Nancy Stewart's gentle voice creates an overall calming effect throughout her album of original songs with folk influences. Listeners will hear primarily guitar, along with harmonica, recorder, tuba, keyboard, ocarina, kazoo, maracas, finger symbols, guiro, and tambourine.

Nancy Stewart's songs are creative and cover topics of interest to children, presenting them in a calming, happy manner. For instance, any child with a family pet will understand the unconditional love addressed in Sam, about a dog; "I love him just the way that he is, and he loves me just the way that I am." There is even a soft dog bark at the end of the song. Wild Little Boy (or girl) is a beautiful piano song that may very well describe a little one you know; "My mom always says, you're driving me crazy/What am I gonna do/ Then she smiles and says to me/ It's a good thing I love you, I love you." Make Up Songs is a short, single-verse song about how Nancy likes to make up songs like this one, but then can't remember the lyrics. Odds are, your little one has experienced this too! Someday is a sweet ballad about all the places children dream of visiting someday. Many of Stewart's songs call on her little listener's imagination, such as Monsters, a song about playing with four ugly monsters all afternoon. I'd Have a Dinosaur begins with a growl and a tuba's 'oom-pah oom pah's, before the singer explains all that she would do if she got a pet dinosaur: have her mom make him jeans, feed him chocolate bars, teach him to read, tuck him in, take him for show-and-tell, and so much more!

Stewart's songs are truly aimed at children and focus on the experiences they can relate to, so don't be surprised if the songs spark questions, comments, and anecdotes from your child. He or she may ask, what a tape machine is, where tide pools are, or if they can have a kazoo too. Oodles of Animals is a song about all the stuffed animals children have around their bed and the difficult time they have deciding who will come to bed with them. Does your child have a special stuffed animal (or two, or three...) or a security blanket that provides them with comfort when the lights go out? You can encourage your child to share why their special object makes them feel better. Thinking Cap is another great song to talk about, as it has an excellent message, "Just put on your thinking cap and find, the answer is there is there inside your mind." This song encourages children to think their problems through and try to come up with a solution on their own. It can also be a fun game and practice for creativity 'decorating' your thinking cap; ask your little one what they imagine their own thinking cap to look like. You may need to go first to show them how it's done. Does it have sparkles? Does it glow in the dark? Does it sing, twirl, or change shape?

My two-year-old friend, Kyle, first listened to this album with me in the car. He was interested in the Snakes Like to Snuggle song. He kept asking me if it was true that snakes snuggle and smile in the fall. I honestly have no clue, so I simply said "Maybe. Snakes are gross." Kyle looked offended and corrected me, "No way! Snakes are awesome!" Kyle proceeded to state that if snakes do indeed snuggle, then he would like one for Christmas and it can sleep in his room.

--Audra

Nancy Stewart is a national award-winning musician who has been writing and performing for young children and their families for more than twenty years. This followed a successful fifteen year-long career as lead guitarist and vocalist with a nationally known show band. Featuring original and traditional songs, Nancy's CDs for children can be heard in schools, homes, and libraries across the country. Her music workshops for teachers, parents, and librarians have been highly praised for their relevant, useful, and easy to use songs and ideas.

Brand New Day - 2:51

Snakes Like to Snuggle - 1:23

Thinking Cap - 2:20

Tidepools - 2:51

Sam - 1:38

I'd Have A Dinosaur - 2:23

Someday - 2:21

Oodles of Animals - 2:12

Monsters - 2:49

Zoo Zoo Kazoo - 1:52

My Ocarina - 3:38

Five Little Birdies - 1:56

Wild Little Boy - 3:18

Just Like Me - 1:44

Tape Machine - 2:24

Make Up Songs - 0:15