Once again, Boynton goes Broadway: " . . . having completely forgotten how much work had been involved," the creators of Rhinoceros Tap (1996) offer a second, equally effervescent musical revue, packaged as a hardcover book/CD combination. The songs mix chorus-line numbers—"COWS. / We're remarkable COWS. / And wherever we go, / it's a fabulous show. / Oh, you know we are COWS . . . "—with such individual arias as "Please, Can I Keep It?," "I Like To Fuss," and "Belly Button." All but two of the songs, which were previously published as board books, are new. The CD's 19 toe-tapping tracks are performed, with appropriate theatricality, by an oddball cast headlined by the Bacon Brothers, Meryl Streep, and (wait for it) Scott Bakula; the lyrics, decorated with typically stylish Boynton animals, are printed in a large-type, sing-along format, then reprised between musical notation. Ex-toddlers and their parents alike will happily cut the rug along with the title song's Pennsylvanian pullets. (Picture book. 3+)

Sandra Boynton, long heralded for her menagerie of animal characters (Moo, Baa, La La La; Rhinoceros Tap), puts a fresh cast of singing, dancing critters center stage-from the titular boogying chickens to a tail-wagging """"snuggle puppy""""-in Philadelphia Chickens, a book-and-CD package billed as an """"imaginary musical revue."""" The first 32 pages contain lyrics and illustrations, the second half of the book includes musical notation and additional lyrics for each song. An all-star cast, including Meryl Streep, Laura Linney, Eric Stoltz and the Bacon Brothers, headlines the musical recording, which features a variety of original show tunes penned by Boynton and composed by Boynton and frequent collaborator Michael Ford. For more on this production see Children's Audio/Video, page 22.

PreS-Gr 5 This "too-illogical zoological musical revue" is a glossy package of 19 songs that are recorded on an accompanying CD. In "Look as You Listen," each song is presented with a full-page, color cartoon. Part two, "Sing & Play Along," has musical annotations as well as additional verses for each tune, along with more illustrations. It's hard to say which is more appealing, the CD or the book. The songs, recorded by such celebrities as Meryl Streep, Laura Linney, and Natasha Richardson, cover a wide range of styles, many of which salute those of recognizable Broadway shows. Whether it's the rollicking , Chorus Line -esque "Cows"; a rock-and-roll ode to the "Belly Button (Round)" that is "So round. So profound. So great to contemplate"; or the pseudomelancholy evoked in the ballad "Nobody Understands Me," this revue is packed with child-friendly hits. Boynton's wonderful characters romp through the pages: cows strut, chickens have attitude, and puppies snuggle, and there's even a blue dinosaur. Settle down with the book or take the CD along by itself. Either way, this is a revue without rival that will give children a jazzy, jiving, undulating good time. Jane Marino, Scarsdale Public Library, NY