Waking Up Is Hard to Do (Book & CD)
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 (c) Copyright 2010.  Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.  No redistribution permitted.