Tom
Knight has been writing and performing for kids since 1988. Formerly based in
Ithaca, New York, and now living in the Northampton area of Western Massachusetts, Tom brings his portable stage and hand-made puppets
to schools, libraries, theaters and festivals all throughout the
Northeast.
The show is a vibrant collection of
original songs and skits, each 3-5 minutes long, with variety enough to
keep even the very youngest children waiting to see what will happen
next. While Tom sings to pre-recorded music tracks, puppets like Henry
the Magician, the Little Elephant, Andy the Recycling Guy, and Allie
the Alligator act out the stories of the songs. Besides the visual
appeal, almost every segment has a part for the audience, including
hand motions, singing along, or doing simple dance steps.
Some of Tom's favorite themes are
animals, food, environmental science, and the importance of reading.
With catchy melodies and playful lyrics, Knight's songs are easy to
remember, fun to sing, and often educational. His songs can be heard on
his CDs, including When I Grow Up,
Don't Kiss a Codfish, Easy as Pie,
The Library Boogie, and his latest: The Classroom
Boogie! He also has a recording for grown-ups called Crazy
Little Dream.
The
Library Boogie A living library of songs and skits
related to books and reading. It includes the traditional
tale of "The Billy Goats Gruff," the original
stories of the "Elephant's Lullaby," plus the title song "The
Library Boogie." Great for libraries, Parents as Reading
Partners Programs, and anything that relates to books.
Music
and Magic with Tom Knight Puppets A vibrant collection of songs and
skits with lots of participation, including "Henry the Magician," "The
Juggler," plus all-time favorites like the "Garbage Monster,"
and "Alligator Jump." Great for festivals, birthday parties, and
schools.
Holiday
Magic with Tom Knight Puppets A show for Christmas and Holiday
Parties. Includes much of the repertoire from The Library Boogie Show
plus "Jingle Bells," "The Holiday Song," about the different traditions
of Chanukah, Christmas, Solstice, and Kwanzaa. If appropriate, Tom does
"Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer," and an original Santa song
called "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree."
2010
Songs and Skits
Click on the underlined song
titles to hear mp3 clips.
"Place in
the Choir" - A good warm-up song (by Bill Staines)
with
movements, singing along, and animal noises. Tom usually invites
members of the audience to come on stage to help with the movements.
(Photo from the video by Jorge Cuevas.)
"The Elephant's Lullaby(streaming)" - Mama Elephant sings a
lullaby to the little Elephant in the jungle. The
little elephant has a surprise special effect.
"The
Garbage Monster(streaming)" - a kid is scared by a monster
made out of garbage, until he realizes that the monster is made out of
things that are recyclable. The monster gets recycled until
there is nothing left. (video by Jorge Cuevas.)
"Alligator Jump(streaming)" - One of Tom's most popular songs, this skit
is a chance to stand up and move to the music, along with the Mama,
Papa, and Allie Alligator.
"Henry the Magician" - a magician
tries to make a rabbit appear out of a hat, but gets a bird and a
dinosaur instead.
"Rockabilly Goats Gruff(streaming)" - The traditional story of the Billy
Goats Gruff with some new twists, set to Rockabilly music. (Photo from
the video by Jorge Cuevas.)
"The Library Boogie(streaming)" - Late at
night when the library is closed, characters from classic children’s
books like The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Where
the Wild Things Are come alive and start to dance! The Library Boogie Lyrics
"The Solar System(streaming) " - Tom sings a song about the Solar
System while the planets rotate around his head.
