Review by Booklist Review
As she did in The Neighborhood Mother Goose (2004), Crews selects energetic, colorful photos of a multicultural, multiracial cast of kids in a variety of urban settings to accompany this collection of traditional songs, spirituals, nursery rhymes, and more. Its focus on contemporary cityscapes distinguishes this from most other collections of children's songs, which tend to feature folkloric, old-fashioned artwork. For example. I've Been Working on the Railroa. is illustrated with a picture of the New York subway. The overall look and feel are reminiscent of the opening scenes from Sesame Street, which helps to make these old favorites relevant and accessible to new-fashioned kids.--Foote, Dian. Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
As with The Neighborhood Mother Goose, Crews pairs traditional songs and nursery rhymes with vibrant photographs and digital collages of children in a fresh urban setting. A boy plays with a toy train while waiting with his mother on a subway platform on a spread that displays the lyrics to "I've Been Working on the Railroad"; three tiny children play near an enormous ceramic teapot for "I'm a Little Teapot"; and a young "Miss Mary Mack" (wearing the requisite black dress with silver buttons) watches elephants fly amid Fourth of July fireworks. A jubilant and contemporary treatment of well-known classics. Ages 3-8. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-Crews's compilation of mostly familiar children's songs is a follow-up and companion to her well-received The Neighborhood Mother Goose (Greenwillow, 2004). Lyrics are set against full-page photographs of urban streets, parks, and playgrounds-interiors and exteriors, recognizable and obscure-and are peopled with a multicultural array of smiling children. Some of the photographs show scenes from ordinary life (these are the most effective); others have been digitally manipulated with collage effect in order to better reflect the lyrics. Among the 30-plus selections are popular and even ubiquitous tunes such as "The Alphabet Song," "The Wheels on the Bus," and "Miss Mary Mack," along with the more obscure "Alexander's Ragtime Band" and "Down by the Riverside." The selections are not organized in any specific way; it would be helpful to have an alphabetical index as was done in the Mother Goose book. These comments aside, a valuable collective cultural inheritance resides in these songs, and though there are other, more comprehensive volumes available (some including the music), this bright, attractive package is a good introduction. A helpful listing of resources for more songs and help with the tunes of those included appears on the copyright page.-Lisa Egly Lehmuller, St. Patrick's Catholic School, Charlotte, NC (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Families with young readers and singers will have a lot to sing about with this new offering, which, together with Crews's The Neighborhood Mother Goose (rev. 5/04), makes for a perfect celebration of city neighborhoods. Bright photographs show children of all ages and ethnic backgrounds singing, playing, and clapping along to classics of yesteryear. Each photograph reflects the words of the song -- right down to the elephants jumping over the fence in "Miss Mary Mack," which is sure to elicit smiles. Familiar toe-tapping songs will encourage the grownups to sing along, teaching a new generation the joys of camp favorites such as "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt" and "Do Your Ears Hang Low?" Less familiar songs like "Alexander's Ragtime Band" and "The Animal Fair" might inspire adults to find original recordings or ask grandparents to add their voices to the chorus. For those who don't know the music, the brief author's note lists an online source for tunes. The collection will be especially useful for programs that help parents learn to read to their children. These traditional songs will provide English-language learners with an important bridge to American culture, and beginning readers of any age will find the familiar songs a comfortable way to read and sing along. robin l. smith (c) Copyright 2011. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A hop, skip and a jump away fromThe Neighborhood Mother Goose(2003), Crews once again places classic nursery fare in the middle of bright, bustling Brooklyn streets. This time, however, she sets her sights on songs34 of them, to be exact. Photos of joyful, ethnically diverse children found in playgrounds, parks and cozy home settings infuse well-known tunes (and some forgotten favorites) with warmth and energy. Many scenes are quite literal: "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" shows youngsters playing baseball in the park. Others have a playful twist: "It's Raining, It's Pouring" has a boy gleefully jumping atop the "old man" in bed (i.e. Daddy), with an appropriately rain-splotched window in the background. "London Bridge" is in fact a bridge built with wooden blocks, and "Alouette" shows a boy racing towards pigeonsthe urban equivalent of a lark if ever there was one. Crews also offers familiar digital effects: "Miss Mary Mack" has elephants high in the sky, while "I'm a Little Teapot" shows a rather large teapot with tiny children climbing on it. Sheet music is not included, but an author's note points readers to other books and online resources for help with the tunes. A collection that begs to be sung inallneighborhoodscity stoops or country front-porch swings alike. (Picture book. 3-6)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
