I was really surprised playing through Take 5 of the Best Children’s Songs. I saw ‘children’s songs’ and thought they would be really daggy, but they’re so much fun to play!

This book is about a 3rd Gr AMEB standard of difficulty. 2nd Gr if you play them slower. Lots of chords in the RH and mostly single notes in the LH for the first 4 songs but a great two-hand scale run in Click Go the Shears. Most songs are 2 pages long. Modern arrangements of the songs with a mild Jazz feel to them (love it!!).

Perfect for Rocket songs in the 40 piece challenge, for Nursing/Retirement Home or Recital pieces because they are familiar tunes (and short). Also great for teenagers wanting to de-stress. I tried it with some of mine, and they wanted to take the book home! And great for older players. Probably some pieces even suitable as 3rd Gr Piano for Leisure extra lists pieces as the speeds are quite fast.

Included are:-

Waltzing Matilda
Click Go the Shears
If You’re Happy and you Know It
Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah
Bananas in Pyjamas
Pop! Goes the Weasel (a bonus song!)

Words are included, as are guitar chords. The melody(vocal) line is separate to the piano part, but the piano part incorporates it, so you don’t have to have someone sing along.

This book is #15 of a series of these ‘Take 5’ books, with other titles such as “Cat Stevens”, “Christmas Songs” and “No.. 10 Charting Hits of 2022 – 2012” which has Someone Like You, War of Hearts, What Makes you Beautiful, Marry You and Titanium in it, to give you an idea.

They’re pretty cheap as well at $14.95 RRP. A Full list of the series is available here 

I think it’s a great book, and highly recommend it.