Vance Bollinger - My Little Songbook

By Laura Ingalls Wilder

Illustrated by Holly Jones

Written by Laura Ingalls Wilder and attractively illustrated by Holly Jones, My Little Songbook is a collection of traditional, American songs that would be fun for children in an elementary school setting.  These songs are succinct, tuneful, and they could sung for a wide array of functions and occasions.  All songs included were referenced in Ingalls’ Little House series.  Some tunes celebrate Independence Day, some for birthdays, and others are for encouragement in times of need.

I would be delighted to include this in my future classroom because all of the songs are really fun to sing, and could go well with a curriculum that ties into American history.  Classics like “Yankee Doodle Dandee,” and “America” are featured.  Most of these songs are cheerful and could be incorporated into a dance, like the song “Pop! Goes the Weasel.”  My only criticism of the book is that some of the songs go out of a child’s singing range and would need to be altered or otherwise transposed before being used in a classroom setting.