children's music review

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Product Review
Here is a wonderfully innovative and fresh approach to teaching young children awareness of the world around them, biology, and natural sciences. Through the use of fun and pleasing music, Flumpa's World explores tropical rain forests, amphibians, and reptiles. This audio CD and cassette were created and performed by Wendy Whitten and Rick Florian, who also perform live shows based on Flumpa the tree frog character. The songs are very entertaining. Examples of songs include:

• Voices of the Forest transports kids down the Amazon, with music that evokes much anticipation of what creature they will meet up with next.
• Reptile vs. Amphibian will teach kids to distinguish between these sometimes similar groups — reptiles and amphibians.
• A Frog's Life introduces kids to the idea of metamorphosis of a frog from an egg to an adult.
• Never Say Goodbye is a moving song that makes kids think about endangered species.

These are only 4 of the 12 songs contained on the album, and the entire album is approximately 30 minutes long. The songs are done in various styles and are very lively and entertaining. While listening to really fun songs kids hear phrases like "Did you know that the Earth is mostly water, right at seventy percent", "We could climb Mt. Everest to the highest point on earth, or dive at lowest place at the Dead Sea". Children really enjoyed listening to the songs, and seemed to actually learn quite a few facts along the way. The endangered species song was especially relevant for the second-grader whose last-term science class in school was devoted to the topic.

Dollar Value
This audio CD retails for $14 US, and the cassette is $10 US.