A Child’s Review
Distributing my first CD (“Howjado? Songs and Stories for the Very Young”) has been a fascinating experience. First, I’ve been surprised at how different it is than hearing comments on my books. With books most people say what they think. With music and stories, most people tell me what they feel or experience. Almost every day someone tells me they’ve been enjoying a particular song or story. Just an hour ago a mother, walking alongside her young son, exclaimed, “He was just singing your song ‘Wimoweh’!”
Last week I spoke with a child whose father tells me has been listening to my cd “a lot.” She was grinning ear to ear as we played with a couple of those tunes, particularly adding verses to “Pick It Up.” One child, each time she sees me says, “Awongalama”—the name of the tree in one of the stories on the cd. I love it!
The other day I called my wife and meekly said, “Jim (my boss) just yelled at me.” She replied, “Are you okay?” I said, “He called me, and as soon as I answered he yelled, ‘This cd you gave me is great!’” He’s bought extras to give to his grandchildren.
For about five years I virtually gave up doing music and stories with children. I wanted to do more complicated adult music. Then at a song circle I sang “Little Red Caboose” and the “Car, Car Song.” The group—all grown-ups—lit up. It reminded me that I may just be a musician for children and the child-within. I just am not going to be a great guitarist or dulcimer player, but I sure can have fun with songs and stories for children. Interesting that that revelation happened in a song circle, for now I’m returning full circle. I started out with children’s music, with a children’s television show (“The Rickety Bridge”), with school and library concerts of songs and storytelling, and I’ve come back to it.