Reading Rocks

Johnette Downing

Johnette Downing has won lots of awards (21 to be exact) for her children’s music.  Now she records ‘Reading Rocks’ which has been two years in the making!  The CD interweaves readings from five of Johnette’s beloved picture books, including her newest, Why the Possum Has a Large Grin, with eleven lively songs that range in style from bluegrass to rock, as well as finger plays and limericks, all designed to motivate youngsters to roll into the library and bop into books.

 Johnette Downing says, “My fans give me the best ideas.’

 Track List:

1. Reading Rocks!
2. Open a Book Finger Play
3. Today is Monday in Kentucky
4. Why the Oyster Has the Pearl
5. Oyster Limerick
6. R*E*A*D
7. Story Time
8. The Colors of the Sky
9. Why the Crawfish Lives in the Mud
10. Reach Every Achievement Desired
11. There Once Was a Boy Named Cary
12. Read to Me
13. Principal’s Desk
14. Why the Possum has a Large Grin
15. Readers are Leaders
16. Today is Monday in New York
17. Do-do Sleep my Child

Like gumbo in a pot, Downing scrambles her ingredients with spice, Cajun, creole, gators, crawfish – into a dish we can’t stop listening to!  As always with a great kid’s CD, I let my grandkids listen ONLY after I have played the CD many times in my car.  I love the Louisiana flavors, the great motivation to read, and the fact that many songs are right out of Ms. Downing’s own fiction books for children.

Two years in the making, Reading Rocks! is Johnette Downing’s first album to combine spoken word with music.  The CD interweaves readings from five of Johnette’s beloved picture books, including her newest, Why the Possum Has a Large Grin (Pelican Publishing, fall 2012), with eleven lively songs that range in style from bluegrass to rock, as well as finger plays and limericks, all designed to motivate youngsters and reluctant readers to roll into the library and bop into books.

Absolutely astonishing clips to teach your kids the co two-step, with some Dixieland jazz and Caribbean thrown in to dance, hop and skip to!

Loved it!

Reading Rocks will be available beginning November 20 from Johnette Dowling’s website as well as other CD sellers.

Ratings are based on a 5-star scale

Overall: 4

Review by Broad “A” – Ava

We received product for our review. All opinions are our own