Humpty Who?: A Crash Course in 80 Nursery Rhymes

What a great CD and book for those of us that would like our grandchildremen/children, to know some of those long ago songs. As a teacher I find that many children just don't know about nursery ryhmes or songs.

I purchased this for the book -- I knew I needed some help with lyrics when I found myself singing showtunes and television commercial jingles to my baby. The book is exactly as advertised - pretty straightforward lyrics + some humor. The CD, however, was an unexpectedly rousing success! The voice is very pleasant - not the least bit cheesy or whiny - and I could listen to it on repeat (And often have to!). In short, I love it - I'd pay $10+ for the CD alone and will buy it for many friends in the future...

I wouldn't say I'm a "clueless" mom, but I was a bit at a loss when my daughter arrived and I desperately wanted to sing to her but found I didn't remember any of the standard nursery rhymes. I looked for stuff on the internet, printing out what I could find, and, sure, a lot of the lyrics are out there. But there was very little music to be found. And the childrens' music I did find on CDs tended to be more about the artist than the music. Most childrens' music by one artist will be rendered in that artist's own style. And that's great for adult music. But childrens music, I think, requires an ability to project different voices, different styles, and that is where this CD is a rousing success. "A Tisket, a Tasket" needs to be sung in a Doris Day voice. "Head, Shoulders, Knees, & Toes" works best when sung in the style of Ethel Merman. Singing in these different styles, making singing a playful game, is what keeps this CD interesting for adults. The songs sound real and natural. The CD has most of the standards as well as some great French & Spanish rhymes. This is the one childrens CD I keep on heavy rotation during playtime. In addition to a great CD, the book is pretty cool too. All the lyrics are there, most with historical references. And there are entertaining bits of history with titles like "What's up with Jack?" (on why Jack is such a common character in the nursery world) and "Lie Back and Think of England" (double entendre on the Englishness of most nursery rhymes). Also has helpful pictograms on how to do "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and motions for "Noble Duke of York", etc. All in a great format amenable to quick flipping-thru when you and the little one are busy playing.

I LOVE this book and CD. I've been searching for something like it for months and it's one of a kind. I mainly listen to the CD and sing along to my 3 month old. It's been fun relearning these children's classics. I highly recommend it.

I disagree completely with the previous reviewer. I have found this book to be not only humorous but helpful. Sure you can find most of these lyrics on the internet, but it's much more handy to have them at your fingertips. The book's artwork is hip and funky and my kids LOVE the CD. I really appreciate that the instrumentation is authentic and real...not rinky-dink synthesized sounds. The arrangements are fresh and clever and the singers really hit the mark. And the price is reasonable. This book has become a baby shower staple for me.