Brand new this month is an album by award winning musician/educator Laura Freeman. It’s called Somersault Season and it is exactly that….a musical tumble, roll, journey, and rolicking somersault through each of the four beautiful seasons of the year.

“I wrote these songs to keep busy active bodies moving all year long,” explains Freeman, who involved lots of children in the recording process. “I also wrote it to remind us to notice how the natural world is always changing around us. I love watching the seasons flow from one to the other. I hope I inspire others to do so.”

This CD lines up seamlessly with preschool educational standards and requirements. I can envision us using this album over and over again this school year as we get to the unit about calendar days, months, and our earth’s seasons.

This album follows two other award winning releases by Freeman, one of them (“A Baker’s Dozen”) being among one of the top children’s albums of 2004 (as voted by JustPlainFolks.org).

My kids laugh and laugh at the seemingly most popular tune on the CD, “My Brother’s a Monster.” (You can watch the whimsical music video here.) “Big City, Little City” also has a fun feeling to it — the superfast wording makes the kids silly just listening to it. It has a Greek-esque sound to it, its lyrics taking you on a virtual tour of the world’s most inviting cities and countries.

“Swoosh Swoosh” is a short, lifelike sound effects-based tribute to spring. This is my daughter’s favorite track, especially as the tempo grows faster and faster near the end!

“Look In A Book” prods your kids to realize that you can find out just about any information, adventure or help you seek within the pages of a book. (Yet another subtle way to inspire the love of reading!)

These are just a few of our favorites. Can you find yours?

Laura Freeman’s Somersault Season can be purchased via CDBaby for $15.

Win it! Thanks to Laura Freeman and Sugar Mountain PR, one of you can win a copy of Somersault Season! Simply head over to listen to some of the fantastic songs on this album, then come back and tell me your absolute fav. I’ll close the contest next Thursday, August 6th, 2009 at 11pm EST. Sorry; US entries only. Good luck!

CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

Congratulations to commenter #3, Dayna, who’s won this CD!