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Amiable, family-friendly musician Dan Zanes is back on the children’s literary scene with his second book/CD combo, Jump Up!, featuring the lyrics of Zanes’ song of the same title and the illustrations of Donald Saaf. Also included is a five-song CD with “Jump Up” and five other selections.
Like Zanes’ debut book (Hello Hello), Jump Up! features the same crazy cast of kids, animals, and insects. This time around, everyone is dancing: the morning toast, a banjo-playing spider, the mail, and, of course, the children. The right side of each two-page spread unfolds to reveal a surprise, usually someone or something jumping up.
Perhaps most enjoyable for the parents, other than the five-song CD, are Zanes’ liner notes. Jump Up!, Zanes explains, was inspired by the lively neighborhood in which his family lives. The book’s illustrations depict such a neighborhood and follow a little girl as she jumps through her day, eventually playing in a concert.
The book also includes sheet music for each of the five songs, Zanes’ comments on the origins of the songs, and other fun musings.
Saaf’s illustrations, done in acrylic gouache, collage, flashe paint, and colored pencils, quite enjoyable in Hello Hello, are even better in Jump Up!. Once again, everyone is dressed in appealing patterns (animals and insects included), but the scenes are more varied and slightly less busy.
The lyrics for Jump Up! are exceedingly fun and sweet: “Jump up, clouds are passing, look up, the sky is laughing. I know you’ll be laughing too. Jump up, I want to dance with you.” Zanes’ warmth and youthful spirit give his music and books tremendous appeal.
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Jump Up!