AMG Review of Birds, Beasts, Bugs and Fishes (Little & Big)

Richie Unterberger
All Music Guide

Previously available on two separate 1955 Folkways LPs (Birds, Beasts, Bugs and Little Fishes and Birds, Beasts, Bugs and Bigger Fishes), this CD combines both of these children's records onto one disc, complete lyrics included in the accompanying booklet. As the titles make plain, the songs were devoted to animals of all sorts; Birds, Beasts, Bugs and Little Fishes was aimed toward younger kids, and Birds, Beasts, Bugs and Bigger Fishes for older ones. It'll still do the job today, although it can be a bit much for over-tens to take when Pete Seeger does animal noises, and even if you're just leaving your little one in a corner to enjoy the CD, 28 songs might be too much for both you and your kid to endure all at once.