Reading Rewards

If you've been taking your child to the library this summer, chances are good that you've signed up for a summer reading program - where your child racks up points for each book he reads, then earns fabulous prizes at the end of the summer. Maybe a sheet of stickers or a fancy bookmark, or if your child is at the high end of the chart, possibly a smoothie maker or an iPod. Okay, maybe the prizes aren't that fabulous, but the more you read, the more fabulous the rewards.

And if you're in a summer reading program, chances are also good that you've seen the Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales theme that is being used by libraries in the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP). We have the Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales theme on our reading chart, on our book bags, and on posters around our local library. In addition to grabbing my son's attention, this theme has served as a steady reminder to me over the last several weeks that I need to review the CD that was made to complement this summer reading program, Monty Harper's Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales.

Monty Harper has been a professional songwriter and performer for more than a decade. He performs for libraries, schools and festivals around the midwest, and works as a "songwriter for hire", churning out ditties for children about reading, nutrition, and other important topics. His Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales CD was inspired by the CSLP theme, and includes 10 songs about animals, pets and reading, plus two bonus songs and lots of extras to access on the computer. Limiting the focus to animals, pets and reading did not limit Harper's ability to write some fantastic songs. Frank Lloyd Wright once said, "Man built most nobly when limitations were at their greatest." He was right.

The title track is evidence of Harper's "songwriter for hire" chops. He packs an impressive number of animal-book references into this upbeat, jingly, 3-minute pop song. On other tracks, he drops more animal-book references, including Loveable Lyle (the Crocodile), Walter the Farting Dog, and Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher. Harper has mastered the art of pop-song writing, and he has a youthful, sweet tenor voice to deliver the songs beautifully.

Where he missed the mark for me was with the arrangements. Harper recorded most of the songs by himself in his home studio (and if you've been paying attention, you know by now that I love that sort of thing). But instead of letting the songs stand on their own with vocals and guitar, he adds a fair amount of synthesized sounds, including drum tracks. This gives the album just a bit of a cheese factor. Two of the songs were recorded in-studio with other musicians, and they are both well done.

Overall, Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales is a solid and enjoyable piece of work, especially if your family is enthusiastic about reading and/or animals. You can read more about it, hear songs, and buy the CD at Harper's Website. Whether or not you've been charting your child's summer reading, this CD is one you might want to check out. It's a far better prize than the fancy bookmark the library is giving away.