Hum along Barefoot

I'm in need of some cheering up. Can you blame me? And what could be more soothing than a few happy tunes. Barefoot Books, one of my favorite independent publishers for their global focus and eye-scorching colors, is obliging me with picture books that re-imagine two childhood faves. And they even have CDs!

Whole World
illustrated by Christopher Corr & sung by Fred Penner

He's got the whoooooole worr-uld ... aw, c'mon, you loved this as a kid. Say you did. This and "kumbaya" were practically anthems in day camp.

The Margaret Bonds' classic been updated to alternate "He's got" with "She's got," which is okay by me, religion-wise. And I finally get to see all the verses, like trees and flowers, towns and cities, etc.

Skip the end notes in the back. Like you can't explain flowers and trees to your kids on your own? Likewise with global warming explanations. Better books exist elsewhere for that.

No, you want this book forall those smiley little kids of every ethnicity dancing across its crayon-bright pages. I have to admit, the faux childlike art is growing on me, with all those stick people and animals sprawling across the wide-open pages and all those great splashes of clashing colors that somehow all work together.

It all looks like something sweet and yummy I could sprinkle onto cupcakes and gobble up.

Yum.

Rating: *\*\*\*\

Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush
by Sophie Fatus & Fred Penner

Are mulberries even edible? I don't know, but this is another scrumptious book that takes us around the world with a kiddie classic.

An end note explains the song's possible origins, but like Mother Goose rhymes, don't expect your little one to care. The fun here is mimicking the actions like "we wash ourselves" or "brush our teeth" and seeing how four kids around the world do it.

There's an Anglo kid and his counterparts in Africa, India and China, which gives the illustrator an excuse to spread that signature Barefoot color scheme across four cultures.

All four kids are smooshed into panels on the same spreads, with full bleeds, so there's color galore, and the eye darts wildly to different figures or details, with no realy focal point. That makes for some interesting visual storytelling if you want to play it up with your favorite little lap-warmer.

I haven't listened to either CD; I consider them a bonus. The book is treat enough.

Rating: *\*\*\*\

Comments

[Jules]

Hmm, I'll have to keep these in mind. My girls are currently obsessed with that first song, thanks to Ashley Bryan's latest and most beautiful picture book!

[Kelly]

Yay, you're back! With great books too :) Sing on, Anne!

[Bruce]

Great to hear your voice again. I've never seen mulberries on display with the other berries in our supermarket... but it appears (from a Google search) that they're edible and make terrific pies. Now I wish that I had not only Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush but a mulberry pie to go with it.

[Anne]

Thanks, everyone! It's good to be back.