Sing, sing a song

When buying kids books, you have to think about the kid. If the young un doesn't like trains, buying them Lois Lenski's the Little Train, is probably a bad idea. You must also think of the parents. Will they actually read it, or will they hide it somewhere and pretend they can't find it. Or even donate it to Goodwill. Mary Anne Hoberman and Nadine Bernard Westcott have written a series of books that will either greatly appeal or greatly annoy the reading parents. They take a familiar rhyme and then add their own follow verses. So you have to sing them. This may drive some people nuts. If that is not the case, then take a look at Yankee Doodle, which has our hero opening a noodle shop. Or Miss Mary Mack which gets a little more bizarre than in the original.