If You're Happy and You Know It [Hardcover]

Monica J. Weiss (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"Do Your Ears Hang Low?" "Kookaburra," "Where Has My Little Dog Gone?" "Hush, Little Baby," "This Old Man" and "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" are some of the 18 songs set to picture by the creator of Princess Pearl and A Family Story. The lettering and the scores are all hand-done, perfectly clear for humming alone, but not as easy for simple piano accompaniment some of the bars aren't presented conventionally, as on a sheet of music, and are sometimes even upside down. This whimsical touch doesn't hamper the exuberance of Weiss's characters, who dance, prance, stomp, clap and all but samba to the tunes herein. Since all the songs are stories, as in "Roll Over, Roll Over" ("There were ten in the bed and the little one said . . ."), the pictures follow the action, with lively and funny commentary among the small folk. For this joyful collection, singing on-key is not a prerequisite to joining in on the choruses. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2 Weiss' song book is different from many collections of children's songs, as it has a more visually appealing layout. It is certainly attractive; her gouache and pencil cartoons are bright and funny, often adding touches of humor to the lyrics. Serious problems surface, however, when one tries to use this as a song book. The lyrics and melody line are broken up into short phrases and scattered throughout the illustrations. Lyrics occasionally disappear into the background, while one has to carefully follow arrows and numbers from phrase to phrase to get the song reassembled. It is very hard, and annoying, to have to hunt your way through each song. Weiss' selection of songs is nice, although none are hard to find elsewhere. Tom Glazer's Eye Winker, Tom Tinker (1973) and Do Your Ears Hang Low (1980, both Doubleday) contain many of the same songs in a usable form. The desire to do something different with a song book is commendable, but turning it into a picture puzzle simply doesn't work. Elaine Fort Weischedel, Turner Free Library, Randolph, Mass.

Copyright 1987 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Greenwillow Books (September 21, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688064442
• ISBN-13: 978-0688064440
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,906,791 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great book for parents, teachers, and daycare workers., September 24, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: If You're Happy and You Know It (Hardcover)

My son's Grade 1 teacher (he has just started Grade 12) recently reminded me of this book, which I gave her for her classroom those years ago. Weiss, who has written a number of quirky picture books (_Weekend at Muskrat Lake_, etc) provides us here with words and music to 16 favourite songs, and illustrates each with her charming pastel drawings. Buy this for home use - or for your best teacher.

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice for preschoolers, September 26, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: If You're Happy and You Know It (Hardcover)

I was looking for a book of children's music to teach my 4 year old daughter some of the old favorites. I found this at the library and she loves it!

I wish the lyrics were a little easier to read, but otherwise it is a very sweet book and just what I was looking for.