Raffi Songs to Read: Everything Grows

Raffi's beloved song celebrating the earth is available for the first time in a board book edition that readers will treasure as they grow. Perfect for Earth Day!

From children to animals, from leaves on a tree to fish in the sea, everything grows. Raffi's popular and catchy song encourages kids to take in the world around them and appreciate the way everything is growing together. Lush illustrations by Nina Mata show families interacting with a community garden and marvelling at the interconnectedness of the earth in this timely and timeless song and story.

"The addition of Raffi's voice to the American political landscape is actually invaluable -- the singer-songwriter is the premier emissary for children and his positions carry with them an incredible weight."--New York Magazine

Raffi Cavoukian was born in Cairo, Egypt, in 1948 to Armenian parents. Music and literature were very much a part of Raffi’s own childhood, leading to his interest in learning the guitar as a teenager. In 1970 he began his career as a performer in local music spots and later transitioned to performing music for children. As his career progressed, Raffi realized there wasn’t quality recorded music for children. He then recorded and released Singable Songs for the Very Young. After its success, he recognized his fun songs could be adapted into books to help children read. Favourite songs were then printed in booklets, which were illustrated by the children themselves or by older students—as a result, the children had instant books that they could use at their own level of proficiency. This led to the publication of Down by the Bay and Shake My Sillies Out, followed by other titles in the Songs to Read series. In 1998, Raffi published his first book for adults—an autobiography detailing the story of his unique life and career, including his efforts to blend respect for both children and the natural world, in order to work toward a child-honouring society.