REVIEWS+

Waking Up Is Hard to Do

by Neil Sedaka
32p. 978-1-93614-013-8.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 2—Grammy-award winner Sedaka has rewritten the lyrics of his 1962 and 1975 chart-topping tune to create this child-pleasing book. The alarm clock is ringing, birds are singing, breakfast is warming, and school is calling. The repeated chorus, "Wakin' up is hard to do," will allow children to chime in. There are some breaks in the rhyme pattern, but overall the lively nature of the lyrics will keep kids engaged. A young alligator moves through his morning routine of brushing his teeth with a large toothbrush, going downstairs for breakfast, and catching the school bus while still fighting the sleep in his eyes. The charming art has fun details and an adorable cast of animal characters. Family portraits in the stairway and the smile created from bacon and eggs at breakfast are pleasant extras for those who pay close attention to the illustrations. A CD includes the title track as well as two new songs: "Lightnin' Jim" and "Sing."—Sarah Polace, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma, OH
The lyrics to many pop classics have been repurposed as picture books; Sedaka gets points for bothering to rewrite the words to his 1962 smash, "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do." He addresses his pep talk to a young alligator who has trouble facing the day. This light fare is paired with slick, supersaturated illustrations. A CD of three Sedaka songs is included.
Reviewed by Sarah Polace , Feb 01, 2011

Be the first reader to comment.

Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?