International Rose Test Garden

Songs for three-year-olds

In preparation for an extended babysitting gig, I'm scanning my computer for good music that might entertain both me and little kids (and not infuriate their parents). It's not that easy. The Chemical Brothers' "Salmon Dance" is perfect except for one teenytiny little f-bomb. The Bosshoss randomly threw two f's into their awesome cover of Outkast's "Hey Ya" (which I just couldn't find an mp3 for). Devendra Banhart's "Little Yellow Spider" is adorable, except for the verse that produces "hooves instead of hands". I could go on.

Still, looking for links to these songs, I found tons of other great stuff (and couldn't find links for some great stuff). Maybe I'll add more when it's properly curated. For now, I'm gonna see what the youngsters think of these songs:
Gothic Archies - Scream And Run Away
Jonathan Coulton - Skullcrusher Mountain [ Buy]
Jonathan Coulton - Chiron Beta Prime [YouTube][ Buy]
Cocorosie - Rainbowarriors
Y.A.C.H.T. - See A Penny (Pick It Up)
Andrews Sisters - Tico Tico
Dixie Cups - Iko Iko
Boney M. - Rasputin
Tom Lehrer - The Elements
The Beatles - Drive My Car
The Chordettes - Mr. Sandman
The Chordettes - Lollipop [YouTube]
White Denim - shakeshakeshake
Judy Garland - Somewhere Over The Rainbow
Sesame Street - Mah Na Mah Na [YouTube]
The Bangles - Walk Like An Egyptian
Peter Bjorn and John - Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard
Central Services Board of Education - The Lonely Tomato
They Might Be Giants - Istanbul (Not Constantinople)
They Might Be Giants - Why Does the Sun Shine?
They Might Be Giants - Particle Man
Black Moth Super Rainbow - I Think It Is Beautiful That You Are 256 Colors Too
Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
The Monkees - Daydream Believer
New York Dolls - Dance Like A Monkey
Paul Simon - Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard
The Muppets - Mah Na Mah Na [YouTube]

Books for three-year-olds

I'm about to go help my sister with her twin three-year-olds while she figures out the routine of having twin three-year-olds and brand new twin infants. Children under the age of twelve want all your attention all the time, so I hope to go prepared with quality books, movies with actual plots, and music that doesn't make me want to rip my ears off. First, the books.

Nutcracker
I'd never heard of it before, but it's well-regarded on GoodReads.
$1.62+$3.99 shipping at Amazon
$21.60 through Powell's
Portlander price: $5.61

A Very Special House
I just discovered Ruth Krauss as the author of the Sendak-illustrated Bears. A lot of her books look great!$5.45+$3.99 at Amazon
$16.95 Powell's Burnside and Hawthorne
Portlander price: $9.44


I Can Fly
Another intriguing Krauss book.
$0.16+$3.99 shipping at Amazon
$1.95 at Powell's Hawthorne
Portlander price: $1.95



The Carrot Seed
Another intriguing Ruth Krauss book. It sounds like it might be more satisfying to patient adult readers than to squirmy toddlers, but I'll see how the kids like it.
$0.95+$3.99 shipping at Amazon
$6.99 at Powell's Burnside
Portlander price: $4.94

Where The Wild Things Are
I don't remember reading this as a child, and the vague recollection I have of reading it to my baby sister has us stopping early on because she was bored. Maybe, like me, she couldn't relate to being a the kind of brat the kid in the book is. But man oh man do people love this book! I'll give it one more chance.
$0.01+$3.99 shipping at Amazon
$12.50 at Powell's Beaverton
Portlander price: $4

Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus
This sounds, and looks, based on the pages Amazon would let me see, really fun. Yeah, encouraging kids to say "No" might not be a brilliant move. But I only have to deal with the consequences for a month...
$4.55+$3.99 shipping at Amazon
Not at Powell's
Portlander price: $8.54

Hippos Go Berserk
Looks fun, and two of Boynton's other books have been popular with some kid or another I've babysat (I can't remember which).
$0.47+$3.99 shipping at Amazon
$7.99 at Powell's Burnside and Hawthorne
Portlander price: $4.46

But Not the Hippopotamus
Another well-regarded Boynton hippo book.
$0.01+$3.99 shipping at Amazon
$3.95 at Powell's Burnside
Portlander price: $3.95


Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
My niece and nephew have had this for a couple years, and it's on the heavy-rotation shelf, so they must like it.
$0.01+$3.99 shipping at Amazon
$16.95 at Powell's Hawthorne
Portlander price: $4

Corduroy
I remember reading this when I was 8 or 10 for some reason and hating it, but I think it was intended for my little sisters, not me. I'll see how some younger kids like it.
$1.49+$3.99 shipping at Amazon
$3.95 at Powell's Beaverton
Portlander price: $3.95

The Very Hungry Caterpillar
An incredibly gorgeous book. This was one of my sisters' favorite books when she was about five, and younger kids enjoy turning the pages and poking their fingers in the holes.
$2.50+$3.99 shipping at Amazon
$19 + shipping from Powell's
Portlander price: $6.49

One, Two, Three
An educational Boynton book that sounds fun.
$0.01+$3.99 shipping at Amazon
$4.95 at Powell's Beaverton
Portlander price: $4



The Going-To-Bed Book
This is one of the Boynton books one of my babysitting charges really enjoys. If I recall correctly, it even helped get the kid to sleep!
$0.01+$3.99 shipping at Amazon
$5.99 at Powell's Beaverton
Portlander price: $4

Snuggle Puppy
Oof. This book. It's great, it's sweet, and at least one kid I know loves it, but it requires singing. Don't read it in front of other people if you're self-conscious.
$0.01+$3.99 at Amazon
$3.95 at Powell's Beaverton
Portlander price: $3.95

Moo, Baa, La La La!
Boynton rules the pre-school set. This book sounds fun.
$0.01+$3.99 at Amazon
$3.50 at Powell's Burnside
Portlander price: $3.50

Barnyard Dance!
I'm betting my farm-kid niece and nephew have this one -- it rings a bell -- but if so, perhaps I'll have an extra copy on hand for the myriad other children people my age are producing.
$0.01+$3.99 shipping at Amazon
$9.95+shipping from Powell's
Portlander price: $4

Pat The Bunny
In the heavy-rotation of one of my babysitting charges.
$0.50+$3.99 shipping at Amazon
$9.99 at Powell's Burnside and Hawthorne
Portlander price: $4.49


The Very Lonely Firefly
Another gorgeous Eric Carle book, well-regarded on GoodReads.
$3.41+$3.99 shipping at Amazon
$9.50 at Powell's Hawthorne
Portlander price: $7.40

Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy!
A tactile Boynton book that sounds fun for kids.
$1.81+3.99 shipping at Amazon
$6.95 at Powell's Hawthorne
Portlander price: $5.80

Bears
I found this book recommended by the New York Times when I went looking, fruitlessly, for a comment Naomi Wolf supposedly made about "Where The Wild Things Are." Learning about the existence of Ruth Krauss was more valuable by far than finding a more erudite feminist to do my talkin' for me.
$0.42+$3.99 shipping at Amazon
$6.50 at Powell's Burnside
Portlander price: $4.41

Your Personal Penguin
Played out as they are, I still love penguins.
$0.99+$3.99 shipping at Amazon
$6.95 at Powell's Burnside and Hawthorne
Portlander price: $4.98



Goodnight Goodnight Sleepyhead
A sweet-looking Krauss book. Amazon recommends it for 4-8 year olds, but given the simple subject, I just can't believe that's right.
$3.20+$3.99 at Amazon
$6.99 at Powell's Burnside
Portlander price: $6.99

ABC: A Child's First Alphabet Book
Auntie Jami loves her an educational book, potential boringness be darned!
$4.49+$3.99 shipping at Amazon
$8.99 at Powell's Burnside and Hawthorne
Portlander price: $8.48