The Cat in the Hat Songbook

How long can you stare at another kid from three inches away and not laugh? In "The No Laugh Race," 1 of 19 songs in "The Cat in the Hat Songbook," you get to find out--and the kid who laughs last is the winner. Each song has full piano score by Eugene Poddany, and many have simple guitar chords, too. Whether waltzy, marchish, andante doloroso, or "Ad lib rubato tempo to simulate sneeze," these songs are bound to get the whole family caterwauling--which, as the first song affirms, is "good for tongues, and necks and knees, of people, bees, and chimpanzees." Some of the lyrics are even a teensy bit educational, amid the usual madness: "I Can Figure Figures" includes such unusual sums as "One plus one minus one is none. None plus none minus none is none." It all adds up to a lot of musical fun. --Richard Farr