Mommy Entourage Reviews READING ROCKS!

Johnette Downing's "Reading Rocks!" is a bluesy mix of Creole, zydeco, and jazzed up country tunes.  The album combines Johnette in spoken word and lively kids songs.  As an educator with a passion for music, her goal is to foster a love for reading in children using music as her tool.  If you are looking for a combination of storytelling and songs, this is a great choice.

I hope some of these albums can help lift your spirits and keep your kids from climbing the walls.  Happy listening, and stay tuned for our winter of edition ofWhat's New in Kids Music!

-MOMMY ENTOURAGE, www.mommyentourage.net

The Review Broads Review READING ROCKS!

Like gumbo in a pot, Downing scrambles her ingredients with spice, Cajun, creole, gators, crawfish - into a dish we can’t stop listening to!  As always with a great kid’s CD, I let my grandkids listen ONLY after I have played the CD many times in my car.  I love the Louisiana flavors, the great motivation to read, and the fact that many songs are right out of Ms. Downing’s own fiction books for children.

Two years in the making, Reading Rocks! is Johnette Downing’s first album to combine spoken word with music.  The CD interweaves readings from five of Johnette’s beloved picture books, including her newest, Why the Possum Has a Large Grin (Pelican Publishing, fall 2012), with eleven lively songs that range in style from bluegrass to rock, as well as finger plays and limericks, all designed to motivate youngsters and reluctant readers to roll into the library and bop into books.

Absolutely astonishing clips to teach your kids the co two-step, with some Dixieland jazz and Caribbean thrown in to dance, hop and skip to!

-The Review Broads, www.reviewbroads.com 

Playthings Reviews "Reading Rocks!"

Reading Rocks! by Johnette Downing (November 20).  This New Orleans singer/songwriter combines spoken word with music, as she interweaves readings from five of her picture books with 11 lively songs that range in style from bluegrass to rock.  www.johnettedowning.com

Offbeat Reviews Reading Rocks!

How delightful and how warm to find New Orleans’ own Johnette Downing praising and prescribing for the next generation. She wants kids to read, and so they should. She spreads out the magic of reading in such tunes as “Readers Are Leaders,” and even if I’m not completely convinced, I want to be. The playing, never less than tasty, pushes the gentle didacticism and could stand on its own should Downing ever decide to make music for grown-ups. I’m happiest with Gina Forsyth’s fiddle, but Downing, self-producing, multi-tracks herself into a mini-orchestra with string things, voices and “percussions.”

Some of the songs are actually stories. Said stories feature lazy, greedy snakes, crawfish and possums, outshone by valiant and selfless oysters, crabs and deer. Hey, I know this record is supposed to sell the young ones on the idea of the future. But can I stand under its awning awhile? Life’s better here.

-Andrew Hamlin, Offbeat Magazine

PS Mom Reviews "Reading Rocks!"

This CD is my son's newest love. I don't know what exactly he likes about it, but there is some big draw for him. Maybe it's the variety of music styles all in one CD. Maybe it's his love for reading being the content of this CD. Either way, he really enjoys it. It's one that we hear him playing in his CD player often. It's a great kid friendly and family friendly CD that will make a great addition to your CD collection. - PS Mom Reviews

Louisiana Musicians Roster

I just found out that I have been accepted to the Louisiana Musicians Roster. Check out my listing under Traditional Folk category or Other at:

www.louisianasoundtrack.com

Yeah!

Babies Gotta Have It - Reviews READING ROCKS!

Stuff Your Kids’ Stockings With Stories – Because Reading Rocks

December 7, 2012 · Filed under Listening, Preschooler Product, Toddler Product

Do not underestimate the power of storytelling.

In addition to performing, I am proud to have been an artist educator for many years.  I’ve worked with companies that have brought live theater to thousands of kids who would otherwise never have been exposed to it.  And over the years I have continued to be amazed at the way well-told stories can grab a child’s attention.  Even in these days of the Nintendo DS and iPod Touch, kids can get wrapped up in a simple story that sparks their imaginations.  Just this week a theater company I am a member of has been performing a story-theater style piece about Greek Mythology at Lincoln Center.  I have seen, with my own eyes, city kids sitting on the edges of their seats…to watch three actors, several funny wigs and a bamboo staff weave the tales of the Cyclops and the story of Echo.  I have to remind myself of this often.

My daughter responded similarly to Johnette Downing’s wonderful new CD, “Reading Rocks.”  This innovative new album is the singer/songwriter/childrens book author’s first to combine spoken word with music, and it’s a delight.  Downing’s CD interweaves readings from five of her picture books with eleven new songs that range in style from bluegrass to rock.  She’s based in New Orleans and the varied musical influences of that city ooze out of every lyric and line.  My little one was caught up in the CD when we listened to it….asking me questions and singing along.  Amazing, the power of a story. Be it set to music or simply read.

Much like the Greek Myths, many of the stories in “Reading Rocks” cleverly explain natural phenomena.  Stories like “Why the Crawfish Lives in the Mud” or “Why The Possum Has a Large Grin.”  Kids love these tales.

So this holiday season…maybe think about stuffing the stockings with stories.  Pick up a copy of “Reading Rocks” on Johnette Downing’s website or at our affiliateAmazon.com.

Your kids will be glad you did.

Because Babies Grow Up Reviews READING ROCKS!

We are in love with all the albums combining music and storytelling. Johnette Downing‘s newest album, Reading Rocks! is no exception. Our children have thoroughly enjoyed the stories on this CD. They are folktale style stories telling how things came to be for certain animals. Their favorite is Why the Oyster has a Pearl. Many of her stories have also been published as books. The newest addition to her collection is Why the Possum has a Large Grin, which is also on Reading Rocks!

We’ve enjoyed the songs as well. The album has the feel of a visit to the library for storytime. There’s a warm up finger play, stories, and songs that are fun to move to. I like that the songs focus on promoting reading. It’s the perfect combination of both my passions, music and literacy!

-Because Babies Grow Up, http://becausebabiesgrowup.com/

Happy New Year!

Wishing you all love, happiness, good health and prosperity in the New Year! My good news to start the New Year is that I am engaged to Scott Billington.

Pinterest

I have a new Pinterest page up. Check it out at http://pinterest.com/johnettedowning

Having Fun Saving Reviews READING ROCKS!

Reading Rocks By Johnette Downing

by TRACY on NOVEMBER 28, 2012 · 0 COMMENTS

in REVIEW

Reading Rocks By Johnette Downing

I had the opportunity to review the CD Reading Rocks! By Johnette Downing.  I know I have told you guys that I usually prefer to listen to CDs in the car than the radio with the kiddos.  The lyrics in some of the songs on the main stations aren’t always the ones I want the kids singing too.

Plus, Steven has a CD player in his room and he likes to fall asleep to music every night.  I love it – I think it’s an adorable habit 

Most recently he has been enjoying Reading Rocks!.

It is by Johnette Downing, she is a multi-award-winning New Orleans singer/songwriter, children’s musician, and children’s book author. She gets kids jazzed about reading with her 10th studio CD, Reading Rocks! It is about 49 minutes long and seems to be best for kids ages 2 – 8.

Two years in the making, Reading Rocks! is Johnette Downing’s first album to combine spoken word with music. The CD interweaves readings from five of Johnette’s beloved picture books, including her newest, Why the Possum Has a Large Grin (Pelican Publishing, fall 2012), with eleven lively songs that range in style from bluegrass to rock, as well as finger plays and limericks, all designed to motivate youngsters and reluctant readers to roll into the library and bop into books.  Check out the You Tube video here – it’s really cute 

With Reading Rocks!, Johnette hopes to get kids up and reading, too!  Where can you find this FUN CD?  Right on Amazon.com!

The very first tip Johnette offers in presentations is, “If you want your child to read, read.” This simple, but true, insight is at the heart of Reading Rocks!

Outnumbered 3 to 1: Reading Rocks - Singing Storytime with Johnette Do...

Check out this great review of READING ROCKS!
Outnumbered 3 to 1: Reading Rocks - Singing Storytime with Johnette Do...: Multi-award-winning New Orleans singer/songwriter, children's musician, and children's book author Johnette Downing gets kids jazzed abo...

Milk N' Honey Learn and Grow Reviews READING ROCKS!

Reading Rocks by Johnette Downing CD Review


Johnette Downing has a unique ability to combine story with song. She is passionate about reading and sings about it! Johnette's new album "Reading Rocks" is a compilation of stories, songs and fingerplays specifically highlighting reading as the key to helping young ones ignite their imaginations and soar into the land where books are friends. I love how she uses voice inflections for different characters in her stories. The stories are funny and they teach lessons as well. Johnette's New Orleans blues and jazz music along with her friendly voice will endear any reluctant reader to pick up a book and read!


-Milk N Honey Learn and Grow
http://milknhoneylearnandgrow.blogspot.com/2012/10/reading-rocks-by-johnette-downing-cd.html

Le Jouet Reading and Signing

I am reading and signing WHY THE POSSUM HAS A LARGE GRIN today as well as my other books and CDs at Le Jouet on Airline Drive in Metairie, LA today from 4-5. Come by and grin with us!

KAOS Olympia 89.3 FM

WHY THE CRAWFISH LIVES IN THE MUD aired on KAOS Olympia 89.3 FM Radio in Olympia, Washington. Check it out at: Olympia, Washington!

http://spinitron.com/radio/playlist.php?station=kaos&playlist=2223

Chic N Savvy Reviews READING ROCKS!

I love the mixtures of the music and story time. One track will tell a story and the next will get your kids up and dance. I have never seen or heard a CD with both and my kids and I love it. If they get to wild in the car I just pop that CD in and all is calm.. it’s great!

-Chicnsavvy Reviews

Fox 8 TV WVUE - Interview with Author and Musician Johnette Downing

I had the great pleasure of being a special guest on Fox 8 TV WVUE today to talk about my WHY THE POSSUM HAS A LARGE GRIN book and my READING ROCKS! CD. Here is the link to the segment.

http://www.fox8live.com/video?clipId=7872173&topVideoCatNo=230843&autoStart=true

Bless Their Hearts Mom Reviews WHY THE POSSUM HAS A LARGE GRIN

Book Review: Why the Possum has a Large Grin by Johnette Downing

 Today we have a book review from one of our favorite Artists- Johnette Downing, 

who not only writes childrens books, she sings at many of Kiddo's favorite functions, 

like the Monster Mash and Boo To Do in NOLA. Check out her website for her songs!

Synopsis: Move over Bre'r Rabbit, there's a new trickster in town! When hungry Deer asks Possum how he stays so plump during the long dry season, the sly marsupial gets an idea. It wouldn't take much for Possum to help Deer; he could just climb that ol' persimmon tree and knock down the fruit. But Possum is just plain lazy and he'd rather trick Deer into doing the work for both of them. Once Possum decides to take advantage of his starving neighbor they both become marked forever.

Review: Kiddo LOVED this book! She loves fables, so I knew this native Choctawlegend would entrance her and it did! She laughed her way through the book, commenting on how 'bad' possum was being, and couldn't wait to get back to school to tell the boys in her class, how deers REALLY got their antlers! I had to laugh at that! Like all of Downing's books, this book is adorable and very kid friendly! This is a great book for boys AND girls, especially those that love wildlife!

About the Author: Johnette Downing is an award-winning, internationally recognized singer and songwriter. Her many accolades include six Parents' Choice Awards, four iParenting Media Awards, and four National Parenting Publication Awards. She wrote and illustrated There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Bugs, My Aunt Came Back from Louisiane, Why the Crawfish Lives in the Mud, andAmazon Alphabet and is the author of Chef Creole, Down in Louisiana, Why the Oyster Has the Pearl, Today Is Monday in Louisiana, Today Is Monday in Texas, Today Is Monday in New York, and Today Is Monday in Kentucky. Downing lives in New Orleans, Louisiana.

About the Illustrator: Christina Wald specializes in illustration and toy, giftware, and product design. Wald graduated from theUniversity of Cincinnati, College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning with a BS in industrial design. She is the illustrator of Pelican's Annie Jump Cannon, Astronomer. Wald lives in Cincinnati, Ohio. 

Family Focus Blog Reviews "Reading Rocks!"

Reading Rocks Kids Music CD Giveaway

Thursday, October 18, 2012 19:02

Multi-award-winning New Orleans singer/songwriter, children’s musician, and children’s book authorJohnette Downing gets kids jazzed about reading with her 10th studio CD, Reading Rocks! (Wiggle Worm Records, $15.00, run time 49 minutes, for ages 2 – 8.)  Being that I grew up largely in Cajun Country, I couldn’t resist this CD for my kids to get some Lousiana heritage and spice.  As an added bonus, the CD gets them jazzed about reading and it has all the lyrics printed so you can read along to them.Family Focus Blog offers informative articles on going green, family fun, travel, food, parenting, and giveaways!

Reading Rocks! is Johnette Downing’s first album to combine spoken word with music.  The CD interweaves readings from five of Johnette’s beloved picture books, including her newest, Why the Possum Has a Large Grin (Pelican Publishing, fall 2012), with eleven lively songs that range in style from bluegrass to rock.  “If you want your child to read, read,” says Downing.   This simple insight is at the heart of Reading Rocks!
Johnette Downing has won twenty-one national awards, including honors from Parents’ Choice, NAPPA, iParenting Media, Parents’ Guide to Children’s Media, Family Choice Awards, and Family Review Center.

Praise For Reading Rocks CD:
“With her signature mix of Dixieland jazz, Cajun, Creole, and zydeco rhythms, Downing creates an irresistible musical jubilee.”
– Los Angeles Times
“Bonnie Raitt move over!  There’s a new(er) blues belter in town.  And she’s easy on the ears.  New Orleans singer-songwriter Johnette Downing has a velvet set of pipes, but instead of using them to sing of men who’ve done her wrong, she’s belting out tunes about penguins and stingrays, crawfish and hermit crabs.”
– Education.com

My 5 and 7 year old love listening to Reading Rocks when they go to bed at night.  Their favorite story song is “Why the oyster has its pearl.”
Check out Johnette’s website at http://johnettedowning.com
Reading Rocks Kids Music CD Giveaway Details:

One lucky reader will win one Reading Rocks Kids Music CD by Johnette Downing ($15 value).
Reading Rocks CD Giveaway Dates:  October 18- November 2, 2012 Midnight CST
How to Enter:  Enter through rafflecopter- just sign into the widget and click the entries you want to complete. (If you want to express your opinion on the giveaway entry form, please do so in this poll.

Top Selling Kids Album on CDBaby- Reading Rocks!

It keeps getting better! Reading Rocks! is listed as the #1 Top Selling Kids CD and #8 Top Selling CD overall (across all genres) on CDBaby.com! Wow!!! I am speechless! Just glad I'm not songless!!!

Thanks so much to everyone who is buying this CD! This ROCKS!!!

READING ROCKS! Sells Out in One Month!

Okay, so this is the coolest thing ever. My READING ROCKS! CD is sold out in one month! We just ordered the second printing and it will be in a week or so. This has never happened to me before and it  is just awesome. My Gumbo Pot CD sold out in six months and that has been the bar for me until now. I am just thrilled and so grateful to everyone who is playing the song on the radio and who is buying it in buckets!

KMUN Astoria 91.9 FM Plays tunes from Reading Rocks!

KMUN Astoria 91.9 FM, Coast Community Radio aired my WHY THE OYSTER HAS THE PEARL and my OYSTER LIMERICK from my new CD READING ROCKS!

Check it out!

http://spinitron.com/radio/playlist.php?station=kmun&playlist=5775

A Bug CD Your Kids Will Love! - Review on Chester McBug.com

A Bug CD your kids will love!


Posted on October 12, 2012 by Rebecca Boogie Woogie Bugs by Johnette Downing

I was fortunate enough to attend a dinner party last month where I met a woman (and musician) who told me about this awesome bug-themed CD out there for kids. I was very excited to get it because I knew Zev would be over the moon about the news. So now here we are about a month later and I find myself grinning from ear to ear whenever I listen to Boogie Woogie Bugs. Johnette Downing is a multi-award winning musician, author and global educator. She has earned numerous awards, way too many for me to name here, but you can see that list along with a complete bio on her website at www.johnettedowning.com.

Downing has a gorgeous voice and the instrumented musicians are also fabulous. She makes use of all sorts of genres depending on what each song calls for, including blues, bluegrass, country, jazz and probably more that I am not even able to identify.
What impresses me most about the CD is that Downings’ songs actually teach kids about bugs. In the melodious “Mariposa” she introduces the children to a beautiful word in a new language (for those kids whose first language is not Spanish). In “Head, Thorax, Abdomen” she repeats the technical names of the bug’ body parts to ensure we remember them. Rhymes and songs are such great ways for kids (and adults, really) to memorize material in a fun way without making it seem like work. In “Twenty Bees” she counts backwards for a quick math lesson. The song “Arachnid” teaches the technical name for spiders. In “Bug Band” she sings about and names the bugs–katydids, cicadas and crickets that come out at night to play beautiful music for us.

The main reason my son Zev is so excited about Boogie Woogie Bugs is that he loves to laugh at silly things. And some of these songs are indeed very silly! Funny lyrics in general seem to be a big winner with kids. Some of the funny ones on this album include, “Bed Bugs”, “Cockroach”, “Ants in your Pants”, and “There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Bugs”. Here is a direct quote from Zev: “My favorite song is when the lady swallowed all the bugs! That one is so funny.”

Most of the songs on this album are her originals but she has spiced up a few traditional numbers that you will recognize such as “Itsy Bitsy Spider”, “There was an Old Lady who Swallowed some Bugs”, “Five Little Butterflies” and “Skip to My Lou.” In these songs, she transforms original lyrics into fun and educational contemporary tunes.
Lastly, Downing subtly conveys the message that bugs deserve our admiration and respect. This even includes the bugs that aren’t cute, handsome or cuddly. I want my kids to learn to be empathic toward all living creatures, whether they are the adorable loveable ones or the scary ugly ones. It’s never too early to teach empathy. In her song “Cockroach” the melancholy cockroach sings the blues to describe her loneliness. She doesn’t have any friends she explains, because everyone is afraid of roaches. She sadly laments, “I’m a roach. A loveable, wanna be huggable cockroach.”
I’m not a kid, but for the record, my favorite song on the album is “Bug Band.” The melody is really catchy which makes it easy to sing right along with this song. I also think the lyrics are super creative. I have always loved listening to the sound of bugs chirping away or rubbing their wings together at night. There is something so comforting and peaceful about those sounds. Thanks to this song I feel like I can actually see a visual image in my mind of those bugs together playing in a backyard bug band together. What an original, creative idea!
If you are lucky enough to live (or be traveling) near any of these locations, you can see Johnette Downing live or for a book signing at these dates and places:
October 2012
■October 12 at 11:00, Concert, New Orleans Jazz Park Visitors Center, New Orleans, LA

■October 12 at 12:00-1:00, Book Signing, Tisket A Tasket Book Shop, Decatur, New Orleans, LA

■October 19, Concert, Boo at the Zoo, New Orleans, LA

■October 20 at 11:00, Concert, Monster Mash, Covington, LA

■October 20 at 3:00, Guest Concert Appearance, Jr. Ranger CD Release Party, The Old US Mint, New Orleans, LA

■October 20, Concert, Boo at the Zoo, Cool Zoo Toddler Stage, Audubon Zoo, New Orleans, LA

■October 26, Concert, Boo at the Zoo, Cool Zoo Toddler Stage, Audubon Zoo, New Orleans, LA

■October 27, Author Presentation & Book Signing, Louisiana Book Festival, Baton Rouge, LA

■October 27, Concert, Boo at the Zoo, Cool Zoo Toddler Stage, Audubon Zoo, New Orleans, LA

November 2012
■November 2 at 11:00, Concert, New Orleans Jazz Park Visitors Center, New Orleans, LA

■November 2 at 12:00-1:00, Book Signing, Tisket A Tasket Book Shop, Decatur, New Orleans, LA

■November 3-7, Workshop Tour, Conference, Guatemala City, Guatemala

■November 9, Author Presentation and Book Signing, Kids Day, Kentucky Book Fair, Frankfort, KY

■November 11 at 1:30 & 3:30, Concerts, Three Rivers Art Festival, Covington, LA

■November 18, Book Signing, Po’boy Festival, New Orleans, LA

■November 19-28, MA

This CD would make a fabulous gift for any child, especially for those who are bug lovers! And if they aren’t already, they will be after listening to this album! If you are interested in buying this CD, here it is on Amazon.com:

Boogie Woogie Bugs by Johnette Downing

For more information on this CD or any other music or books by Johnette Downing, please visit her website at www.johnettedowning.com.

This entry was posted in Movies and Music by Rebecca on Chester McBug, http://www.chestermcbug.com/

The All-Ages Radio Show Plays songs from Reading Rocks!

My song "There Once Was a Boy Named Cary" aired on The All-Ages Radio show in NJ at http://www.wprb.com/printplaylist.php?show_id=26648

Dad of Divas Reviews WHY THE POSSUM HAS A LARGE GRIN on Amazon.com

Five Star Review

WHY THE POSSUM HAS A LARGE GRIN

Possum is a trickster. He convinces a hungry deer to run into a tree so the persimmons will drop and they will enjoy a feast to satisfy their hunger. Deer receives two bumps on his head due to the encounter with the tree and possum just laughs and laughs as this occurs. His smile stays on his face. Deer's two bumps become the spots where his antlers grow.
This traditional Chocktaw tale will delight you and your child.

-By Dad of Divas, www.amazon.com