Getting to Know You!: Rodgers and Hammerstein Favorites

Hammerstein, Oscar; Rodgers, Richard

ISBN 10: 0066238455 ISBN 13: 9780066238456

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2002

Synopsis

A picture book features the lyrics to sixteen songs from Rogers and Hammerstein's popular musicals, including favorites from South Pacific, Oklahoma!, and The King and I.

About this title

Review:

This curious little picture book sets out to accomplish the odd--but surprisingly worthwhile--task of assembling some classic Rodgers & Hammerstein lyrics into a kid-friendly, sing-along format.

Getting to Know You! samples songs from some of the Broadway duo's better-known musicals (Oklahoma! , Carousel, South Pacific, and The King and I), acting them out with a cast of cute animals playfully illustrated by Rosemary Wells (Max's Bath, etc.). You might need to hit the video store to recall the tune to a few of these (like Oklahoma!'s "Farmer and the Cowman"), but most of the 16 songs--from "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" to "Some Enchanted Evening"--should be memorable enough to get you singing within the first few words. For the rest, Getting to Know You! even includes a staple-bound songbook tucked into the back cover, which includes sheet music and complete lyrics for all the songs.

Given that Rodgers & Hammerstein won countless awards for their musicals (including two Pulitzers and armfuls of Tonys, Grammys, Emmys, and Oscars), maybe it's not so surprising that the lyrics adapt well into any format. If nothing else, it's hard to argue with any book that can get your kid belting out, "I'm gonna wash that man right outa my hair!" (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul Hughes

About the Author:

Richard Rodgers (composer 1902-1979) and Oscar Hammerstein II (librettist/lyricist, 1895-1960) joined forces in 1943 to create the most successful partnership in American musical theater. Their first musical, Oklahoma!, was also the first of a new genre, the musical play, blending Rodgers' sophisticated style of musical comedy with Hammerstein's innovations in opera. Oklahoma! was followed by Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, and The Sound of Music, among others. Collectively the Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals earned thirty-four Tony Awards, fifteen Academy Awards, two Pulitzer Prizes, two Grammy Awards, and an Emmy Award.

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0066238455
• ISBN 13: 9780066238456
• Binding: Library Binding
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 63
• Illustrator: Wells Rosemary