Customer Reviews

Man Gave Names to All the Animals

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

A first edition must for the Bob Dylan fan. Bob's classic is pieced together nicely by illustrator Scott Menchin. My three year old son, Tyler, enjoys the story line & pictures very much. He loves to follow along while Bob does his stuff. A new generation of Dylan fans are born.

My son is only a few months old, and he really responds to the vivid colors in this book. More than any other book we have, the pictures truly excite him. We strongly recommend it.

On August 20, 1979, Bob Dylan dropped "Slow Train Coming" on which there was a song, "Man Gave Names to All the Animals." The song was not an allegory; it had no deep, hidden meaning. It simply told of man walking along, observing animals, and naming them. It's not the only simple song that Dylan ever wrote, but with its island-like beat, it is infectious. This is a Bob Dylan song that can be shared with very young children, requiring little explanation. And it's a great one to get up and jump around to, or -- if you prefer -- dance.

Award-winning children's illustrator Jim Arnosky has taken Dylan's lyrics and paired them with a beautifully vibrant storybook, "Man Gave Names to All the Animals," that captures the happy, funky sound of the original song.

Packaged with the book is a CD with the song performed by Bob Dylan. It warms my baby-boomer heart to imagine three-year-olds rocking to classic Dylan. Can "Maggie's Farm" be far behind?

Arnsoky has populated his book with an astounding variety of animals (yes, even a flamingo) from all parts of the world. There are fish, birds, insects, and mammals that would never see each other in life (except on Animal Planet) gathered together on the pages of "Man Gave Names to All the Animals," and the effect is enchanting.

While most of the animals are familiar, there are sure to be a few that stump readers. There are more than 170 animals illustrated, and they are listed at the end of the book, alphabetically. Those who need clues so that they, too, can name the animals can go to [...].

"Man Gave Names to All the Animals" is a fun book for adults and children to share, made even better by the inclusion of the CD, making it perfect for a sing-along -- or a silly-along if you prefer. Keep this lovely hardcover book in mind for holiday gift-giving...and don't forget the kazoos!


Bottom Line: Would I buy "Man Gave Names to All the Animals"? You better believe it! (Hitting the street September 7, it is now available for pre-order.)

Originally appeared on [...].

Not a storybook, by any means, this one is more like a visit to the zoo. Inspired by the catchy Bob Dylan song of the same title, Jim Arnosky creates a vivid Eden in acrylic paint and fills it with more than 170 animals and insects.

Creatures of the sea, land and sky mingle on each lush page. A yawning black bear shows his powerful jaws while monarch butterflies dance at the feet of a mountain sheep. A cheetah, heron and zebra mix at the swirling water's edge, watching sailfish leap past salmon and a toothy tiger shark.

Together, parents and children can play endless games of "I spy with my little eye" while reading this book. Children can also savor it alone by listening to the enclosed CD recording of Dylan's song.

This book is beautifully illustrated, but the story/song is also fantastic. It's the Bob Dylan song (that many are familiar with!) and it comes with the CD with the song on it. It's actually a children's CD that I don't go crazy listening to after the 500th time! And trust me, we have probably really listened to it 500 times! My kids love it! I put it in and the first time they just dance around. Then the second time they sit and look at the gorgeous pictures in the book. And then, they usually play it about 10 more times before taking a break. They read the book alone as well. Well, they just look at the pictures since they can't read, but soon they will have it all memorized and can at least pretend to read it!
I can say that as a parent this book is perfect. I can read/sing it to them pretty quickly and the illustrations are beautiful and you find new animals every time. Like I said, the CD isn't annoying (who doesn't like Bob Dylan?!) and I don't go crazy listening to it over and over. The book can keep the kids entertained by itself if the CD were to break.
This has been THE BOOK for the past week since it arrived on our front porch. We got other books too but this is the one they are so focused on they haven't even paid attention to the others!
I have the new edition illustrated by Jim Arnosky. I didn't even know about a previous edition but looking through reviews it becomes apparent that there was one!

Bob must appreciate the illustrations in this book. My nieces and nephews do. We get a kick out of listening to the song on the CD and reading the text along with it. The drawings are appealing and only a bit bizarre. Gives the kids an antidote to Berenstain Bears.
Grown ups would like this books, too.

This is a great book, but unfortunately out of print. I had been searching prices, and amazon had a vendor that was excellent. This is a great addition for a Bob Dylan collector.

Bob Dylan's song `Man Gave Names to All the Animals' from his album `Slow Train Running' is the text in this illustrated book for children. The drawings by Jim Arnosky are colorful and eye catching sure to interest very young non-readers. Unfortunately Arnosky's presentations have creatures from different biomes appearing in the same pictures. Granted this is not a biology book but children w/b presented with a variety of misleading information in their young lives, why not at minimum present something factual? Also, the lyrics to the song are written phonetically. When Dylan pronounces `I' as `Ah', the printed text reflects the pronunciation. Again, why have misleading information in a children's book? Also, at the end of the book there is a listing by name of the animals that appear in the book but no cross-reference to help readers put names w/pictures. (There was one animal drawing I could not identify). One positive aspect of this volume is that the book does contain a cd of Dylan singing the original song so new readers can follow the text while listening to the words. Nice method for word recognition.
Dylan fans will likely pick this item up, read it once, then consign it to their `Dylan shelf'. Strictly for Bob Dylan fans.
*This review refers to the 2010 edition.*

I LOVE Dylan and love this song...I was so excited to see that it had been made into a children's book! (I'm a 1st grade teacher) While the illustrations are beautiful, it's not even close to what I visualized during the thousands of times I sang the song. It might be perfect for a less "diehard" Dylan fan.

This is a beautiful book and the cd is an added bonus. Perfect for any age. My Grandaughter is two and loves the illustrations, plus we are big Bob Dylan fans.