FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

A group of child singers are supported by a band of talented blues musicians on this fresh collection of 16 original blues songs featuring kid-friendly themes and lyrics. Kicking things off is "Riding with a Sibling," a track that will ring familiar to any family that has packed the kids into the car for a drive and endured back seat squabbles. "I Wanna Be Bonnie" serves as a tribute to Bonnie Raitt and contains a snippet of a phone call from Raitt herself. The kid vocalists, some noticeably stronger than others, do a competent job here, celebrating the rhythms and stylings of this music genre. Joey Ojeda and Michael Liberopoulos stand out on "Day By Day," a reaction to difficult-to-understand world events. Lighter selections include "I Miss Daddy's Chili" and "That Boy's Atomic," starring an energetic younger brother. Cameos by Big Joe Burrell and Sandra Wright will be a boon for blues aficionados, and children's book fans will recognize Thacher Hurd's illustrations on the cover and throughout the informative CD booklet. All ages. (Feb.) FYI: A portion of the proceeds from this recording goes to Little Kids Rock, an organization providing free instruments and music instruction to disadvantaged children. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 3-Bryan performs six stories from his published works on this rousing collection. First up is the title tale, from his Coretta Scott King Award-winning picture book (Atheneum, 2003), in which the blackbird shares a bit of his black color with each of the other birds. The other stories are from Ashley Bryan's African Tales, Uh-Huh (Atheneum, 1998). Several are pourquoi tales, explaining "Why Frog and Snake Never Play Together" and "How Animals Got Their Tails"; others tell of tricksters getting their comeuppance, such as "Tortoise, Hare, and the Sweet Potatoes" and "Hen and Frog." Bryan's tales come alive on the page with his stylized writing, and his delivery and vocal performance are a perfect match. Using repetition, vocal modulation, and other classic storytelling techniques, Bryan creates an irresistible folktale experience.-Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Maryland School for the Deaf, Columbia Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.