Song Spotlight – “Road Trip” performed by Kelli Welli
Almost two weeks ago, my family (my sister, her husband, our 84 year old dad, and I) embarked on a road trip to South Dakota. None of us had been to the western side of the state before so we were all very excited. We saw all the sights along the way – the world’s largest truck stop in Iowa, the Corn Palace, Wall Drug, Mount Rushmore, the Crazy Horse Monument, the Black Hills and the Badlands. We also made a brief stop in Deadwood and checked out two amazing sights, Bear Country, USA and Reptile Gardens which were tucked in amongst some kitschy places but were really incredible. From the time we set off on our trip, my dad said there was only one thing he wanted to buy while we were gone – an authentic cowboy hat. As you can see, his wish was granted on the second day of the trip and he definitely got his money’s worth out of it while we were gone.
We made the 14 hour trip to and from Rapid City, South Dakota over the course of two days each way, making Kelli Welli’s latest song, “Road Trip” the perfect theme song for our explorations. Featuring a jaunty melody and joy-filled lyrics, “Road Trip” aptly captures the excitement that accompanies exploring new places and seeing all the beauty that the open road has to offer. If you travel with your favorite puppy dog, Kelli has an alternate version of “Road Trip” with the verses told from the dog’s perspective. Whichever way you travel, gather your favorite snacks, grab your pillow, get in the car, cue up “Road Trip” and head out for one last adventure before summer fun comes to a close.
My love of languages began when I was a child; probably around the time I was in grade school, and we learned “Are You Sleeping?” in English, French, and German. My interest in French only deepened when I found this book, Fun with French, at the public library. I checked it out so many times I’m surprised they didn’t gift it to me when I graduated. My dad spoke Spanish fluently, but I studied Latin and French in high school and when I went to college, ended up getting a degree in French. Even though many years have gone by, my interest in languages has never waned. I’ve taken conversational Spanish classes specific to work in the library, and quite a while ago, even took a Russian class at the community college, just for the fun of it. While my French and Spanish skills have greatly diminished due to lack of use, it is when I hear music in those languages that I seem to recall the most. Words and phrases come back to me, dancing through my mind along with whatever melody accompanies them.
The first album up is Au Zoo (At the Zoo) – French Learning Songs from 
Last, but certainly not least, on today’s playlist is the first full-length Spanish language album from 
To continue our Pride Month celebration, today I’m shining a spotlight on the brand new video from 
Happy Pride Month! I am very excited to kick-off this June with the newest album from the Philadelphia-based trio 
As New Zealand Music Month wraps up, I’d like to turn our attention to the southern hemisphere and the latest outing from Levity Beet. Levity Beet and the Aotearoa All Stars, the first album from Levity’s new label “Wildbeet Records,” is chock full of New Zealand notables and features collaborations with 12 different writers/performers/producers from New Zealand’s rich family music industry. Special guests include familiar names like Itty Bitty Beats, Music with Michal, and Claudia Robin Gunn as well as names that might be new to American audiences such as Suzy Cato, Craig Smith, fleaBITE, Kath Bee, Judy Cranston, Chris Sanders, Mr. Roberelli, MLO, and Loopy Tunes. 
It’s that time of year again. The countdown to the last day of school is on – for the students and the teachers. Parents are looking for goodbye gifts for their children to give to their favorite teachers (everyone needs another mug, right?) and kids are making special cards filled with precious sentiments. To celebrate the gift that is teachers, consider sharing this wonderful new song of gratitude from the dynamic duo 
The picture book Why Do We Sing? is written by Tsui and Breves with illustrations by Tsui. All of the ways that the album answers the question why do we sing (and more!) are depicted in the words and the pictures of the story. As with the soundtrack, the digital illustrations reflect a diverse array of characters and cultures. The pacing of the story and the color palette – steeped in blues and purples with pops of pastels, make Why Do We Sing? a versatile book that can be read with great gusto and excitement during storytime, or a little slower and quieter just before bed.
My co-worker told me today that at her son’s grade school they are “doing the alphabet” for the end of the school year. New to that lingo, she explained to me that they are counting down to the last day of school by featuring a different letter of the alphabet each day. As luck would have it, their letter for today, just like ours, is the letter “D.” Wyatt and his classmates are celebrating with three dance breaks throughout the school day.