Kepi For Kids - Kepi Ghoulie

Artist:  Kepi Ghoulie

Album: Kepi For Kids 

Age Range: 2 through 6

Description: Just like his Fun Fun Records bandmates Play Date, the first album from pop-punk rocker Kepi Ghoulie shouldn't scare anybody who thinks that punk rock isn't appropriate for preschoolers.  (That's not necessarily true all the time, but that's a separate discussion.)  There are some similarities with Caspar Babypants, and it's not just the bald head -- Kepi's album is a mostly acoustic poppier and goofier version of Mr. Ballew's preschool-aged tunes.  I prefer the CB stuff, but there are some really good tracks here, most notably the sweet "Moonbeam" and the lovey-dovey country-fried "Days That End In 'Y'," which deserves to be on some dopey romantic comedy (or kid-friendly comedy) soundtrack.  I'm pretty sure it'll give your kids (and you) at least a handful of smiles in its 30-minute run-time.  Recommended.

Note: I received a copy of this album for possible review.

Augie to Zebra (An Alphabet Book): Kate Endle & Caspar Babypants

Artist: Kate Endle & Caspar Babypants

Book: Augie to Zebra (An Alphabet Book!)

Age Range: 3 through 6

Description: The title of the third book from wife-and-husband team of Kate Endle and Chris Ballew pretty much says it all.  Alliterative activities featuring kids playing with animals, highlighted by Endle's delightful collage-work (among my favorites, the feline jug band featured in "Josie jams with jaguars.").  And, as you may surmise from that example, besides the repeating letters, 4-through-6-year-olds will have fun finding other items in each illustration that also start with the relevant letter.  The accompanying free mp3 for the book (available here) is nice, but tied as it is to the non-story (but literal) text, isn't particularly exciting.  In any case, fans of the previous two books from the duo will likely be pleased with this new entry.