Sing with Me!

May 30, 2016
A baker’s dozen of mostly familiar nursery rhymes and songs, each with accompanying actions, features in a picture book brought to dreamlike life in Stoop’s mixed-media illustrations. Children cavort with bears, bunnies, and other creatures, frosting multi-tier cakes for “Pat-a-Cake,” riding in a yellow bus that looks part animal itself for “Wheels on the Bus,” and joining hands in a wintry field for “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush.” Brief instructions for the songs’ movements accompany the lyrics, and the soft plywood graining and sweetly surreal imagery of Stoop’s artwork create a soothing, bedtime-ready atmosphere throughout. Ages 1–4. Illustrator’s agent: Brenda Bowen, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates.

April 15, 2016
Thirteen nursery songs, with hand motions included, to share with young ones.Many of the songs are classics, a few more obscure, but each is delightfully illustrated with Stoop's cozy warmth. "Down by the Station" features a bunny-faced locomotive, with rabbit engineer (paw firmly ready to pull the whistle), toting a train full of animal friends. The "Itsy-Bitsy Spider" makes its perilous journey as per usual, but Stoop's elongated raindrops have hints of collaged text hidden in their shine. Other songs include "Pat-a-Cake" (with four-layer cake, topped with the letter "B"), "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," and "Polly Put the Kettle On." The majority of the children featured have the same stark white skin as Stoop's previous heroine, Red Knit Cap Girl (2012), though hair color and styles differ. The only variety can be found on the cover image (repeated on the rear endpapers) and in one interior spread. Stoop's plywood canvas, with wood grain peeking through, echoes the aged, deep tradition of the songs, while the hazy shades of blues, greens, and oranges are like a snug hug.Plenty of opportunity for adult-baby interaction and early-literacy singing skills. (Picture book. 1-4)

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August 1, 2016

Toddler-PreS-Stoop brings her unique wood grain canvases to the nursery rhyme scene in this introduction to 13 well-known action songs, such as "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," "If You're Happy and You Know It," and "Row, Row, Row, Your Boat." The plywood background lends a distinctive texture to the dreamy illustrations as they create flowing water and cloudy skies. The diverse cast have happy faces; even the school bus and the tea kettle smile as their songs are introduced. Each easy-to-read, well-placed rhyme has its own spread, with plenty of visual clues. There are no musical notes to indicate tunes, however, so those looking for singing guidelines may be disappointed, and only the first verse of longer rhymes ("Wheels on the Bus") is included. The collection ends on a charming note, with "What Does Your Kitty Say?" introducing familiar animal sounds until Mommy says, "I love you" and offers a big hug. VERDICT The soft edges, muted colors, and accessible rhymes make this a soothing choice when cozying up with babies at bedtime; it's well worth finding space on shelves for this nursery rhyme collection.-Kristine M. Casper, Huntington Public Library, NY

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2016
Preschool-K Illustrated with warmth and childlike imagination, this book presents 13 action rhymes and songs in 12 double-page spreads. Selections include Down by the Station, Rain Is Falling Down, Itsy-Bitsy Spider, Pat-a-Cake, and Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. (No source notes about the poems' origins are included.) The selection of rhymes, though, is quite good: there are so many traditional and popular choices that most adults will find familiar ones to use right away, and explore the rest as time allows. Stoop, the creator of the Red Knit Cap Girl series, includes instructions via illustrations for simple actions to go along with the poems. Created with acrylic, ink, pencil, and paper collage on a plywood base, the pictures feature soft, warm colors and rounded forms. Fluid wood-grain textures create dreamlike backgrounds in many of the scenes. While no music is included, most of the selections can be found in online videos. A good early literacy resource for teachers, parents, and caregivers, this engaging book should come to life when the rhymes are shared with children.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)