Jennie Jenkins

A beautifully illustrated version of the classic and humorous song, “Jennie Jenkins”

A beautiful take on a timeless story, this picture book will become a favorite of today’s children, another wonderful chapter in the continuing legacy of a delightful, classic songtale. In the United States, “Jennie Jenkins” was sung as a way for a boy to ask a girl to dance. The boy would sing the first part and pick a color and the girl would have to make up an answer that rhymed. If the girl failed to quickly respond with an appropriate answer, she would be required to dance with the boy. The fully notated version of this song with all the words is included at the end of the book, along with a detailed history of the song. An MP3 of the song is also available for free download.

John M. Feierabend is a professor of music and the director of the music education division at the Hartt School of the University of Hartford. He is the author of the First Steps in Music series. He lives in West Hartford, Connecticut.Ashley Maurer is a recent graduate of the University of Hartford with a BFA in illustration. She lives in Hartford, Connecticut.