Just Kiddin'

PreS-Gr 3—Kate Danaher and Amy Cloud are perfect together on this alternative folk disc, awarded a Parents' Choice Recommendation and NAPPA Honors. Their folksy style works well with the topics and the musical arrangements of the story-songs, with original and traditional music arranged by Cloud. Lead vocals pass between Danaher and Cloud; both perform with a country twang, yet shimmer when accompanied by tight vocals, fiddle, mountain dulcimer, autoharp, banjo, harp, or harmonica. Danaher's fiddling is featured on many songs including "The Battle of Horrible Howard" (a western-flavored story about a wild, dirty outlaw who finally gets a bath) and "Fiddlee Kate/Home on the Range" (when she intentionally plays "Home on the Range" off-pitch, then pitch perfect). She assumes an Irish accent as she takes the lead telling the traditional stories "The Goat" (a story about a good/bad series of events) and "The Giant from Scotland" (a retelling of the tale of "Finn McCoul"). Other standouts include the story "Poor Ichabod" (a tandem retelling of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow ") and "Silly Mr. Billy" (a story about being afraid of thunderstorms). Fun for the whole family.—Stephanie Bange, Wright State University, Dayton, OH