Dear MARMAM, I'm happy to announce the release of my educational children's album about whales and dolphins: "WHALE SONG! Groovin' Lessons on the Cetacea for kids and their grown-ups" is the first-ever peer-reviewed children's album about cetaceans. Packed with original, fact-filled, toe-tappin' tunes, "Whale Song!" blends science and imagination into a lyrical adventure for the whole family! It's an ideal gift for kids of all ages -- the perfect way to inspire youngsters to know and care more about what we do. CDs are available now at: <http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/erickeen>. Or download the album from iTunes: < http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/whale-song!-groovin-lessons/id485603165?ign...
or Facebook: < http://www.facebook.com/pages/Whale-Song/119217438194317?sk=app_155326481208...
For more info and reviews from leading whale scientists, see below. Best wishes to all, Eric Keen Scripps Institution of Oceanography ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peer Review for "Whale Song!": "Baby Beluga move over! Here is a new cetacean kids song -- not just one song but a whole album! What I liked most was that these songs were fun and funny for kids but also had interesting lyrics for adults and even whale scientists (not sure if they qualify as adults). Who would think you could get something like “their vestigial features show it” into a children’s song and pull it off? There are valuable conservation themes, vocabulary building, and educational aspects that the songs provide while making it entertaining. This is a fun album for all ages through adults and a must-have for budding whale scientists." -- John Calambokidis, director of the Cascadia Research Collective "I subjected Eric's songs to the toughest critics I could muster: my 4 yr old and 1 yr old. Within seconds they were laughing, dancing, and clapping along. They had great fun...The problem I have now is that my 4 yr old is continuously pestering me, 'Can I hear another funny song please?'" -- Trevor Branch, PhD, UW Professor "Fun. Fun! FUN! I listened carefully to the whole thing because I didn't want to miss a single chorus or bad pun. Its creative, educational, and (did I mention?) fun. I recommend it to cetacean biologists of all ages, but especially those who will be getting their degrees in 20 years. As a whale biologist with over 30 years of experience, I can testify that he got all the science right. But none of that would matter to kids unless it was also a hoot. Listen, it will make you smile." -- Jay Barlow, PhD, Scripps Institution of Oceanography; NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center "As someone who studies whale songs for a living, I was as enchanted by these songs ABOUT whales as I am by songs sung BY whales. Eric's work here is funny, catchy, and spot-on scientifically. Kids, adults, and marine mammal scientists alike will find themselves singing along to the 'Whale BCs' , tracing the evolution of whales from land to water and back again in song, and learning about a species most of us have never heard of, the "ole' walrus whale". -- Kate Stafford, PhD, whale acoustician, UW ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Special thanks goes my sister, Sara, to whom this album is dedicated.