MOUSIE HIWAY: The Adventures of BANJO MOUSE in Appalachia
MOUSIE HIWAY is a children’s book that involves music, a good story, a fun character and a valid lesson. The story and accompanying CD introduces the sound of the banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, dobro and bass to young ears in a fun way. Each book includes a CD with the full story plus the song “Mousie HiWay.”
NOW AVAILABLE AS A KOBO eBOOK: click here
NOW AVAILABLE AS A KOBO AUDIO BOOK: click here
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TEACHERS and HOME SCHOOL PARENTS: LESSON PLANS for K-4 and 5-7 are included with the book
USE MOUSIE HIWAY AS A SCHOOL/CHARITY FUNDRAISER click here
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ORDER A HARD COPY BOOK NOW – A GREAT Gift for Kids!
Use the easy PAYPAL button below for immediate shipping, or call 859-255-5700 with a credit card, or send a check for $18.95 plus 2.75 shipping (21.70 total) to PoetMan Records PO Box 200, Lexington, KY 40588, PayPal $18.95 plus 2.75 shipping to radio@woodsongs.com. No PayPal account? Easy! use this button below (all credit cards work on it) INCLUDES A FREE COPY OF THE 23-song MOONFIRE Banjo Album … U
Gift MOUSIE HIWAY to Teachers and Libraries
Do you care about music and art in schools? Do you want to encourage front porch music to students and kids? You can donate Mousie HiWay to teachers, schools or libraries … include the NAME of the school/library plus the address and we will mail directly to them with a note saying it is a gift from you. Just $9.95 per school ppd in USA. Mail the school name and payment to POETMAN RECORDS PO Box 200 Lexington KY 40588 or call with a credit card 859-255-5700
MOUSIE HIWAY Story Book Audio
The MOUSIE HIWAY AUDIO book is a song that tells the story of the 32-page picture book. The recording features Kentucky bluegrass legends the McLAIN FAMILY BAND, Melissa Johnathon on front vocals, and multi-award winner ROB ICKES on dobro.
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Mousie, Kentucky is a real place. So is Blue Moon Mountain.
Nestled in the beautiful Appalachian mountains in Knott County Kentucky, a young folksinger moved there in the late 1980’s and journeyed up and down the hollers of eastern Kentucky with his guitar and banjo.
“It was like going to folk music college but without having to pay tuition,” says Johnathon from his log cabin home near Lexington. “I had hundreds of front porch picking sessions and learned so much about our rural music. It was an amazing, beautiful experience.”
Now, that experience has been put into a book that will introduce the music of the mountains to kids nationwide. It includes a CD audio storybook he recorded with the help of the McLain Family Band, arguably one of the most important Appalachian family bands in Kentucky history.
“Mousie HiWay: The Adventures of Banjo Mouse in Appalachia” is a 32 page picture book and story about a banjo playing mouse that travels across Appalachia, meeting new friends and forming a bluegrass band. It introduces kids to the banjo, guitar, fiddle, dobro, mandolin and upright bass in a fun way and encourage them to pick up an instrument and play. Each book has a CD of the audio reading PLUS lesson plans for teachers and home school parents.
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THE STORY:
“This is the adventures of Banjo Mouse
He didn’t have a bed and he didn’t have a house
But he had a lot friends where ever he’d go
’cause he knew a bunch of songs on the ol’ banjo
Then one night in the Appalachian hills
He heard a lonesome sound and everything got still
In the silvery moon just sittin’ on a rock
He found a new friend named Fiddle Fox
Well, he and Fiddle Fox played all night long
They played a lot of tunes, sang a lot of songs
But when the sun came up they had no place to go
till they met a new friend named Doggy Dobro
When Doggy played the ‘bro he could bend those notes
He would bend them up high and bend them down low
with the fiddle and the banjo they would laugh and shout
It was a dream come true for Banjo Mouse
The whole band knew that something was a-missin’
You could hear it so plain, you could hear it if you listen
So they mumbled and they grumbled till they heard the truth
When up from a holler came Mando Moose
Mando Moose had mando luvin’
He could play his mandolin, even when he was a-runnin’
He could play it so fast he had everybody shoutin’
And it echoed through the hollers of Blue Moon Mountain
Now, Banjo Mouse knew they wouldn’t get far
They had a real fine band but they needed one more.
So he wondered and he pondered and he wished upon a star
And down from a hill came Kitty Guitar
She was a six-string Kitty that could pick and sing
Banjo Mouse could made the banjo ring
No one played the fiddle like Fiddle Fox could
and Doggy Dobro made the song sound good
But Banjo Mouse stopped and said “hey wait a minute…”
we have a real fine band but there’s something not in it
We all want to play a real big show
but the show won’t go unless we play it down low
And then though the bushes came a rumblin’ sound
it shook all the trees and it rattled the ground
and down from the mountain with a smile on his face
came Little Bitty Beaver with a great big bass
Well, from Blue Moon Mountain to the hollers all around
the people all gathered for that bluegrass sound
and they sang and they cheered again and again
Everybody loves the Mousie HiWay Band!