Dee Snider

We're Not Gonna Take It is part of the LyricPop series from Akashic Books. This volume combines the lyrics of the classic Dee Snider (Twisted Sister) song and drawings from Margaret McCartney. I came to this series unsure how I might respond, the songs/books I have read are from my youth and trying to imagine them as picture books was difficult. Much of each review of these books will be the same with the exception of the part specific to the book. So...

I was very pleasantly surprised. The story here, such as it is, is about three toddlers playing and defying their mothers. During playtime, nap time, and even lunch time the children try to oppose the "authoritarian" rule of their mothers. We've all been there as children and, if we have children, as parents, so the premise is quite relatable. When I picked up this copy I was really curious how a song like this would translate into a child's book and I was impressed. The age range for the series is stated as 0-7 so we are talking about a book that is going to be interactive between a child, a reader (usually imagined as a parent), and the book. As such, I think this will be a fun experience for everyone. The story is fun and could be made very humorous in the telling and offers some opportunities for the reader to explain ideas ranging from why there are rules and why rules should sometimes be questioned.

It has been a long time since my children were this age so I am imaging how I might have used it. I remember "dancing" around my living room with my daughter listening to music when she was barely able to walk, so this is the child I am picturing in my mind. I think I might read the book a time or two first before introducing her to the song, let her get the words into her mind but using a singsong voice while reading it, to the tune of the song. Then play the song for her so that she can hear the song in her mind while we read the book. I'm not sure there is a right or wrong way to use the book but I think this is how I would do so.

I would recommend this book to any parents (or in my case grandparents) who want to make story time something more than just reading a story straight through, especially stories created with additional marketing in mind. This is simple, uses the imagination, and develops an appreciation of music (rather than appreciation of ever more toys).

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via Edelweiss.… (meer)