I'm Still Here in the Bathtub: Brand New Silly Dilly Songs

(Author), David Catrow (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

If you fear you might go on a rampage if you hear the lyrics to "Wheels on the Bus" even one more time, take heart: These reimagined, "silly dilly" lyrics can breathe new life into kid favorites like "Wheels," "Itsy Bitsy Spider," and even "Bingo."

Just as they did with Take Me Out of the Bathtub, Alan Katz and David Catrow lampoon the classics with rowdy humor and fun-to-sing rhymes. "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands"? Nope. Try "He's Got the Whole Beach in His Pants." "Frere Jacques" becomes "I'm a menace" and you can forget about old McDonald and his farm--that tune now tells the story of "My friend Donald's catfish parm."

Katz wisely keeps the lyrics from straying too far into bathroom territory, keeping the fun both palatable and genuinely funny, and illustrator Catrow (Plantzilla, Santa Claustrophobia) again proves an indispensable member of the team, with wry details and memorable characters. (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul Hughes

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-5-As a follow-up to Take Me Out of the Bathtub (McElderry, 2001), Katz packs the same child-appealing humor into sadly sloppy lyrics that don't scan with the well-known tunes he has tried to fit them to, and which go on far too long. "I Always Lose" (to the tune of "Skip to My Lou") starts with the loss of a parka, backpack, and tuba, and continues, "Turned around, lunch box was gone/Could've sworn I had a hat on/There's no sign of baby bro Ron/He's a pain, but he's darling." "No Medication" (to the tune of "Down by the Station") does what most kids dream of doing: "No medication/Don't care what the doc says/Won't put that stuff in my belly/Tastes bad, you know/Mom sticks it in ice cream/Thinks that she can fool me/I flick it out the window/Look out below!" Unfortunately, the lyrics are even more awkward and less funny when read aloud instead of sung. Catrow's over-the-top, zany, mixed-media cartoons may pull readers into this collection that promises fun, but only delivers frustration.
Nina Lindsay, Oakland Public Library, CA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry (April 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689845510
• ISBN-13: 978-0689845512
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #30,649 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #8 in	Books > Children's Books > Arts & Music > Music > Songbooks
  #18 in	Books > Children's Books > Literature > Poetry > Humorous
  #19 in	Books > Entertainment > Sheet Music & Scores > Forms & Genres > Lieder & Art Songs

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Definitely Silly Dilly, October 29, 2004

By	Paula's Books "PB" (Midwest USA) - See all my reviews

My son picked this up at the book fair at his school. I have to say, that overall, we enjoyed it. It was fun to have a book to "sing" to, rather than just read to kids. They loved it! The illustrations are funny, and sometimes kinda gross and funky, but my boys love that.
There are 14 total songs to sing, to old tunes that we know and love. This is a great and engaging book, that will put a smile on any child's face. The words "silly dilly" are perfect for this book.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Toe-tapping verses that beg to be sung aloud, April 18, 2003

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

I'm Still Here In The Bathtub by Alan Katz is a delightful collection of "silly-dilly" poems, which can be sung to the tunes of classic childhood favorites. Extravagant caricature artwork by David Catrow adds a special touch to the toe-tapping verses that beg to be sung aloud, in this pleasant and humorous picture book. My Sister Fights With Me: My sister fights with me/We always disagree/And it's her fault!/She breaks my favorite stuff/She treats me mean and rough/I say, "I've had enough!"/Our mom yells halt!/So we act like we're friends/But soon the niceness ends/She starts to hiss/Taking things from my drawers/Making me do her chores/And worst of all, she snores/Please take my sis!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If you have the first, you need the second, May 1, 2005

By	Catherine Hallberg "(Kate)" (Boulder, CO USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you liked "take me out of the bathtub" you'll like this one too. maybe not "read" on the same night as the first, but certainly both could go along on a car trip or a camping trip and you could get a lot of milage out of the two.


As a trained singer I've been shocked to hear "stop singing!" from my children. They NEVER say that about these songs, thankfully and will even sing along with me.

The lyrics are funny- and the illustrations fit the sprawling "kid look". It often helps to hum the "real" song before launching into the parody since the tune can often be wiped from memory- maybe it's fear when the melody sees what's going to be done to it. :-P

these songs are great fun for me and my kids. The cats even stick around for some rousing renditions.