It's a Good Day

PreS-Gr 3—Encouraging listeners to think about science, language, and math in fun ways, The Non-Toxic Band (Joe Romano, a songwriter for Sesame Street, Susan Elliott, and Michael Dodd) perform 12 songs in a variety of musical styles, including pop, folk, calypso, blues, rock, and country. The band's vocals feature some very nice harmonies and excellent performances on guitars, bass, piano, keyboard synthesizer, and harmonica. They add music with an oompah beat to Lewis Carroll's silly poem, "You Are Old, Father William." Cooing pigeon sound effects enhance "Five Pigeons on a Telephone Wire," a fun exercise in subtraction. "Here Today, Here Tomorrow" focuses on the conservation of matter. The usefulness of tails is extolled in "Have I Got a Tail for You." Additional songs include "It's a Good Day," "Sleepyhead," "Sleepyhead Reprise" (in Spanish), "Water, Water Everywhere," "Try, Try Again," "The Happy Machine," "Smile" (partly in Spanish), and "I Just Want to Go to the Ball" (in which Cinderella turns up her nose at the thought of luxury). The group's second album will entertain and educate young listeners.—Beverly Wrigglesworth, San Antonio Public Library, TX