Album Spotlight – Rainbow Seekers performed by Ants on a Log
Happy Pride Month! I am very excited to kick-off this June with the newest album from the Philadelphia-based trio Ants on a Log. Rainbow Seekers is a collection of eight original tracks that uplift queer youth through the power of engaging, inclusive, celebratory songs. Things kick off with “Rainbow Seekers,” which is not just the album’s title track, but also a song from the group’s musical of the same name. The album then dives into several empowering messages of self-expression. “River’s Coming Over,” which features performers Evan Greer and Fureigh, is a song about nonbinary friends playing together doing things that they find fun – making a rainbow unicorn cake, having a tea party with Wolverine or Wonder Woman being the captain of the football team. This is followed by “Terry the Nonbinary Canary” (which is just clamoring to be made into a picture book) and “My Suspenders” which encourages kids to dress in ways that bring them joy. The Alphabet Rockers join Ants on a Log for “The History of Blue and Pink,” and updated versions of “Some Girls Have Short Hair” which talks about the various kinds of hairstyles anyone can have, and “They’re My Best Friend” which was the first song on national radio with all nonbinary pronouns and now includes harmonies by Carrie Ferguson and Lavender Blues are also included. Some of the album’s quieter moments come during the lullaby “Moppa” which includes some of the many names that children may call their nonbinary parents and features the beautiful vocals of Strawbitty Yops and Lindz Amer. Be a Rainbow Seeker and listen to this shiny, shimmery celebration of and for queer families (and all families) not just during Pride Month, but all year through! Rainbow Seekers is now available on your favorite streaming platforms.
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.
Most people would agree that there are three types of meals – breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There also is a unique group of people who believe that there is a fourth, very special kind of meal – breakfast-for-dinner. I was raised in a house that was definitely part of that last group of people. Growing up, we had a homecooked dinner Sunday-Wednesday nights, Thursday night was leftovers and Friday was often breakfast-for dinner. When Friday evening rolled around, my mom would get out her griddle and make dunky eggs, bacon, and that delicious breakfasty staple, pancakes. 
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