Join In: Tales and Tunes From Many Cultures

Gr 2–6—From the rollicking introductory song that acts as an anticipatory table of contents, right down to the all-encompassing, flowing "Draw the Circle Wide" at the end, this is a joyous celebration of story and song. Tale-tellers and tunesters, Jeslyn and Ben Wheeless, provide listeners with an enjoyable hour of multicultural entertainment. Among the traditional and a few modern tales are "The Dancing Granny" (an Anansi tale), "The Leopard's Daughter" (an African story), "The First Strawberries" (Native American), "The Pedlar of Bellaghedereen" (Irish), Arnold Lobel's "The Camel Dances," and more. These are interspersed with infectious songs, some of which are incorporated into the stories themselves. While there is a large dose of folk music, "The Water Bearer" is told as an original rap. Listeners are encouraged to join in and immerse themselves in the presentation. There's opportunity for movement here as well, especially with "The Dancing Granny." Older listeners will recognize some of the songs such as "Inch By Inch" and "Guantanamara" and smile at the memories they invoke. This is a delightful presentation that sends listeners on a voyage of the imagination and brings them safely home again.—Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary, Federal Way, WA