Of four new kids' album we've been spinning in our house this month, we'd highly recommend three of them, and the fourth is sure to be of interest to some.

Enter Sandbox

StarFish

Sarina and I are in love with StarFish's second album. Enter Sandbox is a tongue-in-cheek look at childhood, as sung to rock music. "My Name is No" is about a child who hears the word "No" so often ("No, don't do that!") that he thinks it's his name; "Time Out" is the anthem for kids who are mad about being punished for their naughty deeds; "Spread Your Wings" is about leaving the video games and going outside to play. But our favorite is "Elephant," a silly song with a great chorus ("And if I can't tell right from wrong/My family's there to learn from/And if I can't tell what to do/My friends are there to lean on").

Sometimes, when music is done right, you can just feel the fun the band had when they were working on it - like in this case. My only beef is the rip-off of Shel Silverstein's poem "Sick," which has the same punch line as StarFish's song "Sick Day." Aside from that, these New Jersey dads really know how to rock the kiddie tunes. | $10 on CD from Amazon.com

Be Nice

Leeny and Steve

Be Nice is an infectious album. My favorite track, a rockin' tune called "What Have You Done With All The Penguins?!," is about a family trip to the aquarium, whereupon they find that the penguin exhibit is mysteriously closed. It's the kind of song that gets stuck in your head - but you don't even mind, because it's that cool. You'll catch yourself bopping along to it out in public and grinning.

The album is a combination of silly songs ("Stinky Diaper") and songs that have lessons ("Ain't Ain't a Word"). Overall, it's good-hearted and spirited music that should be a hit with the preschool crowd and parents. | $9 MP3 Download / $16 CD on Amazon.com

Tiny Cool

Princess Katie and Racer Steve

It normally takes me a few listens to really catch on to a CD and figure out if I like it or not, but Tiny Cool is one of those special ones that immediately became a hit in our house.

With subjects such as parties, sand in a sandwich at the beach, being shy, being honest about what happened at school, and individuality, this one is geared more toward the kindergarten and early grade school audience. It’s high-energy kiddie rock, and it shows serious musicianship. There’s even a horn section featuring members of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

Tiny Cool is the third release by this Manhattan-based husband-and-wife team, who are now touring nationally. | $9 as an MP3 Download from Amazon.com

Green Golly and Her Golden Flute

Flute Sweet and Tickletoon

Green Golly is an album with a mission, designed to introduce kids to classical music on the flute in an entertaining way. The bulk of this CD is the reimagined tale of Rapunzel, now known as "Green Golly." Green Golly's hungry parents trade her to a witch for a salad. The witch is concerned that Green Golly is getting very attractive and boys are paying too much attention to her, so she locks the girl in a tower. Green Golly has nothing much to do in her tower except grow hair and play her new flute. Luckily, it turns out that she really likes her flute, and she uses it to play Mozart, Schubert, Chopin, and others.

For us, this CD straddles the line between being entertaining and being just plain too weird and over-the-top. I wouldn't listen to it again. I have a feeling it works better in a live performance. However, my opinion may be against the grain; I've now read several reviews of this CD from people who found it creative and funny. | $9 MP3 Download from Amazon.com

Jenna Glatzer (www.jennaglatzer.com) is the author of 19 books. Her most recent collaboration is Unthinkable with Scott Rigsby, the first double-amputee to finish the world-famous Hawaiian Ironman triathlon. Jenna lives with her two-year-old daughter in New York. - Jenna Glatzer