That's What I'd Do

PreS—The award-winning singer has taken one of her songs and created a gorgeous picture book to accompany her voice on the CD included. The rhyming text could also be read to children. This recording is taken from the lullaby CD, The Merry Goes 'Round. In the song, she proclaims what she would do if she owned the sky and had the power to remove the clouds, leaving only the blue. Or if she were a rabbit or a fish or a carpenter or the rain, she would profess her love for her child in equally compassionate gestures. If the text is read without the music, some of the stanzas seem a bit awkward, but children will love the richly hued artwork that perfectly complements each phrase. Using watercolors and pastels, Bates portrays human and animal mothers and their offspring in gentle, loving scenes. Because of the lofty quality of the lyrics, the youngest listeners could have difficulty recognizing some words on the CD but fans of Jewel and her music will adore the combination.—Diane Antezzo, Ridgefield Library, CT