Fred Koch's children's music review column appears monthly in Chicago Parent magazine, and BestChildrensMusic.com is delighted to make the complete archived series of articles accessible to you.

The following reviews are reprinted with permission from Chicago Parent magazine, a free monthly magazine for Chicago-area parents. For further information on Chicago Parent, call 708/386.5555. You may also visit them online at Chicagoparent.com.


Best Music 2002 - A great year for songs

Quiet Times
Preschool and Kindergarten

Elementary School Aged (6-8)
Compilations
Orchestral Music For The Whole Family
A Few Classics Worth Remembering

December 2002 - Songs make the season bright

A Holly Jolly Christmas For Kids - The Holiday Children
A Jazz-A-Bye Christmas - Jazz-A-Bye Quartet
Sounds Of The Season- Maggie Sansone
A Folk Song Christmas- Various Artists
Celebrate Hanukkah- Various Artists
Kwanzaa For Young People (And Everyone Else!)- Various Artists

November 2002 - Some of the best mixes

This Land Is Your Land, Songs of Unity
The Muppet Show: Music, Mayhem and More! The 25th Year Collection

Martha Stewart Kids: Playtime -- Lively Songs For Parents and Kids

October 2002 - Singin' a new tune

Happy Lemons - Ralph's World
Under A Shady Tree - Laurie Berkner
Celtic For Kids - Barbary Grant

September 2002 - Music for the whole family

Night Time! - Dan Zanes
Rocket Ship Beach - Dan Zanes
Family Dance - Dan Zanes
Farkle & Friends - John Lithgow
The Swing Set - Jazz-A-Bye Quartet

August 2002 - Lullabies for all babies

Mellow My Baby - Sherry Goffin Kondor
Cradle On The Waves: Lullabies and Slow Aires - Teresa Doyle
Late Night Guitar - Tom Salvatori
Dream With Me Tonight - Lanny Sherwin
Folk Song Lullabies - Phil Rosenthal

July 2002 - A salute to patriotic music

Celebration of America - Various Artists
Skidaddle! - Buck Howdy
Bumblebees & Googleheads - Laurie Berkner

June 2002 - Music that crosses borders

No! - They Might Be Giants
Bob The Builder The Album - Various Artists
Latin Playground - Putumayo World Music

May 2002 - Oldies and goodies

Pier Piper - Donovan
At the Bottom of the Sea - Ralph Covert
Big Rock Rooster - John Boydston
En El Lejano Bosque/In The Faraway Forest - Colibri

April 2002 - Playful new releases

Let's Play - Raffi
Beethoven's Wig: Sing Along Symphonies - Richard Perlmutter
Fun and Games - Greg & Steve

March 2002 - And the nominees are . . .

All Wound Up! A Family Music Party - Cathy Fink, Marcy Marxer, Brave Combo
Big Wide Grin - Keb' Mo
Elmo and The Orchestra - Elmo
inFINity - Trout Fishing In America
Little House of Music--Level 1 Package - Georgia S. Lucking

February 2002 - Great new releases, from Celtic to Hip Hop

I Can Be Me - Jennifer Armstrong
Celebrate Kids - Craig Taubman
Mind Games - Chuck Webb

January 2002 - Proven Winners Come Through Again

Ants In My Pants - Gunnar Madsen
Down In The Backpack - Bill Harley
Great Big Fun - Tom Chapin
Country Goes Raffi - Raffi