Newall, George and Tom Yohe. Schoolhouse Rock: The Updated Official Guide. Various Illustrators. Hyperion, 01/2023. 112pp. Non-Fiction. GRADES 3 – 7. $17.99. 978-1-368-07774-3. ADDITIONAL.
Adapted from a book for adults, this collection of the lyrics to all the “Schoolhouse Rock” songs was published to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the award-winning TV cartoon series. Divided into five chapters, the songs are in chronological order of the debut dates, and organized by the topics of multiplication, grammar, American history, science, and money. Each entry has the song’s lyrics, a few color cartoon illustrations from the videos, and three sidebars containing a synopsis, trivia, and facts. Generations have learned about parts of speech with songs like “Conjunction Junction,” multiplication with “Three is a Magic Number,” and civics with “I’m Just a Bill.” Teachers can use these for lessons, school assemblies, and student performances. The cartoon artwork depicts people of various ethnicities and the voice performers also represent diverse backgrounds.
Penny Peck—San Jose State University iSchool