Bookmaking With Kids

Since teaching my friend Debra’s 1st graders to make Haunted House books two weeks ago, I’ve had a tune stuck in my head. That’s because Debra teaches her kids lots of songs, and I got to hear them singing Cole Porter’s Don’t Fence Me In.

By mastering the lyrics, the kids soaked up some wonderful words, the kind of words that just don’t show up in ordinary 1st-grade fare: commence … cayuse … yonder … cottonwood.

As for the singing, the kids were great. But I’m a sucker for Bing Crosby’s rendition from 1944, with the Andrews Sisters. You can listen for free here. For more cowboy-like renditions, try Roy Rogers and Gene Autry.