Animal House

Veronica Schwartz, Des Plaines Public Library, IL -- School Library Journal, 8/17/2007

Animal House. CD. 54:15 min. Prod. by Recess Monkey. Dist. by Big Kids Prods. 2006. $15.

PreS-Gr 2–Recess Monkey offers up 20 rockin' tracks that are designed for children but will entertain adults as well. With fantastic vocals and instrumentation, Recess Monkey often sounds like a 60's band similar to Hermann's Hermits as they perform songs that focus on animals and are set to a great, sing-along beat. Each song is fun and educational, ranging in topic from what kinds of things to see at the zoo ("Zoo, Zoo, Zoo") to what life as a zookeeper might be like ("When We Play Lion") to a conversation between a climbing squirrel and a flying squirrel who are thinking about switching places ("Trading Squirrels"). In "Unlikely Likeables," youngsters learn that friends can be the same and different through examples such as the fish and shark that go to the park and the rat and the snake that bake a cake. Domestic animals get their fair treatment and are featured in "KC (He's a Fine Dog)," "Fred (The Tabby Cat)," "The Rabbits," and "I Wanna Iguana." Songs about bats, a chicken, a cheetah, and a butterfly are also included. The lyrics tell fantastic stories that are fun and educational. This must-have album will be circulated again and again.