Hop, Skip and Jump

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

More and more books are packed with CDs. Some have the stories read and contain additional information or music and some, like this one, just follow the text. Since there is so much concern these days with childhood obesity, it is useful to have a book that encourages kids to get up and move around. Many schools also lack music in the curriculum, so anything that can be done to introduce good music early on is also a plus. The pictures explain how to march and how to pretend, as you are marching, that you are playing a drum. A young girl who looks like a ballerina is pictured pretending that she is part of a fireworks display, and her movements are designed to accompany the music for the Royal Fireworks, which was composed more than 250 years ago. A young boy pretends that he is a knight in a joust and another child is pretending to be one of the animals to accompany the music from the Carnival of the Animals. The last scene is one that should also be fun—directions to pretend that you are skating while listening to the Skater's Waltz. Most computers come with CD players, so parents should not have too much trouble finding a way to help their young ones enjoy the music and the movement. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot