 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Mouse Jamboree
- By Mary Kaye
- Genre: Children's Music
Common Sense Media says
Terrific songs about girlhood's simple pleasures.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that the artist is clearly a hands-on mother who is intimately involved in her daughters' fantasy lives and real-life concerns, and these delightful songs reflect this. Parents might well enjoy Mary Kaye's lovely voice and appealing acoustic folk even more than their kids.
What's the story?
In singer/songwriter Mary Kaye's second release, MOUSE JAMBOREE, she clearly reflects the lives of her daughters (ages 4 and 6). Reminiscent of Jonathan Richman's sensibility, Kaye writes of simple pleasures like hole-digging or sitting by the heater. Other songs tell magical tales of elves, unicorns, and tooth fairies. In one track, Kaye's whimsical perspective offers a Thumbelina's-eye view that allows little listeners to see the world through teeny-tiny eyes and consider a life in which "a blade of grass is like a tree." "The Library Book" recounts the tale of a cherished library book checked out over and over again. It could even help get kids psyched for a library visit.
Is it any good?
While many children's music artists cast a wide net, singing about generalized childhood topics for the generic kid, Kaye's lyrics reflect a mom who closely observes her children's interests. Her warbly vocals recall Natalie Merchant or Rickie Lee Jones, and her appealing folk-rock arrangements include some pleasing harmonies and vocal layering that's a notch more sophisticated than your garden-variety kid entertainers. Kaye's rich warm music is something that families will want to play again and again.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the characters in the stories told in these songs. Which songs are about children's books they might know? Which songs reflect fantasy and which reflect reality?
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| Artist: | Mary Kaye |
| Release date: | January 15, 2005 |
| Label: | Mary Mary Music |
| Genre: | Children's Music |
| Parental advisory: | No |
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