This Old Band

June 23, 2014
Counting and silly sounds merge in this boisterous Wild West riff on "This Old Man." Set on the range, Wissinger's (Gone Fishing) song counts down from 10 to one while nine scruffy cowboys and one stylish cowgirl play makeshift instruments (jug, washtub, cowbell) that make tongue-twisting noises. As the cowboys take their turns in the spotlight, the verses reference objects and animals germane to the remote setting, which readers can spot in the background: "Number eight/ Plays click click./ Eight plays click click with a stick./ With a tick tick boodle pick,/ Play a mustang song./ This old band plays all day long." Loveridge, the illustrator of David Lubar's Looniverse series, offers loopy, borderline garish caricatures full of long-limbed, mustachioed cowpokes singing, dancing, and playing their instruments amid the dusty plains, scrubby underbrush, mountains, and mesas of the west. A rowdy sing-along that may inspire kids' own musical improvisations. Ages 3â6. Author's agent: Michelle Humphrey, Martha Kaplan Agency. Illustrator's agent: Justin Rucker, Shannon Associates.

July 1, 2014

PreS-Gr 2-The popular nursery rhyme "This Old Man" gets a fresh twist in this picture book filled with rhyming and counting fun. Using a variety of homemade instruments and objects, the cowpokes set out on the open range. They make some unexpected friends as they play their music through the day-and all through the night-while counting down from 10 to 1. "Number eight/Plays click click/Eight plays click click with a stick./With a tick tick boodle pick, /Play a mustang song./This old band plays all day long." Clever use of alliteration and rhyme, as well as laugh-out-loud funny tongue-twisters, complement the singsong nature of the story, making this an ideal book for both storytimes and one-on-one sharing. The bright, lively cartoon art complements the story, blending likability with silliness, and is sure to encourage readers to sing along. Librarians and caregivers will appreciate the creative use of language and the reinforcement of counting skills, which work in tandem to encourage early literacy development.-Natalie Braham, Denver Public Library

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