Sharon, Lois and Bram's Skinnamarink
CBC Books | | Posted: August 15, 2019 5:00 PM | Last Updated: December 20, 2019
Sharon Hampson, Lois Lilienstein & Bram Morrison with Randi Hampson, illustrated by Qin Leng
What does "skinnamarink" mean? You may not find its definition in a dictionary, but the meaning is clear to the generations of children who sang along: friendship, happiness, sharing, community and, ultimately, love. This song has been sung in weddings and in classrooms. It can be fun and silly — especially with the accompanying actions! And it has a way of bringing people together.
Through Qin Leng's wonderfully imaginative illustrations, this delightful picture book tells the story of a community coming together. Young and old, from little mice to a big elephant, people and animals gather into a spontaneous parade as they follow the sound of music. (From Tundra Books)
Sharon, Lois & Bram are a Canadian children's musical group that have performed together for over 40 years.
Leng is a children's book illustrator from Toronto who has also illustrated the books Good Night, Good Night by Dennis Lee and Away by Emil Sher.
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Sharon and Bram talk about turning Skinnamarink, their most popular song, into a picture book
Sharon: "We were not looking to educate anybody. We were looking to bring music into the lives of children and their families so that they could enjoy it and take it as their own. That was our goal, but we always chose good songs. They had to appeal to us first of all.
Every person and every animal can identify with the book. - Sharon and Bram
"There were lessons along the way, but that was not the goal. A message where a child and a parent are saying 'I love you' to each other — there's nothing bad about that."
Bram: "We have all ages, all colours of skin all physical abilities and disabilities. We have families with two dads, we have mice. We have everything you can imagine. Every person and every animal can identify with the book."