Humpty Dunce

I know I’m not the only new mom who spent sweet quiet moments alone with my newborn singing the theme song from Happy Days. What can I say, I could never quite recall an appropriate tune when I needed to. I’d have been in better shape had Jennifer Griffin’s delightful Humpty Who? been out a couple of years ago.

The subtitle, A Crash Course in 80 Nursery Rhymes for Clueless Moms and Dads, pretty much sums it up. This truly terrific book and the very helpful companion CD hooks you up proper with the classics, delivers all nine verses (nine!) to London Bridge, and even introduces you to some rhymes you don’t yet know. There’s some clever editorializing about the cruel misogyny of Peter Pumpkin Eater and all kinds of fun factoids of dubious usefulness.

Humpty Who? should be an essential in any nursery right along with the crib and a tube of Butt Paste.

Plus it finally puts to bed the argument you have with the husband on whether it’s the mommy on the bus or the driver on the bus who says sh sh sh. Answer: It’s the mommy. But the book gives you permission to play “fast and loose” with the lyrics. So there. –Liz