This vibrant, engaging assortment offers children an entertaining introduction to the French language. From stories of friendship, family, discovery, and self-esteem to silly, snappy songs of one-of-a-kind barnyard animals, lullabies, and segments of classical music, children tune in to a variety of musical styles and multi-cultural experiences. The accompanying CDs provide children an opportunity to hear the pronunciation of the words and sing along as they learn the language. In the title song and story of this musical collection, a stuffed, woolen puppy falls victim to famished mites after having been left at home alone while his parents go to see an exhibit of humans at a local park. Upon their return, they discover his red, soggy, cotton tail on the floor and are faced with the challenge of putting him back together. Lionel Daunais’s lighthearted rendition of this song was a popular radio favorite in French-speaking Canada in the 1950s. The additional 12 songs in this storybook-music CD are off-the-wall fun for the whole family, full of clever word play and many strange creatures, including a bird who is part kangaroo and part rooster, a tortoise named Sue who goes around town without a shell, and a hard-headed hammer who has gone bonkers. | Le petit chien de laine by Lionel Daunais, Picture Books | Indigo Chapters