In a Heartbeat

PreS-Gr 1—Parents' Choice Gold and Silver Award—winning Doherty delivers what should be another hit with her third recording for kids. Filled with 13 upbeat, catchy tunes, the smart lyrics cover topics of interest to youngsters and parents alike. Her voice is clear and charming, and instrumentation is just right, neither spare nor over-produced. Doherty's folksy acoustic instrumentation and crisp clear vocals are complemented with harmonizing by Cat Tager on eight of the songs. Highlights include covers of Harold Arlen's standard "Paper Moon" and Bill Haley's classic "See Ya Later, Alligator" and original tunes by Doherty: "I'm a Little Fish" (a ditty about sea creatures and their means of locomotion), "Heartbeat" (a percussive tune about feeling your heartbeat, punctuated by a bass guitar), "Drum Kit" (a crisp introduction to the sound of striking each piece of a set of drums), and "Woolly Woolly Bear" (a novelty number about a caterpillar who will become a moth). Useful in the preschool curriculum and sure to be enjoyed on family road trips.—Stephanie Bange, Wright State University, Dayton, OH