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Music - Songs & Songbooks, Fiction - General & Miscellaneous
Ancient Rhymes, a Dolphin Lullaby by John Denver — book cover

Ancient Rhymes, a Dolphin Lullaby

by John Denver, Christopher Canyon
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Overview

John Denver's poignant lyrics of the birth of a dolphin are both a lullaby and a paean to "dolphin kind," as adapted in this gorgeous picture book. Denver embraces the unique, almost mystical quality of a baby dolphin as "giving hope to life as all we must." Hardback edition includes the musical score and a CD of John Denver singing this beautiful song.

A picture book adaptation of John Denver's song Ancient rhymes, celebrating the birth of a dolphin.

Synopsis

John Denver's poignant lyrics of the birth of a dolphin are both a lullaby and a paean to "dolphin kind," as adapted in this gorgeous picture book. Denver embraces the unique, almost mystical quality of a baby dolphin as "giving hope to life as all we must." Hardback edition includes the musical score and a CD of John Denver singing this beautiful song.

Seth Berg - Children's Literature

The lyrics of this John Denver song are illustrated with one to three short lines for every double page illustration. The story/song celebrates the birth of a baby dolphin in a strained poetic style with lines such as, "Giving hope to life as all we must, and teach us how their grace to share." Although this is part of a "Nature" book series, there is a lot of artistic license taken with the science—including the new-born dolphin leaping high out of the water for its first breath. The murky blue artwork resembles a tasteless new-age bedspread print and might appeal to young infants who like any depiction of ocean life. The book ends with a biography explaining John Denver's Dolphin experiences, and sheet music for the song. It is "A Sharing Nature With Children Book." 2004, Dawn Publications, Ages 3 to 6.

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Editorials

Children's Literature

The lyrics of this John Denver song are illustrated with one to three short lines for every double page illustration. The story/song celebrates the birth of a baby dolphin in a strained poetic style with lines such as, "Giving hope to life as all we must, and teach us how their grace to share." Although this is part of a "Nature" book series, there is a lot of artistic license taken with the science—including the new-born dolphin leaping high out of the water for its first breath. The murky blue artwork resembles a tasteless new-age bedspread print and might appeal to young infants who like any depiction of ocean life. The book ends with a biography explaining John Denver's Dolphin experiences, and sheet music for the song. It is "A Sharing Nature With Children Book." 2004, Dawn Publications, Ages 3 to 6.
—Seth Berg

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 3-Canyon's love for Denver's music is evident in the lush, romantic illustrations that accompany this dolphin lullaby. The idyllic ocean environment that welcomes the baby dolphin at its birth has mystical connections to the natural world as a whole. The page layout and visual images are striking. Readers will probably want to play the CD that accompanies the hardcover edition while viewing the pictures. Without music, the text seems convoluted and cloying at times and wouldn't be easy to read aloud. Purchase as needed to satisfy requests from Denver fans, who will be the book's most likely audience.-Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Denver's gentle lullaby comes to life in Canyon's gorgeous paintings. It tells of a baby dolphin, which, in much the same way as a human baby, learns of many dolphin ways while it's still in its mother's uterus. When it's born, it leaps about, tasting the air and racing the seagulls. Denver's hope was that this dolphin baby would teach humans the song of the dolphins and tell them how to share the earth in harmony. Canyon's work richly paints a portrait of the dolphin's watery world, with stippled effects that evoke the sun shining through the water and the foam on the crest of a wave. Youngsters will even gain a better understanding of dolphin birth through the illustrations-one shows a baby dolphin curled up with an umbilical cord and another, the actual live birth from a spot just underneath and behind the mother's dorsal fin. A better-than-usual effort in the trend of song illustration. (CD in hardcover, score) (Picture book. 4-8)

Book Details

Published
September 1, 2004
Publisher
Dawn Publications (CA)
Pages
36
Format
Hardcover
ISBN
9781584690641

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