If You're Happy and You Know It

Songs and Rhymes - Baby Board Books

by Annie Kubler (Illustrator), Sarah Dellow (Illustrator)

This award winning series has been specifically designed for babies. A great introduction to books through well-known nursery rhymes and interactive text. Singing songs and rhymes is the perfect way to bond with your baby and share quality time. It also aids language development by introducing them to the natural sounds and patterns of speech. Combining these with actions also stimulates the brain and helps muscle development.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Music, Storytime, Nursery Rhymes, Fiction

12 pages, Board book

First published August 31, 2001

Reviews

[Ting Zhang · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book “If You're Happy and You Know It” was written by Annie Kubler. This book is appropriate for ages 2 to 4 in early childhood classrooms. I like this book because it provides beautiful pictures and songs on each page. This book can help children to develop their motor skills, languages skill as well as their brain and muscle development. The teacher can also teach songs through this book. There are many songs relate to this book title on YouTube. Children have an opportunity to sing with gesture in the classroom. This activity makes the classroom’s atmosphere pleasant and relaxed, children can learn in a fun way. It helps children to develop many important skills through play. Play is important because play is the most natural learning style for children and also critical to their healthy growth and development. Once they begin to play, they gradually let go of their stress and restore a sense of calm.

[Jacqueline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy reading and singing along with my baby with this board book. I have the English & Spanish version as I will be attempting to teach my child both languages. The illustrations are nice and I also appreciate the music for the song on the back cover.
I wish the board book was a little thicker as it is quite thin compared to others.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

"If you're happy and you know it...." is on the cover.
Each page then shows a baby doing the action from a different verse, with the phrase in English and Spanish. Example: "Clap your hands! Aplaude!"

The babies have a variety of hair colors and skin colors and are several ethnicities. They are having fun doing the things.

[Jeani · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this series of books. Singable and durable and so fun for little ones!

[OxoNewbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant book in the series. My 3-year old likes to mimic the actions. Musical notation on the back cover.

5 stars.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A 5* Board Book for the target audience. Just right for the littles who chew on books. And 4* for the rest of us. I especially like the diversity.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute pictures and the girls loved it. But that's a lot of verses!

[Jasper · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a board book based on the song “If you’re happy and you know it...” the cover has those words and then all the pages have something to do in both English and Spanish along with a baby or babies doing that activity. On the back cover is the music to the song.

While the activities are great for little ones and the pictures of the babies doing them are cute, the translations are not very accurate. For example “¡Alza los pies!” translates to “Lift your feet!” All the babies have their feet in the air, but the English line is “Kick your legs!” Sometimes books will write a similar but not exact translation in order to rhyme or to say what someone speaking in English would say even though its not literal. However in this book, it seems like a literal translation would be best. Otherwise a child or parent might come away thinking “pies” is the word for “legs”. That type of confusion isn’t good for confidence in a second language. This happens many times, for example, “hug your friend” when the Spanish is saying “hug me” or “hold on tight” when the Spanish is saying “take a little step.” They all work with the illustrations but are just not good translations.

Also, the book misses the part of the song “then your face will surely show it” completely so unless you know those words already in the language you are singing, you can’t sing the whole song.

[CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this is a book technically, it’s really the well-known song in book form, complete with the sheet music printed on the back cover of the book. The structure of the book, repeating the phrase that is the title before each page that displays a short sentence like “Clap your hands / Aplaude” and “Hide away / Escondete” makes for plenty of repetition (8 times): almost the number 12 that researchers suggest children need to hear a word before they learn it. This song obviously also encourages movement, enforcing the meaning of each phrase like “Kick your legs / Alza los pies” by having accompanying illustrations of racially diverse toddlers doing that action. The book really encourages the child and reader to do the actions along with the book, keeping the toddler’s interest and engaging them with their whole body. This is a great bilingual example of the “songs published as picture books which have lots of potential for action and singing” that Allison wrote about in the last module. As far as the bilingual aspect goes, I like how the English and Spanish are differentiated by colour but are given equal font sizes, although it’d be nice if English wasn’t always on top and the first on every page.

[Kelly Coyle DiNorcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm always looking for a good board book. This one caught my interest because it's Harry's favorite song (actually, in our house it's "If You're Harry and You Know It"). I like this one because it shows all different kinds of babies doing all kinds of fun things - and finishing up by hugging their friends!

[Cassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

ages 1-5. This board book gives alternate actions for the "If you're happy and you know it" song. Each page shows children doing the actions and makes it easy for children to follow along. Encourages singing, playing, and phonological awareness.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was perfect for the babies at lap time and the caregivers/parents who did the simple activities with them. 10/15/13

Used again, very simple and wonderful for Lap Time. 10/7

Love this for babies and used it again for Baby/Toddler Lap Time.

[Meg McGregor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is just so much fun!

Little ones are encouraged to clap their hands, hide away, kick their legs, etc.

Lots of fun for parents and little ones to have together!

Great illustrations bring this rhyme to life!

[Rebekah Kincheloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book for babies. You can sing with the words if you want and do motions with the baby. This is a great interactive book even for younger infants.

[jacky · Rating 3 out of 5]

This board book was read for story time at play group today. I like the original lyrics better, but the kids had fun playing along.

[Ubalstecha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as others in this series. Actions are not the traditional ones and a little difficult to do with a baby on your lap. Possibly better for a nursery school or kindergarten environment.

[C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chloe enjoys acting this one out. Quite fun.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read at Baby Lap Time on 4/19/12 and 4/20/12: storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/2012/04...

[Violet · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a great hardbook to be active with; you can put motions and sing along with it, which kiddos love! The illustrations are well done as well.

[Emily Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a darling little book with darling illustrations I can't help but love (just look at those cute babies!) Older babies will surely love attempting to follow the actions.

[Angeles · Rating 4 out of 5]

:)

[Saralyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute ideas, but too difficult to do with a baby on your lap and probably too baby-ish for older kids.

[Cara Byrne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bigger-than-average board book that encourages wiggling, shaking, and moving all around to show how happy you are. A baby storytime read.

[Colette · Rating 3 out of 5]

The song is there, but this is meant for babies, not little children in a class. The kids enjoyed the book anyway!

[Amartya Menon · Rating 3 out of 5]

beautiful illustration but is not in-line with the popular rhyme

[Spike Cooper · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great for teething, or propping up crooked furniture.

[Little Champs]

BB 12