Grow. Andrew Queen. 1 CD, 45 min., includes a 20 page stapled booklet of lyrics and recipes. (andrewqueen@sympatico.ca), 2011. $15.00. Preschool-grade 1 / Ages 2-6. Review by Jeff Nielsen. *** /4

Andrew Queen, formerly of 'motorgrass' band Jughead - famous for The Hockey Song - has followed up his first children's album, Too Tall, with one that promises to GROW.

      Musically, this album follows in the big footsteps of Too Tall, with an ace backing band that keeps the whole album feeling like a Folk Festival jam session just for the wee ones. "Macaroni and Cheese" has a great audience shout-along chorus, "Little Red Hen" has a nice old-timey sway, and Queen's done a fun-as-heck adaptation of the kids classic, "Worms."

      While Queen faithfully retells the story of Jack and the Bean Stalk (complete with falling giants) both the tale of the Little Red Hen and the Three Billy Goats Gruff are given overly-sweet endings where everybody learns to get along a mite too neatly. This is a bit of a shame as Queen seemed like a performer, who, despite his towering physical stature, wouldn't talk down to kids or just say what their teachers want to hear.

      So, while there's some moralizing in the words, Queen still gets off some clever lines, like when he riffs on an old theme, "Second verse/Same as the first/A little bit louder/a little bit worse)."

      Grow is a feed sack full of fun and is recommended for the two to six set (my two-year-old ran in from the living room to demand some dancing when it began).

Recommended.

Jeff Nielsen teaches BIG kids in Lorette, MB.

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