5 comments about Gift Of The Tortoise: A Musical Journey Through Southern Africa.

1. My 4 year old son listens to this CD everynight before going to bed. He has memorized all the songs, including the ones in Zulu. It got him interested in the world map, in Africa, and in various animals like cheetahs and lions. He took note of the boy who turned into a 5-legged cat for picking on and laughing at other people.
   
   He listens intently and sympathetically to the story/song about children who only see their fathers once a year. My son dances with joy, just as one would imagine the children in the stories, would do so upon a happy reunion, or upon receiving a precious dress or some treats that are hard to come by. It has helped introduce my son, at an early age, to be grateful for his situation, and also to admire children around the world who can do with so little.



2. My 5, 3, and 1 year old really enjoyed this CD. We homeschool and did a unit study on Africa and this was a perfect addition!
   I have bought and listened to 100's of CD's and this is one of our favorites. It gives African culture, described by the Tortoise (the narrator), in a fun and interesting way. There is an African game on the CD that we just added to our routine of games. It is so cute and is a nice change to ring around the rosie.
   I highly recommend this to anyone.



3. My 15 month old daughter listens to this cd each night while in her crib waiting to fall asleep. In the mornings when we are getting her ready for her day she hums/sings the songs and laughs when we sing along. This is a beautiful cd about South Africa and I am thrilled that she enjoys learning about such a meaningful place.



4. For anyone wishing quality for their children I've yet to find anything better. This is a magical CD. When it was stolen from the car, my son(now 18)requested I reorder it. The voice of the storyteller transports us to places and feelings we've rarely experienced and yet share a common human experience of joy and hope.If I could only purchase one CD for my child - this would be it...and I would be listening.



5. I put this on my 19month old daughter's Wish List for Christmas and we just listened to it today. She loved the animal sounds in the beginning and danced to some of the music. It's not something she'll sit down and just listen to as a storytime yet, but I think it will be a timeless addition to our CD collection. As an adult, I enjoyed listening to the stories and the music. A good buy for younger and older children as the music is very rythymic, but not too loud (I think my daughter would have liked it as an infant).

5 comments about Choo Choo Boogaloo.

1. This music is fun! Not your typical kids' music. My son requests it over and over! Good for dancing, driving, playing...



2. We love this CD. It has old favorites and new favorites. It's hard not to tap your feet and sing along!



3. I saw Buckwheat Zydeco live at a summer festival and they were a blast! I was even more excited to find out they have a children's CD out! My son is two and just adores the music on the CD. It's fun to dance to and easy to sing along with. I love the cajun twist on old classics and I think it's a really cool way to introduce a different culture into my son's life. Plus, it's a well appreciated break from the sappy, sugary children's music that tends to be out there!



4. I'm from Louisiana and can validate that Buckwheat is an authentic, well-known zydeco musician. He does not normally play children's music, so I was pleased to learn of this CD. I, as the parent, enjoy zydeco, and therefore enjoy this CD, which is fun and appropriate for children. My son loves it. I am pleased that he will grow up knowing the same songs that I sang as a child, and be familiar with rich Louisiana roots music. The Crawfish and Cotton Fields songs are especially nostalgic. They were my favorites growing up.
   
   Product arrived on time and with no damages.



5. After reading the reviews for this, I was soo excited to receive the cd. While I liked the idea of having narration introducing children to the music and the different instruments, I found the recordings themselves to be surprisingly flat. Where's the fun and excitement?? This is zydeco! This is zydeco for CHILDREN! The music and vocals didn't come from the heart, I felt no life in the recording. Even the Sesame Street zydeco song was better than this. My class (2 1/2 to 5 y/o) was not dancing around the room to it, either.

5 comments about A Child's Celebration of Folk Music.

1. I too am a "concerned mother who ACTUALLY read the lyrics" (sniff!) and I'm extremely concerned that people who are that offended by such a playful, mild phrase are raising children. Please. Lighten up, or indulge in Barney.
   
   Beautiful, layered work on this cd: a pleasure to listen to, dance to, sing along with. From age 2 to 38 in this house, we're enthralled.



2. This is wonderful stuff, though I share some of the concerns below about the lyrics. Take "there may be lobsters on some of you mobsters"--that's just not logical. And if you said that to a mobster, he'd ice you, so you shouldn't teach your kids to say things like that. Otherwise, though, this is great.



3. My 3 y.o. loved it. The music is upbeat and fun, and you'll crack your kid up when you sing your own version of Ridin' in My Car. And Their Ain't No Bugs on Me is a great song. I don't know about your kid, but mine can handle a lyric like "How in the hell can the old folks tell ..." especially when sung so cheerfully and, um, innocuously. Mostly, it's a cd that you yourself will enjoy listening to ... even (believe it or not) the supplied version of Skip to My Lou.



4. Loved it except for the "Ain't no bugs on me" song. It uses the phrase "how in the (hell) can the old folks tell" In my opinion, that is not appropriate for young children.



5. Most of the songs are enjoyable and of the caliber I expected after reading the reviews posted. However, on Garcia's version of "Ain't No Flies On Me", there is a mild obscenity, which is fine for an adult compilation, but unacceptable for a compilation directed to children. As the rules for this forum prohibit obscenities, I cannot be more explicit about the exact lyrics. I am extremely disappointed in the editors and will be returning my CD.

5 comments about Stops Crying - Heartbeat Lullabies Original CD Vol #1.

1. I have used this cd with my special needs students. It is a powerful tool in soothing children at whatever age. The original tape I used was from a hospital neo-natal unit. Great product.



2. Our 3-week-old son seems to cry a lot before going to sleep - he gets fussy, and doesn't want to settle down. I stumbled across this CD on the internet and thought we'd give it a shot.
   
   We haven't seen a noticeable change in his behavior after using the CD versus other lullaby music. I do think that the concept is good, but I guess it just doesn't work for everyone. I was expecting something great after reading some of the reviews, but I was disappointed.
   
   I will say that that the advice that goes along with the CD (on the inside of the cover) is sound for putting babies to sleep in general. It recommends putting them down while still awake and coaxing them to sleep while they are in their bed. That way, they don't wake up and immediately look for mommy or daddy to hold them again. This advice holds true regardless of what music is playing.
   
   Unfortunately, we still have to endure a lot of crying most nights before he will settle down enough to go to bed. I wish the CD worked as well as they claim.



3. One of my twin son's was very fussy. We found this CD greatly helped him settle down to go to sleep. Now it is part of our evening routine. The boys hear this music and their eyes immediately start to droop. I myself have taken many catnaps to this CD. Between this CD and a noise machine, our boys are sleeping through the night!



4. These songs are great for helping to calm a fussy baby. I used both volumes with my newborns (even before they were born to get them familiar with the songs). In combination with other methods (bathing, rocking, massaging, removing stimuli, etc.), it is just another way to help soothe your baby. I found the songs soothing for me as well. They are very monotone, slow, and rythmic. The heartbeat sound carries through all the songs and even plays through the song transitions. If nothing else, it is a good "sleepy-time" routine for your baby to cue in that it is time to sleep. I LOVE to give this set for baby shower gifts!



5. I bought this when my daughter was one and still not sleeping through the night. This CD was a blessing. We put it on when she went to sleep and hit the button so it would play all night. As long as it was playing, she would sleep all night. On those nights we forgot to have it play over and over, she woke up. I just bought this as a gift for my sister in law, as they are expecting their first in a few weeks. I sure wish I had this long before my daughter turned one. But thankful for the sleep it gave me finally.

5 comments about A Child's Celebration of Dance Music.

1. This is another great CD from the "Music for Little People" series. It's got great oldies that everyone knows. All the songs make you want to get up and dance! This is music that your kid's will love and you'll love it too.



2. I don't know who likes this CD more, my 18 month old twins or their grandparents!
   
   Barbara Ann was an instant hit with the twins and nothing is cuter than seeing them dancing around the house singing ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba with or without the music playing.



3. A CHILD'S CELEBRATION OF DANCE MUSIC is a wonderful collection of music put out by the Music for Little People label. There aren't very many people familiar with the albums released by Music for Little People, but thier label produces some of the best collections of popular music suitable for families that I have ever come across. Most of their albums are centered around a theme or type of music (Country, Rock and Roll, etc.) and it's all good stuff sung by the original artists. No Britney Spears or boy band songs here. Instead, songs that at one time were fairly popular, but that are now somewhat obscure are brought together with a few better known hits. This collection includes songs that are fun to dance to. Some of my favorites include:
   
   "Twist" by Chubby Checker
   
   "Disco Duck" by Rick Dee and His Cast of Idiots
   
   "I Want You Back" by the Jackson 5
   
   "Palisades Park" by Freddy Cannon
   
   "Wooly Bully" by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs
   
   Children and adults will both delight these songs. I can attest that I've used the album for small dance parties I've had with my friends, as major music for a 50s theme meal at a summer camp, and played it many times on the children's radio show I once djed and produced and on the webradio show I currently host. So, "Come on baby, let's do the twist."



4. My children, ages 2 and 4, absolutely love this CD! It's great for road trips in the car or when the children need a little exercise. Most of the songs were released before my time, but I've learned all the words. It makes a great gift for baby-boomers too.



5. IT HAS SOME GREAT DANCING TUNES-NO DOUBT. IT MAKES YOU WANT TO GET UP AND SHAKE YOUR BOTTY. I LOVE IT. MY SON, WHOM IT WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED FOR, IS A BIT LESS ENTHEUSTAIC.

5 comments about Toddler Favorites.

1. I really thought that I had reviewed this before...but I am really pleased with the DVD!!!



2. This CD is entertaining for young children. It has gotten us through a few long car trips. It was my son's favorite CD and is now my daughter's favorite CD. My 1-year old has even started to sing some of the songs. There have been many times when they were fussy and we put this CD on, and they would stop crying instantly. Would buy it again and again.



3. I didn't know my standards were so high until now. I guess I got spoiled with the Disney cds since they are so well done because I just cannot stomach the bad singing on this cd. Even the adult singers are just plain awful! I really wish I had listened to a sample first. UGH! Save yourselves!



4. These CD's are awful. The people that are singing sound very weird and scary. It is a really, really awful bunch of CD's. Buy something else.



5. I've purchased other music CD's for children. This is by far my 20 mo. old daughter's favorite! We had this CD for less than 24 hours when she was attempting to sing along. She hadn't responded like this with any other CD. When she hears the children singing on the CD, she beams and says, "Baby singing!" I also love that it is easy to actively participate with the songs. There's plenty of silliness too. I can see how this CD would be a hit with daycare providers. The music and singing is rich and creative.

4 comments about A Child's Celebration of Song 2.

1. What a great CD! I have the first one and like this one just as much if not more (haven't heard it 100+ times yet) The CD I have is in such poor shape I decided to shop for a new one. Highly recommend.



2. My 3-year-old son absolutely loves this CD. I got it on a whim, because it's hard to find good kids' music. Luckily, this one's a winner. In fact, all the "Child's Celebration" CDs are worth a listen. We dance to this one almost every night.



3. The songs on this CD were okay, but we prefered the first CD, Celebration of Song. Two of the songs on this CD were good, especially Inchworm. However, one tune was rap...and we didn't like it at all.



4. This is a great album (we have the cassette version). Appealing to both kids and parents, it's a fun mix of silly, upbeat songs (Choo Choo Boogaloo and Bananaphone) and slower, more sentimental tunes (Inchworm, All the Pretty Little Ponies) that stay with you long after you're finished listening. My 7-month-old loves it, and he's patient enough to let me listen to it over and over again! It's kids stuff with a sophisticated twist. I'd also recommend the Music For Little People Lullaby Album, it's super-sweet and the mix of songs is really unique.

5 comments about Toddlers Sing.

1. I bought this CD for my 14 month old grandson. I've been singing "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" to him since the day he was born and introduced him to "Wheels on the Bus" - both on this CD. He loved hearing those familiar songs. My daughter reports that he loves it and so does she! The little voices are genuine, soothing and so sweet!



2. I found this cd, and the toddlers sing rock cd, highly annoying. My daughter was not very enthusiastic about it either since it lacks the musicality she is used to in her other cds.



3. Toddlers singing is the absolute best. My grandaughter loves this cd. I wish we had more of this. It gets difficult with only one. Please make more.
   Sincerely,
   Grace Purcell



4. I bought this CD and played some songs I liked.
   I understood their words. It sounded like Apee Borte 2 U . What?????



5. I drive my toddler to and from school every day. Before this CD I would arrive at work with a dry mouth from singing with my toddler. Now, I just pop in the CD and let her sign along. She loves it (sometimes I find myself singing along too). The songs are all great. The children singing are incredible and my toddler has learned most the songs. I definitely recommend this CD to any parent.

5 comments about Uni Verse of Song: Spanish.

1. This CD has Spanish and English. I love that you get to hear the Spanish part right after the English in many cases. Then they do a word review after each song. The music is fun and happy.



2. A must have for anyone with kids or grandkids. I really like Suni Paz, but I am glad I have both. Highly recommended.



3. I bought this music CD for my first child over 5 years ago. 2 more kids later I am buying it again. It has well-known songs in both English and Spanish languages. As a Spanish-speaking mother of three little kids ages 6, 3 and 1 I am very content with the way they translated the songs for the little ears. Despite the fact that my kids speak very well both languages, they love to hear the translation of frequently used words and I enjoy listening to the Spanish songs translated into English. It is absolutely a well spent money.



4. Lost my original copy on a road trip and ordered another. We can't live without this. Our kids are bilingual and the mixing of the spanish and English in the songs has not been a problem. They know the words without turning off one language to hear another. A true bilingual is not translating in the brain...but is associating in both languages. Arroz is the white granules we eat and so is rice. There is no confusion for our 2 daughters and 6 niece and nephews who listen to these songs (and ALL are bilingual). This is a fun CD and very helpful!



5. I love this CD. I bought it for my two grandsons. They love it. She has such a wonderful voice. She also explains at the end of each song what the words mean. It's GREAT!

5 comments about Lullabies Of Latin America.

1. This CD is excellent and I'm glad to have it in my collection. María del Rey has a beautiful voice and the men and children reciting poetry are refreshing.
   
   I am an educator who plans to raise my children bilingually and I find this CD to be an excellent addition to my collection of music in Spanish. As a native speaker of English who has learned Spanish to near-native ability, I am happy to have as many resources in Spanish as possible and look forward to singing and sharing these songs/rhymes (esp. the Spanish versions) with my child. While my baby has not yet arrived (he's on the way!) and I can't say what will put him to sleep, I disagree with several that have said the poetry and speaking by children and a man are disrupting. While some are slightly more upbeat than María del Rey's songs, I still find them very soothing (hopefully my baby will too!). I also disagree with a reviewer who said these are not traditional. I know I've heard some of these before and another reviewer mentioned that she remembered some from childhood.
   
   That said, my favorite lullaby CD is "Latin Lullaby" which has 17 songs (1 in Portuguese, 3 instrumentals and the rest in Spanish). Songs by "El Cri-Cri" and "De Colores" by José Luis Orozco are also in my collection (not lullabies, though.)



2. I am a grandmother who has given Maria Del Rey CDs to everyone in my family and to friends who have young children. It a gift that I love to give. Maria has an amazing and tender voice. I can feel her heart in every note. She is rare gem to have that kind of talent and share it with our children.



3. As an Educator and mother, I highly reccomend Lullabies of Latin America. In my family we have a long tradition of
   handing down music, books and stories. Maria has totally captured the beauty and warmth that I remember my mother and my abuela singing to me as a child. These are the classics, these beautiful lullabies brought such tender emotion in me when
   I first heard them. When I taught preschool for a few years
   the children always loved Maria's voice. The whole atmosphere was so peaceful in class during our nap times. When you work in the trenches with children everyday you need materials that work and I trust Maria Del Rey's work, she is just wonderful.



4. As others have noted, this turns out to be only a handful of lullabyes in Spanish sung by Maria Del Rey, plus nursery rhymes spoken by children and men (not very good for putting a baby to sleep), plus the whole thing repeated in English. In addition, I had been looking for traditional Latin American pieces and apparently all of these are contemporary. Don't waste your money...I'm planning on giving my copy away if I can figure out someone I know who could actually use it.



5. I had high hopes for this CD based on its rave reviews, but I was disappointed. Though the musicianship is excellent, a few of the songs are not lullabies, but rather are upbeat rythmic pieces that aren't helpful when we're trying to get our baby's eyelids to finally shut. Also, since the songs are repeated in English, you then get two doses of the same songs. This CD isn't bad, but for anyone looking for lullabies in Spanish, I'd recommend the "Latin Lullaby" CD.