The Peter Yarrow Songbook: Favorite Folk Songs [With CD (Audio)]

Binder of book is kind of broken but book otherwise in good shape, just no C D as promised.

I checked this out of the library for my 3yo son, and he liked it enough that he's going to get it for Christmas. My son particularly loves "Cockles and Mussels" and "Erie Canal" -- he knows the latter song from a "Veggie Tales" video. This is a nice introduction for children to the great American songbook. The presence of several spirituals is welcome. Note, though, that many of the pieces are dark or tragic in theme. If you are a girl named Molly in one of these songs, chances are pretty good that you are going to pass away. I actually like this feature of these songs. Kids know that life contains pain, loss, betrayal and unfairness. These songs are not antiseptic, cheery-cheery pieces, but reflect life in a way that is haunting, beautiful and singable.

We got this for our granddaughter's 4th birthday, and she liked it right away. The book was helpful in introducing her to the songs, but now we listen to the CD all the time in the car. It's not specifically children's music, but the songs do appeal to kids. One thing to be aware of is that some of the songs, because they touch on topics like war, may prompt questions as the kids begin to learn the lyrics. Our little one was was quite taken with "The Cruel War," and wanted to talk endlessly about why someone would have to go to war, how wars start, why people fight, why women couldn't go to war at the time the song was written, and so on. On balance, I think it's useful to talk about such things with children, who simply want answers, and the music offers opportunities for discussion.