The Singable Songs Collection

In 1976 a young Toronto musician released a fun and lively record called Singable Songs for the Very Young. The artist was a fellow called Raffi, and in the liner notes he wrote at the time that "there are very few good children's records." True as that was in the '70s, Singable Songs became the No. 1 bestseller in its field and set the standard for today's greater volume of high-quality material. The Singable Songs Collection reissues the classic Singable Songs for the Very Young and its superlative successors, More Singable Songs and Corner Grocery Store, as a set. Raffi's exhilarating acoustic musicality and sense of humor shine brightly through. Single-digit-age kids and their parents will get a kick out of these silly, educational, and joyful songs, which range in subject matter and tone from shared peanut-butter sandwiches and instrumental ragtime to standards like "Goodnight, Irene." --Paige La Grone

Much is made of the importance of giving kids the right start in everything from playtime options to education. In that regard, parents looking to put their tiny ones on the proper path, music-wise, should invest in this two-album box set without delay. It consists of the first pair of releases by Raffi, still the premier children's performing artist after more than two decades in the business. Those inaugural records are Singable Songs for the Very Young and More Singable Songs, both brimming with kids' classics and Raffi originals; The Singable Songs Collection features all 35 of these essential tunes, in order of appearance on their respective albums. Raffi's own tunes include "Shake My Sillies Out," which provides tykes with an effective (and furniture-safe) method for letting loose excess energy; "Willoughby Wallaby Woo," an irresistible name game easy enough for toddlers to play; and "I Wonder If I'm Growing," another charmer for the sandbox set. Raffi covers plenty of children's favorites in his own good-time way, in such songs as "Six Little Ducks," "Down by the Bay," and "Aikendrum." There are several multicultural offerings as well, such as the island-flavored "Sambalele" and "Petites Marionettes," sung in French. Throughout, Raffi's special bond with young children is emphatically evident.