Review and Giveaway! Soulville CD and book set

I can't get over how lucky kids are these days. When I was a child, I didn't have any music that was specifically for me. We listened to what my parents listened to. I usually didn't get any say in the matter whatsoever. I've already told you about how I vowed to force my own children to live the same life that I had to until I realized that Nadia really enjoys music catered to her much better than my grown-up music. Luckily letting my kids listen to music recorded with their taste in mind, doesn't have to mean that I am miserable. With albums like Soulville from Little Monster Records, everyone in the car can ends up singing-along and enjoying the music, not just the kids!

Soulville is a collection of (surprise!) soul music from the 1960s and 70s. All of the songs have been rerecorded by current R&B artists with a kids' chorus. These are no cheesy remixes, though. I have a hard time telling them from the original recordings. If it weren't for the voices of the kids in the background, I'm not certain that anyone but I true die-hard soul fan would recognize much of a difference at all because the arrangements are so very true to the originals. It's amazing how much more responsive to music Nadia is with the simple addition of a kid's voice in the background, too. She really gets into this album. My favorite songs are definitely Mustang Sally and Grandma's Hands while she loves listening to Dancing in the Streets because it mentions both Chicago and her other favorite, New York City. (She's never been there, but she did see the Wonder Pets rescue a pigeon from the top of the Statue of Liberty!) You can also expect to find other soul favorites like A-B-C and Lean on Me. I really like that the album is real soul music, made a little more kid friendly, but not dumbed down.

With your CD, you'll also get a nice board book that includes notes both about the songs and the original recording artists as well as a series of poems about the importance of the soul music genre in American history. Nadia has enjoyed the poetry, and I think the book will eventually be a nice springboard for discussion as Nadia gets older and more aware of the world around her.

If soul music isn't your thing, Little Monster Records also just re-released their first album All Together Now which is a compilation of Beatle covers performed by real kids and their "grown-up friends." You get the same package deal with a CD and a book of poems, Beatle facts and drawings to share with the whole family. I'm thinking stocking stuffer, Grandma!

You can buy Soulville at Amazon.com for $16.95 which includes both the CD and the book together which isn't a bad price. A great deal for kid's music that you will enjoy just as much as your child will, and a book that teaches kids a little about music and a little about the history without lecturing.


Would you like to win a copy of Soulville to share with your children? Go visit the Little Monster Records website and check out all the albums they have to offer. Choose which one you think your family would most enjoy and leave us a comment telling us which one it is and why you would want to play it in your car. Your comment will enter you to win one of two copies of Soulville from Little Monster Records. All entries must be received by midnight on Monday, October 13th. You must be 18 or older to win and only one entry per household. Please feel free to leave your email, but if you don't, we'll also post the winners here and at Prizey.Fetch. Remember though, you only have 1 week to claim your prize before we choose an alternate winner. Thanks for reading and Good Luck!