KOREAN NURSERY RHYMES

Consider this collection Kindermusik that teaches English or Korean as a second language.

Like singing in a round, there is a lot going on—it is fun and exciting and very busy. Each part deserves attention. First, the book can stand alone as a bilingual book of 14 children’s nursery rhymes. Chirpy, simple and bright, the traditional rhymes may puzzle a bit in translation. “Little one, little one, clap your hands / Little one, little one, raise your hands up / Little one, little one, see you later”; in the context of a jump-rope rhyme, it makes sense, but alone, it’s a little mystifying. Second, the language translation is repeated three times: first in Hanguel script, then in Romanized, phonetic Korean and finally in English. The types of rhymes are universal: games to decide who will be the next person “out,” rhymes to teach babies basic concepts and even a version of “Duck Duck Goose.” Finally, the music CD allows readers to listen to correct pronunciation, with each song (played by guitar and sung by young children) performed in Korean and then English. The illustrations are two-dimensional and cartoony, with round bodies and smiling eyes.

Both unusual and useful, for this ever-shrinking world.