This Old Band

PreS-Gr 2—The popular nursery rhyme "This Old Man" gets a fresh twist in this picture book filled with rhyming and counting fun. Using a variety of homemade instruments and objects, the cowpokes set out on the open range. They make some unexpected friends as they play their music through the day—and all through the night—while counting down from 10 to 1. "Number eight/Plays click click/Eight plays click click with a stick./With a tick tick boodle pick,/Play a mustang song./This old band plays all day long." Clever use of alliteration and rhyme, as well as laugh-out-loud funny tongue-twisters, complement the singsong nature of the story, making this an ideal book for both storytimes and one-on-one sharing. The bright, lively cartoon art complements the story, blending likability with silliness, and is sure to encourage readers to sing along. Librarians and caregivers will appreciate the creative use of language and the reinforcement of counting skills, which work in tandem to encourage early literacy development.—Natalie Braham, Denver Public Library