-Up Book (See-Saw Margery Daw and Other Rhymes)
Words and Music by Various Artists
ISBN #: 978-0866111539
*
Old MacDonald Had a Farm (a Pop-Up Book)
Traditional Words and Music
Illustrated by David A. Carter
*
Old MacDonald’s Pop-Up Farm
Traditional Words and Music
Illustrated by Katy Rhodes
*
The Pop-Up Book of Nursery Rhymes
Words and Music by Various Artists
Illustrated by Matthew Reinhart
*
Santa’s Song (Pop-Up Fun)
By Dug Steer
ISBN #: 978-0761315315
*
Silver Bells (a Musical Pop-Up Book)
Words and Music by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans
Illustrated by Robert Steele, Iain Smyth, James Diaz
*
The Sound of Music (A Classic Collectible Pop-Up)
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Music by Richard Rodgers
Original Stage Book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse
Story Adapted by Bert Fink
Illustrated by Dan Andreasen
Paper Engineering by Bruce Foster
*
The 12 Bugs of Christmas (A Pop-Up Christmas Counting Book)
Traditional Tune (Sing to the tune of “Twelve Days of Christmas“)
Illustrated by David A. Carter
*
Twelve Days of Christmas (a Pop-Up Celebration)
Traditional Words and Tune
Illustrated by Robert Sabuda
*
Wheels on the Bus (a book with movable parts)
Traditional Tune
Words Adapted by Paul O. Zelinsky
Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky
*
When You Wish Upon a Star (a Musical Pop-Up Book)
Words and Music by Ned Washington
Illustrated by David Christensen and Sparky Moore
*
A Child’s Introduction to Poetry
Poems and Music by Various Artists
Text and Editing by Michael Driscoll
Illustrated by Meredith Hamilton
*
I’m a Little Teapot
Traditional Words and Music
Words Adapted by Iza Trapani
Illustrated by Iza Trapani
*
In My Grandmother’s Garden
Words and Music by Kit Eakle
Illustrated by Jean Eakle (with Aubyn Eakle)
I’ve recently come across some dates that are special for the Singable Picture Book Calendar and I’ve taken these finding as a great opportunity to start a list. Here goes!
*
January 28: National Kazoo Day
Official website: http://www.nationalkazooday.com/
Emily’s post: http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2011/01/28/happy-national-kazoo-day-january-28-2011/
*
April 14:
Poem in Your Pocket Day
Official website: http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/406
Emily’s post: http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/sing-a-poem-for-put-a-poem-in-your-pocket-day-april-14/
*
June 4 (also Emily’s Birthday):
Doo-Dah-Day (A Salute to Silliness)
I need to research this one…
*
August 1:
Rounds Re-Sounding Day:
http://www.delamar.org/roundsresoundingsociety.htm
*
August 9-16 (Elvis died on August 16, 1977)
Elvis Week
Official website: http://www.elvis.com/elvisweek/
Emily’s post: http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2011/08/11/elvis-week-singable-picture-books-of-songs-by-elvis-presley/
*
November 1 :
Sing Books with Emily “First Post” Anniversary:
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/
My first post was on November 1, 2009
**********************
For info on just about every imaginable holiday:
*
Days to Celebrate (A Full Year of Poetry, People, Holidays, History, Fascinating Facts, and More)
Poems Collected and Text Written by Lee Bennett Hopkins
Poems and Music by Various Artists
Illustrated by Stephen Alcorn
*
Light the Candles! Beat the Drums! (a book of holidays)
Text by Jane Sarnoff
Illustrated by Reynold Ruffins
I am an Official Kazoo Enthusiast!
Though by no means a virtuoso, I LOVE to include kazoo solos in my Sing Books with Emily gatherings and cabaret performances whenever I get the chance!
A repeated chorus of a song or a familiar verse are perfect places to pull out the kazoo and toot your way to novelty heaven!
Kazoos are cheap and they are fun! Give it a try and see if you don’t make someone smile (even if that someone is just YOU!).
Here’s an official link:
http://www.nationalkazooday.com/
**********************
Songs in which I kazoo, include:
*** ***
All God’s Critters
Words and Music by Bill Staines
Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, New York, 2009
ISBN 987-0-689-86959-4
When I developed the arrangement for singing “All God’s “All God’s Critters,” I asked that the music repeat the chorus 3 times at the end to make room for a kazoo solo during the second repeat. I’m like a kid in a candy shop getting to kazoo along and the look of delight on faces is so wonderful! Nobody ever really expects a kazoo and a little unexpected whimsy is always good to bring a little joy into someone’s day.
*
The Marvelous Toy
Words and Music by Tom Paxton
Illustrated by Steve Cox
The Marvelous Toy comes packaged with a vocal and instrumental CD, so you can sing along and it just happens to be in a perfect sing-along key and exactly matches the book’s lyrics. The track includes an instrumental break, however, and to fill the time, I play the kazoo. It’s so much fun! The kids can bop their heads and tap their knees and I get to do a little kazoo solo improv.
*
Teddy Bear’s Picnic
Words by Jimmy Kennedy
Music by John W. Bratton
Illustrated by Alexandra Day
Published by Scholastic Inc., New York, NY, 1983
ISBN 0-439-39622-0
One thing I’ve learned singing to kids is that one must fill empty space. If you don’t keep things moving (literally moving), you are sunk. Teddy Bear’s Picnic is always a favorite song. The music is just so evocative and spooky, all Calliope and carousel, and perfect for its purpose. But the music naturally includes an instrumental break. I tried taking the break out, but alas, the songs misses that music. But fill that break with kazooing and you’ve got yourself a picnic!
*
Casey at the Bat (A Ballad of the Republic Sung in the Year 1888)
Poem by Ernest L. Thayer
Set to Music by Various Artists
Illustrated by C. F. Payne
This book features pages of historical information.
*
Give My Regards to Broadway
Words and Music by George M. Cohan
Edited by Barbie Heit Schwaeber
Illustrated by Carol Newsom
This book features pages of historical information and printed music.
*
Home on the Range
Poem by Dr. Brewster M. Higley
Music by Daniel E. Kelly
This book features pages of historical information and printed music.
*
There Was a Bold Lady Who Wanted a Star
Traditional Words and Tune
Words Adapted by Charise Mericle Harper
Illustrated by Charise Mericle Harper
*
Little Robin Redbreast (A Mother Goose Rhyme)
Traditional Words and Music
Illustrated by Shari Halpern
*
Three Little Kittens
Traditional Words and Music
Illustrated by Lorianne Siomades
We had a great time today singing some terrific songs, including:
*
We started out with a ZYX warm up, then we sang the ZYXs backwards!
ZYXs
Traditional Words and Tune
Illustrated by Emily Leatha Everson Gleichenhaus
Click here to view or print my ZYX card:
zyx’s sbwe sing along card
*
Waltzing Matilda
Traditional Folk Tune Arranged by Christina Macpherson
Poem by A.B. “Banjo” Paterson
Illustrated by Desmond Digby
To print or view the above poster featuring the “Waltzing Matilda“ refrain lyrics, click here:
waltzing matilda refrain for book 7X7
*
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Original Story by Robert L. May
Written for Montgomery Ward Department Store in 1939
Illustrated by Denver Gillen
Set to Music by Johnny Marks (1948)
(I created a sing-along book for Johnny Mark’s tune with the Denver Gillen Illustrations. Fun to sing!)
*
Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night
Traditional Words and Tune
Illustrated by Peter Spier
*
I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More
Words by Karen Beaumont
Illustrated by David Catrow
(Sing to the tune of “It Ain’t Gonna Rain No More”)
*
The Big Bell and the Little Bell
Words and Music by Martin Kalmanoff
Illustrated by Alastair Graham
(This book is packaged with a CD with two recordings of the song!)
*
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
Poem by Robert Frost
Illustrated by Susan Jeffers
(Can be sung to the tune of “Greensleeves)
Sing “Stopping by Woods” along with Emily:
http://soundcloud.com/singbookswithemily/stopping-by-woods-eleg-2010
*
The Comic Adventures of Old Mother Hubbard and Her Dog
Traditional Words and Tune
Illustrated by Tomie dePaola
“Rubber Duckie” (written by Jeffrey Moss in 1970) is one of those songs that brings instant sunshine to a room. I open the book to this song and everyone in the room starts to glow. “Rubber Duckie” is a favorite among favorites!
“Rubber Duckie” is printed and illustrated in,
*
The Songs of Sesame Street in Poems and Pictures
Words (and Music) by Various Artists
Illustrated by Normand Chartier
The music for “Rubber Duckie” is printed and illustrated in,
*
The Sesame Street Songbook (64 Favorite Songs Featuring Jim Henson’s Sesame Street Puppets)
Words, music, and arrangements by various artists
Illustrations by David Prebenna
This Songbook includes the following songs featured in this blog:
Being Green
I Love Trash
Rubber Duckie
Sesame Street Theme
“Rubber Duckie” on the Sesame Street YouTube Channel:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh85R-S-dh8
Little Richards sings “Rubber Duckie” on Sesame Street YouTube Channel:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWCEG6lV0ek
A sing-along karaoke video for “Rubber Duckie,” here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhGhgmfF27E
“Rubber Duckie” was written by songwriter Jeffrey Moss in 1970.
Here is a Wikipedia bio of Jeffrey Moss:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Moss
A biography of Jeffrey Moss on MuppetCentral.com:
http://www.muppetcentral.com/articles/tributes/jeff_moss.shtml
MuppetCentral.com is a terrific resource for info on all things MUPPET:
http://www.muppetcentral.com/
A terrific Muppet Wiki article about Jeffrey Moss (including pictures and links to Muppet Wiki articles about each of his songs:
http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Jeff_Moss
A Muppet Wiki article about “Rubber Duckie”:
http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Jeff_Moss
Kid Jamz has a terrific, jazzy instrumental version of “Rubber Duckie,”
http://www.amazon.com/Rubber-Duckie/dp/B0016LET4K/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1273270955&sr=8-1-fkmr1
This is a long track, though. The instrumentals go through the song three full times (each time nicely arranged and played by different instruments in the jazz band). You can always use sound editing software to isolate the last time through for a snappy little sing-along track.
Some interesting Wiki info about the song “Rubber Duckie” here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_Duckie
I just love that the first recording of the song was by Ernie, voiced by Jim Henson, and that “the song became a surprise mainstream hit, reaching #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1970.”
(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_Duckie)
**********************
I’m very excited that “Rubber Duckie” will be one of the songs in “Sing Books with Emily, the Cabaret.” I make a strong committment to each song I perform and completing my Song Craft Worksheet is part of that process,
Because the first section of the Song Craft Worksheet involves background research on the song, I’ll share the answers with you so you can know about the song, too. The more you know about the song (both concrete facts and less tangible artistic choices), the more “authority,” and heart and soul you can put into the singing and sharing of the song with others. If you are interested in improving your artistic abilities for singing songs in any capacity, just simply filling out the Song Craft Worksheet is a great place to start! After the background research, the rest of the Song Craft Worksheet gets VERY personal…don’t worry! I won’t bore you with that.
1 Q: Who wrote the words?
1 A: Jeff Moss
2Q: Who wrote the music?
2A: Jeff Moss
3Q: When was the song written?
3A: 1970
4Q: At what point in the lyricists’ and composer’s career was the song written?
4A: Middle
5Q: What is the song from?
5A: Sesame Street
6Q: If from a show, what character sang it?
6A: Ernie
7Q: If from a show, from what situation does the song arise? Why does the character sing the song? What function does the song/character play in the story?
7A: Ernie is in his bathtub and is describing the items in his tub for bath taking…and introduces his bath time friend: Rubber Duckie!
8Q: What other contextual elements of the song are significant?
8A: This song is like SUNSHINE! This song is about LOVE and ENJOYMENT in someone else.
9Q: Was the song written for a particular singer? Why?
9A: Jim Henson voiced Ernie in the original recordings of this song. I imagine Mr. Moss wrote this song with him in mind.
10Q: If not from a show, why did the songwriter write the song?
10A: NA
11Q: What do you feel the lyricist is trying to say?
11A: When you really love someone, you can’t wait to see them at every opportunity. The song is about a completely unselfish friendship. It describes, in its way, a beautiful friendship between two “characters” who love and enjoy each other’s company without any pretense whatsoever. It is innocent and unpretentious love and friendship. Wonderful.
12Q: Does the song tell a story or just express feelings or ideas?
12A: This song both tells a story of bath time and looking forward to spending time with a friend, and expresses the joy and love Ernie feels in that friendship.
13Q: Look Up Newspaper Articles and Reviews
13A: I could not locate a review specifically for “Rubber Duckie,” but considering its longevity, children’s love for the song, its use by so many artists over the years, and its being one of the top songs of 1970, I’d say its a pretty darn good song!
14Q: Who else has recorded this song:
14A: Bob McGrath, Jane Krakowski, Little Richard (and many others you can find on iTunes and Amazon.com
The rest of the questions require VERY personal answers and I will spare you those!
*
My Aunt Came Back
Tune written by Edward F. Rimbault
Traditional Lyrics Adapted by John M. Feierabend
Illustrated by Melanie Champagne
This song has been adapted by Mr. Feierabend who is a fabulous champion of traditional music for children. The first pages of this book feature historical information about the song and a printed link where you can download a recording of the song for free.
*
To Life! L’Chaim! (Prayers and Blessings for the Jewish Home)
Traditional Words and Music
Edited by Michael Shire
Illuminated with Sacred Art
*
A Poodle in Paris
Story and Songs by Connie Kaldor
Illustrated by Fil & Julie
This book, published by The Secret Mountain includes a CD of songs (all delightful songs, wonderfully arranged and evocatively sung by the author/composer) with lyrics printed in the back of the book. Unfortunately, this book’s text does not match the song which shares the story name. However, many of the books published by The Secret Mountain are Singable Picture Books, which have singable text and CDs.
