Customer Reviews

Hi Ho Librario!

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I purchased this book over a year ago and use it constantly! Judy Freeman's material is fresh and gives you the extra boost to start the year or keep your program humming. I especially like the section of "Children's Books to Use with Hi Ho Librario". It has a wealth of information that is practical and easy to use. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to improve their library program.

I was disconcerted to read a prior negative reader review of Judy Freeman's wonderful Hi Ho Librario. My colleagues and I find Freeman's book and CD/cassette of original and classic songs and chants for librarians and teachers to be both uplifting and useful. To give just a few specifics: My elementary school students could readily locate the fairytale section and identify the characteristics of fairytales because of "Look for 398.2." They loved to tell me the difference between fiction and non-fiction by singing the "Non-Fiction Books" chant to me. Other songs and chants can easily be worked in to spark up or supplement daily lessons and activities for librarians and classroom teachers or to enrich the reading of a picture book. Few librarians and teachers are able to play the guitar and sing as skillfully as Freeman. Her CD/cassette allow us and our students to accompany her lively, adept, and satisfying songs and chants. The "Didactic" review is clearly off-target and demonstrates a lack of classroom experience and understanding of children. Children learn best when they enjoy learning. The songs and chants act as mnemonic devices for learning, enliven classes, and help to break the sterotypical "librarians are BORING mold." Brava, Judy.

This is a wonderful resource for an elementary school or children's librarian in a public library. The songs included teach library basics, and Freeman adds many songs and book titles that prompt library lessons. The children in my school have learned library skills through the songs and chants Freeman wrote. The only drawback is that for a non musician, the CD (not available through Amazon) is a must.

I'll admit to being a little suspicious when I saw the precious title on Amazon, and chose not to order this. But someone on staff (we are the Children's Department of a public library serving about 50,000) did. We are all sorry.

The songs are dreadful. The "rhymes" often don't. The meter is appalling. And with obvious, hit on the head lessons, we have all the force and application of a morality play.

If this were a parody, I would laugh, but the fact is that new librarians will actually try to use it! I can't imagine a more effective way to make a young person loathe the library than to make the poor thing sing, "I am a non-non-non-non-fiction book book book with lots of facts facts facts..."

Any (well, almost any) children's song book will be of more use than this self-concious and desperate attempt at cuteness.