Review by Booklist Review
One-word titles may not be particularly memorable, but few people who grew up watching Sesame Street could hear the first few notes of the song Sing without remembering the rest in their minds. Using the 50-word lyrics only in the last two-thirds of this picture book, Lichtenheld propels a satisfying narrative in vivid illustrations that captures the spirit of the song. The story begins wordlessly, with three little birds sitting in their nest. The first sings a note, then flies away. The second does the same. When the third can't manage a single note, he looks discouraged. He slumps in the nest until a boy sits down under his tree, plays a guitar, and sings. The words of the song Sing become the text as the musical notes float up to the nest and inspire the bird to try again. He sings, he flies, and he joins his siblings in a joyful chorus of notes. English and Spanish words are appended, and a CD will be included. A picture-book celebration of a Sesame Street favorite.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The lyrics to the late Raposo's beloved song, popularized on Sesame Street in the 1970s, form the basis for this picture-book interpretation from Lichtenheld (Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site), in which a small purple bird has difficulty finding its own song. The wordless opening pages show three birds in a nest; the first two chirp musical notes and fly off, but the third can't muster a sound, its speech bubbles empty. Along comes a boy with a guitar, who strums as the lyrics to the song begin: "Sing,/ Sing a song./ Sing out loud,/ Sing out strong." As the boy plays and sings, musical notes rise up and literally buoy the bird (and its nest), lifting them aloft until the bird is able to fly and sing for itself, and rejoin its companions. It's an effective visual metaphor for the way that music can be a form of support. A CD recording of the song is included, as are English and Spanish lyrics and a note from Raposo's son, Nick. Ages 4-8. Illustrator's agent: Agent: Amy Rennert, the Amy Rennert Agency. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 1-A visual interpretation of the uplifting, popular song. Two small birds leave their nest one by one with a colorful warbled note, but as the last bird tries to follow, no sound is forthcoming despite a discouraged second try. "Sing, sing a song.." A boy's melody reaches the nest and startles a weak first tweet. Shaking him out of the nest, the tune soars, and the fledgling finds its voice, following musical notes to reach the other two and join their notes together."Sing a Song!" The text alongside its Spanish translation accompanies a historical note by Raposo's son that explains his father's immigrant story and the roots of the song. Original handwritten notes, lyrics, and chords of "Canta-Sing" are included. Art in watercolor, ink, pastels, and colored pencils balances text in a simple setting and accentuates the power of the music. For young and old, the text recalls a theme of courage and self-acceptance with easy-to-follow imagery. Everyone will want to sing along.-Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX (c) Copyright 2013. 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
Here's the rare song-lyrics-as-picture-book-text endeavor that actually works without music (although the book includes a CD featuring the Sesame Street classic). This is due to the story element introduced wordlessly by Lichtenheld: a bird can't emanate a note until it hears a boy with a guitar singing the titular song. The lyrics and modest illustrations are uplifting--for the bird, literally. (c) Copyright 2013. 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
The simplest and arguably best Sesame Street song serves as text to an almost equally elemental storyline in which music serves as the wind beneath a little bird's wings. Lichtenheld opens with a set of wordless spreads. In a nest on a branch suspended in space against a pale wash of blue, a fledgling sees its two sibs sing a note and fly away. Noteless, sad and alone, the bird sits--until a lad with a guitar (and early Bob Dylan hair) saunters into view, takes a seat down below and unself-consciously ripples out notes. These shatter the nest and send the bird soaring to join its sibs in a buoyant chorus. Along with being strung out in short phrases to accompany the illustrations, the song's words are recapped at the end--both in English and in a partial Spanish translation--with all the "La-la-la-la-la"s added. The book closes with an image of the original manuscript with a note from the composer's son. (A musical arrangement is absent, but it's probably superfluous anyway, so well-known is this song.) Boy and birds alike sing with infectious joy in this loving tribute, and the 3-song CD that comes with it is a nifty bonus. (Picture book. 3-5)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
