{"id":28418,"date":"2016-01-23T16:34:48","date_gmt":"2016-01-23T20:34:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=28418"},"modified":"2016-01-23T16:34:48","modified_gmt":"2016-01-23T20:34:48","slug":"review-of-dog-train-by-sandra-boynton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=28418","title":{"rendered":"Review of Dog Train, by Sandra Boynton"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"dog_train_large\"<\/a>Dog Train<\/em><\/p>\n

Music by Sandra Boynton & Michael Ford
\nLyrics and drawings by Sandra Boynton<\/p>\n

Workman Publishing, New York, 2005. 64 pages. 16 songs.
\nStarred Review<\/p>\n

I so love Sandra Boynton\u2019s songbooks and CDs<\/a>. How did I not know about this one until now?<\/p>\n

What I love about her songs is the wonderful child-centered lyrics \u2013 treated with complete seriousness. I can so easily imagine a child in a Broadway musical bursting into song with \u201cWave Bye Bye\u201d or \u201cBroccoli\u201d or \u201cI Need a Nap\u201d telling Mom what to do. (Time to leave the party. \u201cDon\u2019t give me that broccoli. Yes, I know I\u2019ve never tried it, but it doesn\u2019t look right. I want no brocc\u2019li tonight.\u201d And \u201cI Need a Nap\u201d speaks for itself, but to hear the plaintive singing! \u201cI just can\u2019t take it any more. I need a nap!\u201d If only our kids were so articulate \u2013 but you know this is how they\u2019d put it if we lived in a world where everyone expressed their emotions in song.)<\/p>\n

These books make me wish I still had young kids and an excuse to play these songs over and over. As it is, they brightened up a few commutes! They simply make me laugh.<\/p>\n

My favorites of the 16 songs: \u201cSneakers,\u201d \u201cBoring Song,\u201d \u201cPenguin Lament,\u201d \u201cPots and Pans,\u201d and \u201cI Need a Nap.\u201d I also love that she always includes a love song, perfect for singing to your child, in this case, \u201cEvermore.\u201d<\/p>\n

The songs on this album are rock and roll, but include a wide variety. One of my favorites, \u201cBoring Song,\u201d is an old-fashioned schmaltzy song with backup singers, and a man with a wonderful velvet sound singing, \u201cAnd though you find me boring, I\u2019m still adoring my voice.\u201d So funny, but played completely straight.<\/p>\n

I so relate to the Penguin\u2019s Lament! \u201cI\u2019m a little too cute. Oh yes, I know. I\u2019m all dressed up, but I\u2019ve got no place to go. I want to be cool, like the polar bear guys. I want to be tall and somewhat mysterious. But nothing profound comes in penguin size. Can anyone small be anyone serious? I\u2019m serious!\u201d<\/p>\n

The song \u201cSneakers\u201d is about a bear\u2019s favorite shoes. \u201cWhen you\u2019re unaware that a bear is there, well, here\u2019s the reason why: it\u2019s the SNEAKERS. Now you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

And they\u2019ve gotten a great line up of talent to sing the songs. People like Weird Al Yankovic, the Bacon Brothers, and Hootie and the Blowfish.<\/p>\n

But I can talk on and on about it and you won\u2019t get the idea nearly as effectively as from five minutes of listening. Check this out from the library, and if you have kids, I predict you\u2019re going to want your own copy. Too much fun.<\/p>\n

sandraboynton.com<\/a>
\nworkman.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Picture_Books\/dog_train.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Source: This review is based on a library book from Fairfax County Public Library.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but I maintain my website and blogs on my own time. The views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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