Plymouth Librarians' Choice

MOTHER GOOSE ROCKS from Boffomedia
Youth CD Bins – Music, General – MOTHER GOOSE

If you want children’s music for your children, but are tired of gentle voices accompanied by solo guitar, try this rockin’ take on classic Mother Goose Rhymes. This CD (first in a series of four or so) features “Rub-a-Dub-Dub” done to a tune that sounds suspiciously like the Spice Girls’ “Wanna” and “Pat-a-Cake” ala Alanis Morissette. You’ll have fun figuring out which artist is being parodied, and your kids will enjoy bouncing along to the music.

Fairy Moon: Songs of the Ring by Maria Sangiolo
Youth CD Bins - Music, General

A lot of my children’s music reviews seem to include, “If you are tired of voice and solo guitar…” This gentle, unplugged recording charmed me. Sangiolo’s songs of shoe-making gnomes under the pines and fairy dances range in style from straightforward folk to Irish traditional, and are accompanied by piano, flute and harp, as well as the ubiquitous guitar. They capture a young child’s easy belief in fairies and joy in life in a way that reminded me of Waldorf fairy dolls. Sure enough, the liner notes, when I looked at them later, said that the album was inspired by her daughter’s Waldorf preschool. My son, knowing nothing of Waldorf, still liked the “fayee” songs, and was dancing and singing along. Your fairy friends might, too.

Bananaphone by Raffi
Lower Level - Youth CD bins – Music, Preschool

When I’m listening to children’s music, there is a style that will instantly turn me off. I usually describe it as solo voice with guitar. After listening to this album, I realized that I’m trying to avoid bad Raffi knock-offs. Raffi is basically the king of children’s music. In another artist’s voice, the silliness and seriousness would be insincere and make you gag. From Raffi, you find yourself singing along before you quite realize what’s happened. The title song, Bananaphone, is the song my son wants every time we’re in the car. It includes all the banana puns you can think of, plus the groaner “It’s a Grandpa phone and a gramophone too.” There is a nice song about the First Peoples, listing names of numerous Native American Tribes, and songs about gardening, silly rhymes and more. I would be the last person on earth to say that children need to listen only to children’s music, but if you want the Platonic ideal of kiddie songs, do put Raffi on your list.

African Playground from Putumayo Kids.
Lower Level - Youth CD bins– Music, Multicultural

Putumayo Kids have produced several CD’s featuring music from around the world. The songs on African Playground span several countries, languages, rhythms and sounds. The music is as diversified as the number of countries represented. Each song is accompanied by a brief summary of either the song itself or some aspect of the country from which it originated. Lively music and unique instruments bring this album to life. Providing all of the lyrics in their native language along with an English translation when appropriate would be the one thing that would improve this CD.