Getting to Know You!: Rodgers and Hammerstein Favorites
This curious little picture book sets out to accomplish the odd--but  surprisingly worthwhile--task of assembling some classic Rodgers & Hammerstein  lyrics into a kid-friendly, sing-along format.Getting to Know You!samples songs from some of the Broadway duo's  better-known musicals (Oklahoma!,Carousel,South Pacific,  andThe King and I), acting them out with a cast of cute animals  playfully illustrated by Rosemary Wells (Max's Bath, etc.). You might  need to hit the video store to recall the tune to a few of these (likeOklahoma!'s "Farmer and the Cowman"), but most of the 16 songs--from "Oh,  What a Beautiful Mornin'" to "Some Enchanted Evening"--should be memorable  enough to get you singing within the first few words. For the rest,Getting  to Know You!even includes a staple-bound songbook tucked into the back  cover, which includes sheet music and complete lyrics for all the songs.Given that Rodgers & Hammerstein won countless awards for their musicals  (including two Pulitzers and armfuls of Tonys, Grammys, Emmys, and Oscars),  maybe it's not so surprising that the lyrics adapt well into any format. If  nothing else, it's hard to argue with any book that can get your kid belting  out, "I'm gonna wash that man right outa my hair!" (Ages 4 to 8)--Paul  Hughes