At a moment when our world urgently needs love, inclusion, acceptance, and hope, the song, “Break Down the Walls” stands as an anthem for an America that is more inclusive, more empathetic, and more human.

Evaluation comments:

“This song delivers a simple, uplifting message as expressed succinctly in its refrain: “Break down the walls/And let the love shine in.””

“This universal message is additionally underscored when voices of children join in the singing of this chorus, to highlight the rousing, multi-generational appeal rooted in these words.”

“The song’s inclusive themes are further conveyed through the singalong-friendly lyrics, featuring lines such as: “we’re all one big family,” “we all need each other,” “a place of love and harmony” and “it only matters what’s in your heart and the truth inside of you.””

“The tune, moreover, includes the Hebrew phrase: “Kehilat Shalom,” which translates as “a community of peace.” While this song’s hopeful message is always relevant, it seems particularly timely nowadays. Jon Cobert & Hebrew Wizards Family Band, by the way, is associated with Hebrew Wizards, a Hebrew school and congregation based in Connecticut.”

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This Piano Mat includes traditional songs as well as songs that have been awarded at the Latin Grammy Awards. The piano features the C major scale and is a multicultural toy appropriate for the development of multisensory skills, including auditory skills.

Evaluation comments:

“This floor piano mat is nice. The songs are catchy and the sound quality is good.”

“You can play the piano using the keys or you can play one of the various preloaded songs on them. We are familiar with a lot of these songs already, and are learning the rest.”

“This is a fun toy that the kids enjoy both playing with and playing the Spanish songs.”

“We have had a lot of fun with this. My son especially likes it.”

“I like that this is a Spanish version. It keeps it fun and interesting.”

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The eight album from veteran children’s recording artist, Dana, “Wonder FULL” celebrates the myriad questions and endless curiosity that fill the minds of young children. Each song title is a question word, cleverly covering topics such as spreading kindness in “HOW (Can I Make Someone’s Day)”, helping to save the planet in “WHAT (Can We Do)”, learning about the seasons in “WHEN (Does it Happen)” and the relatable, “WHY (Do I Have to Wait)”.

Evaluation comments:

“Dana’s eighth album is full of wonderful music. The Pacific Northwest-based musician serves up a cute concept on Wonder FULL, by basing her songs around the 5Ws (WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, and WHY), also here augmented with “WHICH” and “HOW”. The song-cycle taps terrifically into kids’ natural inquisitiveness. The leadoff track, “WHY WHAT WHERE WHO,” is a new, 30^th anniversary version of one of Dana’s long-time favorites; the buoyant folk-rocker launches listeners into a musical world of questions. “WHO (Are My People)” is a lovely tune about families while the driving rock number, “WHICH (One Will I Choose),” concerns a child having to pick a green vegetable to eat. Set to a disco-y beat, “WHAT (Can We Do)” holds a positive message to helping the environment. The sweet “HOW (Can I Make Someone’s Day)” addresses the importance of bringing happiness into a person’s life. Dana’s excellent, and versatile, vocals shine throughout the album, and they are set amidst impressively played arrangements covering a variety of genres. A bossa nova vibe enlivens “WHEN (Does It Happen),” a tune about the seasons. The twangy “WHERE (Can It Be)” is an amusing tale of searching for lost things, and the bluesy rocker “WHY (Do I Have To Wait)” provides a lesson in patience. The title track and the closer number “ANSWERS” pair nicely as smooth classic pop tunes that address children’s constant curiosity and offer reassurance that “answers will come.” There is no question that Dana delivers a delightful album with Wonder FULL.”

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My Voice, the 8th full-length album by multiple award-winning children’s music artist Andy Z, is brimming with fervor, fun, and sincerity. It features a well-balanced mix of stand-out original songs and kids’ classics ranging from lighthearted to heartfelt, playful to deeply thoughtful – a hallmark of Andy’s body of work that spans over two decades.

Evaluation comments:

“On his first full-length album since 2018, the award-winning children musician Andy Z delivers an excellent collection of songs that covers many moods and occasions. It begins with the wonderful “Song For My Baby,” a jazzy tune expressing parents’ love of their child, and ends – quite appropriately – with a quiet song for sleep time, “Lullabye.” In between there is a lot of music that will engage youngsters in a variety of ways and interests. Some numbers that are full of goofy fun, like “Down By The Bay,” “Spider On The Floor,” and the counting tune “Five Green and Speckled Frogs.” “Apples” is a humorous ode to the fruit that takes a zany twist (that I won’t spoil). “Good Morning,” “Ooga Booga,” and the title track are all songs that inspire interactivity. “Buzzabee” and “Knees Up Mother Brown,” similarly, are lively dance-along tunes, while “Hurry Hurry Drive The Fire Truck” will get kids moving too. “Flutter Flutter, Butterfly” and its Spanish version, “Mariposa Vuela” offer lilting salutes to beautiful butterflies, and the Mr. Rogers’ song “Tree, Tree, Tree” stands as a heartfelt tribute to trees. “It’s Not Your Fault” is a standout track that delivers its “don’t carry blame on your shoulders” message through a moving folk-rock melody that will connect to listeners of all ages”

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Go To Sleep is a lullaby album by Debi Derryberry to help kids relax and wind down to prepare for sleep.

Evaluation comments:

“All parents look for good ways to get their child to go to sleep. With her lovely new album, the acclaimed musician Debi Derryberry has added one more effective tool for parents to utilize in their eternal quest for getting their babies to go to sleep. The wonderful, and quite useful, title track, which opens the album, literally serves as a “how to” guide for little ones to drift off to sleep. It’s followed by “Slumberland,” a traditional-sounding folk song that takes listeners on a gentle journey to sleep. “What a Good Night Feel Like” is another enchanting track that is also instructive, with its lyrics creating a restful environment for listeners. Not every song here is directly focused on sleep. Derryberry wisely mixes in other subjects for her songs, while maintaining a gentle musical mood. “World of Wonder,” for example, nicely spotlights some quiet little creatures (a snail, a cat, and a caterpillar) while also incorporating some cool rhythmic touches. Her tune “Sail Away” is a placid ode to a boating outing, and the soothing “In the Arms of My Rocking Chair” is a “let’s pretend song” that involving a comfy rocking chair, which is a fine place for napping too. The joy of naptime is also included in “I Wish You Could Fly With Me,” a lilting tune that features one of Derryberry’s favorite character, Baby Banana. The final song is a concise rendition of the classic lullaby, “Hush Little Baby,” ends this charming album on a suitably dozy note.”

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MicroPARTY, an album by Electric Blue Yonder (EBY), reminds us of the beauty of small moments and things in life that are often overlooked, teaching about the importance of friendship, the wonders of nature, and the joy of imagination. EBY wanted to capture a child’s attention with a sense of wonderment, giving them layers of learning opportunities while making the music and lyrics interesting for general music lovers – the young and young at heart.

Evaluation comments:

“When the Florida-based Cosmic Americana band Electric Blue Yonder decided to make a kids-oriented album, they brought their eclectic “space folk” musical style to children’s music and the results are wildly impressive. What will strike you upon first listen is just how rich this music is with sounds and textures. You easily could play a game of “guess the instrument” with your family. Is that a flute? A toy piano? A xylophone? The second thing you will notice is how EBY’s husband-and-wife team of Beth Hataway and Johnny Veres have a fine eye for little things and an inventive way of singing about them on MicroPARTY. Listeners of all ages will smile over the clever wordplay in “The World of the Small”: “atoms, you can’t look at ‘em.” The bouncy track “Roly Poly,” follows a little bug’s attempt to get across town (with a message about helping people, and creatures, out), while “Lil’ C” is a caterpillar tune that suggests unlikely collaboration between Eric Carle and Tom Waits. On “Counting With Kathleen,” meanwhile, EBY elevates its counting tune into a tribute to Katherine Johnson, a pioneering African American NASA mathematician. Every track holds something to catch your attention and capture your imagination. EBY hope to transform MicroPARTY into a stage show, which sounds a cool idea – to the max!”

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Children of all ages are welcome aboard this musical adventure! Rainbowland is a joyful collection of original, interactive songs that inspire movement, imagination, and connection. Perfect for families, classrooms, and anyone who believes in the magic of music. Each song invites listeners to play, sing, and explore a world full of color and heart.

Evaluation comments:

“Blooms’ talents as a musician and a teacher are in full evidence on her debut, Rainbowland. The dozen tracks are filled with fun songs that are easy for little ones to relate to. She includes a lot of interactive elements to the tunes – from singalongs to movement – to engage little ones’ ears, minds, and bodies. “Let’s Make Art” not only is a lilting song about art, but it can segue to actual art making too. “Cool Zoo” teaches kids about animals while encouraging to mimic animal actions. I enjoyed how she occasionally pairs songs together, like having “Loud & Quiet In The Library” be followed by “I Love A Good Story” and having the double bubble dance duo – “The Bobble Poppin’ Boogie” and “The Bubble Poppin’ Freeze Dance”. The record also contains some nice musical touches too, such as the soulful reggae rhythms of the title track and the tasty electric guitar playing on “Choo Choo” and “I Like To Party”. Joy truly blooms on the first album by Joy Blooms.”

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Kid Musicians: True Tales of Childhood from Entertainers, Songwriters, and Stars is inspiring and relatable, and has totally true biographies that tell the childhood stories of a diverse group of musicians, including Taylor Swift, Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Styles, Mariah Carey, Yo-Yo Ma, Paul McCartney, and 10 other influential performers. Every superstar musician started out as a kid—and many discovered their love of music early on. Before leaving their mark on the world, these groundbreaking performers, songwriters, and musicians were regular kids. Tune in to the childhood stories of musical legends such as:

• Beyoncé, who used to play truth or dare in the middle of the night with the rest of her music group.
• Dolly Parton, who sometimes made up her own stories for class book reports.
• Louis Armstrong, who played instruments in parades all over New Orleans.
• Taylor Swift, who grew up on a Christmas tree farm!

Featuring kid-friendly text and full-color illustrations, Kid Musicians will inspire readers to express themselves and march to the beat of their own drum.

Evaluation comments:

“This book is educational, entertaining, and interesting.”

“Readers will be introduced to musicians such as Cher, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, and Bob Marley. They’ll learn about the beginning of the careers of their favorite musicians such as Taylor Swift, Harry Styles and Beyonce.”

“The stories cover the obstacles these musicians endured such as learning disabilities, racism, poverty and more. Very inspiring!”

“If your kids become interested in a particular musician, there is a biography of books about several of the artists at the end of the book. A great way to keep kids reading and learning.”

“I learned a lot (did you know Cher lived in the San Fernando Valley? Did you know that Taylor Swift sang the national anthem at a basketball game in Philadelphia when she was 12 and got a high five from Jay-Z?)”

“I found this book fascinating. I could not put it down.”

“I found myself wanting to know more about these amazing musicians and gaining respect for their talent and their journey.”

“The book is easy to read. It’s great for pre-teens and teenagers.”

“I think this book is not only educational, but inspirational!”

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Colorado singer-songwriter Edie Carey and her Wyoming-based musical partner, Sarah Sample have released their long-awaited second album Lantern in the Dark: Songs of Comfort and Lullabies. Across this 12-song collection, the seasoned singer-songwriters address the dual surreality of both giving life and losing it, and they navigate rarefied territory, yielding a collection of masterfully-written, emotive originals and novel, openhearted approaches to songs from the canon. These songs will just as easily soothe a child into sleep as they will provide solace for a grieving heart, at any age. The duo’s 2014 release “‘Til The Morning” also won NAPPA Awards.

Evaluation comments:

“Gorgeous. If there is one word to sum up this album, it is: gorgeous. The Colorado-based Edie Carey and the Wyoming-based Sarah Sample first partnered for the terrific ‘Til the Morning a decade ago, and they have re-teamed to create these exquisitely craftly songs that are guaranteed to touch your heart. This is not a kids album, per se. This is music that all ages can respond to. Lantern in the Dark’s 12 tunes provoke a feeling of comfort and joy while providing a sense of soothing compassion to the listener. Carey’s and Sample’s voices blend together wonderfully, and the subdued instrumental accompaniment perfectly compliment their vocals. Seven of the 12 songs are originals, and it’s hard to pick out favorites because they all feel part of the whole. However, the opening track, “I’m Here” totally conveys the album’s heartfelt tone, and “In My Arms” (their first ever co-write) delivers a powerful expression of love. Meanwhile, the five cover songs (the Beatles’ “Blackbird,” Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time,” Bob Dylan’s “To Make You Feel My Love,” Wilco’s “My Darling,” and James Taylor’s “You Can Close Your Eyes”) fit seamlessly with Carey and Sample’s own tunes. Lantern In The Dark certainly is perfect for nighttime or naptime, but this enchanting album works its chill-out magic during those major stress moments (whether you are an adult or child).”

For more information on Edie Carey:

instagram.com/ediecarey

www.ediecarey.com

facebook.com/ediecareymusic

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Wonderful Wonderful Wonderful is the new 13-track children’s album by Mr. Jeff (Jeff Klemm), inspired by his preschool classroom and his kids. This high-energy collection features movement songs, social-emotional themes, and a heartfelt tribute to friendship—ideal for families! Mr. Jeff, a producer, multi-instrumentalist, former preschool teacher, and dad of three, is dedicated to making the world a better place through fun, engaging music for kids!

Evaluation comments from our Music Judge:

“Listening to this album, you can tell that Mr. Jeff (aka Jeff Klemm) is a talented musician. He wrote and performed the entire 13-track album as well as producing and engineering it. More importantly, there is an irresistible joy to the music that is exemplified in a song like the terrifically catchy “Popping Bubbles”. However, he was also a preschool teacher. And judging from his super fun, interactive tunes like “The Jellyfish Dances Like This”, “Mr. Jeff’s Number Song”, and the super-charged “Drivin’ In My Racecar”, he must have been a really cool teacher. One particularly highlight is “Loud In The Library, which not only a clever concept (who doesn’t want to be loud in a library?), but it also celebrates making music. While the album is packed with amusing moments, Mr. Jeff also offers up some thoughtful messages on tracks like “Lose The ‘Tude” and “Do What The Big Kids Do”; however, he gets his points across in relatable, entertaining ways. A delight from start to finish, this album certainly lives up to its title. Wonderful, Wonderful, Wonderful is filled with wonderful, wonderful, wonderful music.”

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