Rhinoceros Tap: 15 Seriously Silly Songs FROM OUR EDITORS
The Barnes & Noble Review
Toe-tappin' author-illustrator Sandra Boynton remakes her bestselling 1996 book, Rhinoceros Tap, following the format of her 2002 smash hit Philadelphia Chickens. Loaded with 15 "seriously silly songs" to get kids shaking their tail feathers, Boynton's book-and-CD combo combines her talents with those of Michael Ford for a marvelous musical about animals and childhood. Boynton lends her sprightly artwork to the book, which features such winners as "The Rhinoceros Tap," the sailor-themed "The Crabby Song," and "So Long, Doggies." Other standouts are a ballad to an uneaten vegetable called "O, Lonely Peas," the island-flavored "Tropical Sand," a sweet-natured love song between two mice named "I Love You More than Cheese," and the hilarious "The Shortest Song in the Universe." Boynton and Ford make sure to pour plenty of kid-friendliness and musical diversity into the songs, resulting in a Broadway-style extravaganza that readers young and old will drink up. Part Two of the book includes the lyrics and music for all of the songs, letting those budding artists play the tunes themselves, along with a cut-out insert for creating your own CD holder. Self-described as being "for all ages and species, not counting mosquitoes," this spectacular set is a spirit-lifting treat that Boynton fans -- and anyone with a song in their heart -- won't want to miss.
Matt Warner
FROM THE PUBLISHER
PERK UP YOUR EARS!
From the iniminiminimitable Sandra Boynton comes 15 quirky and captivating songs for kids!
Here is Sandra Boynton's first book/recording set -- completely redesigned, and now with a spiffy CD instead of a cranky old cassette tape. (Cassette tapes are SO Last Millennium.)
The terrific musical theater actor Adam Bryant performs with zest and subtlety these 15 unpredictable original songs:
ACT ONE
Rhinoceros Tap
O, Lonely Peas
Bad Babies
The Crabby Song
Perfect Piggies
Tropical Sand
So Long, Doggies
ACT TWO
The Shortest Song in the Universe
Horns to Toes
Barnyard Dance
I Love You More Than Cheese
Tickle Time
Dinosaur Round
Turkey Love Song
Little One
This exuberant set is the perfect companion volume to the #1 national bestseller, Philadelphia Chickens.
With lyrics and pictures by Boynton and music written with and played by the one and only Michael Ford (actually, there are probably quite a few Michael Fords, but this one is a really good musician), these songs have the style, swing, charm, and pizzazz that little listeners deserve.
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
Author-illustrator-composer Sandra Boynton bops into summer by putting a fresh coat of paint-literally-on her 1999 book-and-cassette package Rhinoceros Tap, a collaboration with Mike Ford and Adam Bryant. A redesigned edition of the book packaged with a remastered CD is now available. The new look/format-new cover colors and design; more elongated, rectangular trim-size for the book; CD replacing the cassette-makes it a perfect companion to Boynton and Ford's Philadelphia Chickens. Additionally, CD-only versions of both titles are available from Rounder Kids. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Matt Warner
School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 4Best-selling greeting card artist Sandra Boynton expands her repertoire with this wonderfully zany collection of songs for children. Lyrics by Boynton and musical composition by Boynton and Michael Ford have produced such toe-tapping numbers as the Big Band style "Rhinoceros Tap"; a traditional sailor song in which the sailor piggies sing about their captain; a calypso tune in which a moose sings about how much more he likes Alaska than the sandy tropics; the square-dance style "Barnyard Dance" ("Bow to the horse/ Bow to the cow/ Twirl with the pig/if you know how"); a mousy love song, "I Love You More Than Cheese"; and several other equally whimsical numbers incorporating rock, blues, doo-wop, and traditional rounds. Adam Bryant does a magnificent job singing each of the ditties, accompanied by professional instrumentalists on keyboards and synthesizers. The lyrics in the book are accompanied by generous color illustrations of Boynton's trademark hippos, piggies, dogs, cats, mice, barnyard animals, etc. At the back of the book are simple scores for each song, including the melody line in the treble clef and chord markings. Children and adults will enjoy listening to the songs over and over, while pouring over the lyrics and illustrations in the book.-Beverly Bixler, El Paso Public Library, TX
Home
