Music Reviews are Back at School Library Journal!!
After a two and a half year hiatus, it is my great pleasure to announce that music reviews are back at School Library Journal (SLJ)! For those of you new to children’s music, you may not be aware that for two decades, SLJ was one of the premier publications for children’s music reviews. Artists would send their CDs to SLJ’s New York office where the music would then be distributed to unpaid volunteer reviewers who were working, or had experience in working, in public or school libraries. These reviews were essential to libraries across the country in selecting quality music to add to their collections and a starred review could make a real difference in album sales.
When I first started reviewing music for SLJ, around the early 2000s, music reviews were included in each monthly publication. Over the years, the music reviews went from appearing monthly, to every-other month, to quarterly, and eventually ceased all together. As a librarian, this was a big disappointment because I know the important role that music plays in early childhood literacy and without SLJ, one of the main sources for new music information disappeared. For artists, this meant that yet another major source to promote their music, in an already shrinking pool of options, was gone.
I didn’t know it at the time, but what became the final round of music reviews was published online in January 2024. Until now. In January 2026, I was contacted by SLJ and they asked if I would be willing to review up to 15 albums. The reviews would be due in March and would appear in the May 2026 print issue. Of course I said yes. With a tight timeline and winter not being a booming time for new albums, as well as frequent comments from librarians about not knowing where to look for information about children’s music, I opted to focus on albums from 2025 that featured music that librarians and teachers could use in their programs and classrooms. Reviews for all 15 albums can be found by clicking on this link.
Now, I’m excited to announce that SLJ plans to publish another round of children’s music reviews this fall! If you have an album coming out that you would like to have considered for possible review in SLJ, please email a listening link and one-pager (any information you think I should know about you and your music) to me by July 18. Please send submissions to info@kidsrhythmandrock.com. Please note: while all submissions will be considered, space in SLJ is limited to 15 reviews.
This is the time of year when almost everywhere you go, Christmas music is playing. Whether it’s the grocery store, the gas station, or the laundromat, there’s a good chance that at any given time, at least one of them has Michael Bublé singing about the fact that it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Now, don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love Christmas music. From the loud and silly to the divine, I listen to it all. But not everyone celebrates Christmas and sometimes a song that celebrates the themes of the season without talking about the holiday itself is just what folks are looking for. And that is why I would like to introduce you to the newest song from Katie T.
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It’s not often that I get to be in the room when a song is born, but that is exactly what happened at the 2024 Children’s Music Network conference when 
Dana
Known for her bilingual music for families, 
Let’s get the fun started with Jesse Jukebox Sells Out, the fifth album from 
Next up is a duo that are known for always having a good time and 
Last, but certainly not least, is the silliest, funniest, laugh-out-loudiest album of them all – Slippery When Peeled from Go Banana Go! and Flula Borg. The result of this latest collaboration from comedy music performers Jim Roach and Brian Wecht and German actor/comedian Flula Borg is 10 ridiculous, often absurd tracks that will keep listeners young and old giggling from beginning to end as the story in each song unfolds. The album opens with “
On the surface, 
After exploring the Blues on their last two family albums, Wendy & DB return to their pop roots with Get Your Sunny Side UP. The album kicks off with the title track, featuring Wendy’s powerful vocals, encouraging listeners to start each day with a new, positive attitude. This is followed by the bluesy “I’m in a Mood,” “Never Give Up” starring some ethereal vocals from Pierce Freelon, the bilingual “Ouchie Ya Ya” with Flor Bromley, and “Talk About It,” an important song for children and adults about not just talking to one another, but listening to each other in order to find a middle ground. Wendy & DB continue to celebrate and urge everyone to protect the environment with “Recycling Bins” and “Little Bird/Big World” featuring the incredible vocal stylings of Secret Agent 23 Skidoo. In a departure from their usual vibes, they mix things up with the loud, cacophony that aptly matches tone with subject matter with “Let’s Make a MeSs.” Two tracks that would be perfect in storytime include the love and joy filled “Rainbow in My Heart” which would pair well with ribbons or scarves, and “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” a high octane, fresh take on an old standard. Get Your Sunny Side Up will be a hit with children and adults of all ages. Take a peek at their latest video, “Seymour the Sloth.”
For Brady Rymer and The Little Band That Could, life is Sunny Side Up. For 25 years. Rymer’s music has always been imbued with positivity and kindness, and this latest collection is no different. His hallmark pop-rock-folk sound lifts each of the songs up, filling them with happiness and a sense of joy that is underscored by the band’s effortless harmonies. The album opens with the title track, an upbeat tune that emphasizes that every day is a fresh start. The themes of friendship and togetherness are explored on “Me and My Friends” and “The Reason is You” while kindness is the star in “When You’re Kind,” a lovely duet between Rymer and Laurie Berkner. Additional songs celebrate the simple pleasures in life like laundry on the line, a baby bird preparing to fly, and a dandelion in the wind making this album perfect for family listening as we continue our journey from spring into the lazy, hazy days of summer. 
To kick things off, here is “
From defending the Earth to celebrating the Earth, next up is the third album from St. Louis’s own 
Finally, here is a