And Chicken was his name-o

My taste in music runs more in the indie vein, but in kids' music, you've gotta hand it to Trout Fishing in America who have been putting out Grammy-nominated, family-friendly folksy rock for about 30 years. But this time around, they've created a Storybook/CD combo called My Name is Chicken Joe which is a trend we've been seeing lately and loving.

(See previous CMP reviews of Soulville, Pete the Cat and Hip Hop Speaks to Children and see what we mean.)

The story, as you might guess from the title, revolves around some creatures with unlikely names. The colorful illustrations by Stéphane Jorisch give a load of sweet personality to the animals, and my kids alternate between flipping the pages and dancing around the room while the song plays. But even without the book, the CD stands on its own as evidenced by the number of road trips it has accompanied us on already.

Diehard Trout Fishing in American fans should know that this CD is a sort of a greatest hits compilation. But for those of us who don't already own their dozen or so albums, this is a great way to show kids that even people older than their parents can still rock. -Christina

My Name is Chicken Joe kids' book-and-CD combo from Trout Fishing in America is available at Amazon.

Congratulations to Kelly C, winner of a copy of My Name is Chicken Joe!