Audio of the Week-- Travelin' Down the Road
RSSFrom SLJ January 2005
Beverly Bixler, San Antonio Public (TX) Library -- School Library Journal, 01/10/2005
1 CD. 62:31 min. Tales 'n Tunes. 2004. $14.95 (+ $3 s/h).
PreS-Gr 4-Carol Connolly and Don Darmer are the musical storytelling duo responsible for the creation of this album. Together, they tell eight traditional folktales, which they have reworked with their own unique touches. Each story is enhanced with a short song, using traditional tunes such as "Do Your Ears Hang Low?" or "Buffalo Gals," with lyrics appropriate for the story. "The Little Old Woman Who Lived in a Vinegar Bottle" (England) features an old woman who's never satisfied, even though her wishes are generously granted. "Tug of War" is an East African folk tale about a porcupine that tricks an elephant and a hippo into believing he is stronger than they are. "Four Friends" is a version of the Grimm Brothers' "Bremen Town Musicians." The African story "Wide Mouth Frog" features a frog that is too curious about what the other animals eat. "The Cat and the Parrot," from India, tells of a cat who eats everything in its path. Another African tale, "Lion Takes a Walk," features a vain lion that thinks he is better looking than all the other animals. "Cuckoo's Reward" is a Mayan tale about a vain cuckoo bird that saves seeds from a fire, and is singed in the process. In "The Little Old Woman Who Couldn't Get Any Sleep," an Eastern European tale, a woman thinks her house is too noisy. The storytelling is enthusiastic and expressive and the musical performances are top notch. This album has garnered an iParenting Media Award and would be an appropriate purchase for libraries with audio storytelling collections.
