Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that the Imagination Movers serve up friendly, positive messages for very young kids with a generous helping of rhythmic, danceable fun. Each song directly addresses one clearly-defined moment in a preschooler's life. "We've Got Each Other," about a family on the road with no clear plan for the future after having lost everything in Hurricane Katrina, is far more conceptually ambitious than the rest and might require some explanation.
Families can talk about the songs' very direct messages. "Clean My Room" might be used as an inspirational soundtrack for family clean-up time; "I Want My Mommy" addresses the issue of sleeping through the night in your own bed; "What's in the Fridge?" might be fun to play while making snacks or dinner. "We've Got Each Other" is about a family made homeless by Hurricane Katrina. Do you know anyone who was affected by that disaster? Can you think of some ways to help?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Kathi Kamen Goldmark
With rhythm and energy to spare, the Imagination Movers provide a family-friendly soundtrack to preschool life on JUICE BOX HEROES. Seventeen short songs address both big and little concepts head on with clear, direct, and positive messages. The titles say it all: "Clean My Room," "The Medicine Song," "I Want My Mommy." "We've Got Each Other" is by far the most unsettling with lyrics like "We sleep in hotel rooms/we're eating crazy food/I haven't got any toys/I've only got one shoe…I don't know where we're at …where ever we wind up we'll call it home/'cause we've got each other to lean on." About a family on the road with no clear plan for the future after Hurricane Katrina, this one's more conceptually ambitious than the rest and might require a bit of extra explanation or discussion.
Musically, the standout moments are the up-tempo tracks; the group is less successful when they slow things down -- their attempt at reggae is especially clumsy. But, with each song's single-minded lesson front and center, families can use Juice Box Heroes as background music for everyday activities, a jumping-off point for talking about preschool kids' concerns, or a just-plain-fun dance party.
For some slightly edgier, more complex children's music check out Class of 3000: Music Volume One, They Might Be Giants' Here Come the 123s, and Have You Never Been Yellow?.
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Social BehaviorPositive messages about self-esteem, friendship, dancing, and families sticking together. |
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CommercialismNo obvious product placement in the lyrics. |
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