Songs of Summer

Musical arrangements by Adam Stemple
Illustrations by Cyd Moore
Boyds Mills 1993
ISBN# 1-56397-110-0 Boyds Mills hardcover

The second of four music books I did for Boyds Mills. Adam was wonderful to work with, shipping me off the simple arrangements which I then played on the piano. We figured if I could sight read them, ANYONE could! I picked the songs, wrote the historical notes. Adam did all the musical arrangements. We wrote several of the songs ourselves. Cyd Moore was new to me, but her joyous illustrations lift the spirits of the book. I wish my name weren’t so prominent in the title, however. That was the publisher’s choice.

What reviewers have said:

• “The collection of original and traditional songs from around the world — lazy ballads, energetic rounds and folk tunes, light marches, and even a yodeling song from Switzerland — conveys the overall feeling of summer rather than focusing directly on the season itself. The lively and lovely warm-weather romp is scored for piano, guitar, and voice and illustrated with gleeful watercolors throughout.” — Horn Book
• “The music and lyrics, set against pastel backgrounds, appear on cheerily illustrated pages that are dotted with perky characters, adding a dash of humor. The songs fit the campfire crowd, hikers, and those who relish the sweet and simple freedom we call summer. An attractive package all around.” — BookList