ISBN 0785300546 – Interactive books always rate high with me because they go pretty far in drawing kids into reading. Silly Songs, as far as the text goes, hardly deserves a reward (the songs are, of course, well known, not original) but the illustrations by Jerry Tiritilli are gloriously colorful and fun and move the book out of the average.

Songs are: Down by the Station, Bingo, Row Row Row Your Boat, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone, Do Your Ears Hang Low, The Eensy Weensy Spider, The Noble Duke of York, Pop! Goes the Weasel, Polly-Wolly-Doodle ans Be Kind to Your Web-Footed Friends (to the tune of Hurrah! for the Red, White and Blue). Each song and its illustrations takes up two facing pages, with the text in large letters. The buttons, when pressed, play the full song so that you and your child can sing along. The illustrations are every bit as silly as the songs.

The replaceable batteries are a big plus in books like this since it would be a shame to throw it away when the batteries die! The pages are by no means sturdy – the book is for the 4-8 age group, and board books are generally behind them at this point – and, like any over-sized book, because the pages are large (they measure about 12” x 8 ¾”) they tear easily in eager hands. Still worthwhile – the only thing more fun than singing silly songs is singing silly songs with Mom and/or Dad. Learning to recognize words happens more naturally when you’re having fun, too!

- AnnaLovesBooks ( )