Illustrator Boynton Branches Into Song

You don’t have to read children’s books to recognize the whimsical work of best-selling author-illustrator Sandra Boynton. If you’ve ever shopped for a greeting card, a novelty mug or T-shirt, even wallpaper, you’ve probably seen Boynton’s benignly silly hippos, pigs, cats and other animals, instantly recognizable by their economy of line and signature rotundity.

Boynton branches out in one of her latest ventures, “Rhinoceros Tap (and 14 Other Seriously Silly Songs),” a clever, amusingly illustrated songbook for children with accompanying audiocassette.

To celebrate the book-audio release, Boynton will appear at Storyopolis on Sunday at 1 p.m. in “Season’s Gruntings,” a book signing and musical performance of Boynton’s songs by Adam Bryant, who stars on the album.

Boynton’s illustrations complement the gentle humor of her lyrics about romantic mice (“I Love You More Than Cheese”); vegetables (“O Lonely Peas”); “Bad Babies” who yell and whine and bite; a sunny island where “Tropical Sand” inspires Alaska dreams; and a “Barnyard Dance” where livestock whoop it up. Bryant, a talented singer, adds comic zest in his versatile performance of the songs.

The tuneful, fully orchestrated music, in varied styles--a cappella doo wop, jazz, cabaret, country swing and Broadway--was a collaboration between Boynton and pianist-composer Michael Ford. (Boynton has a new audio project for adults, too: “Grunt, Pigorian Chant From Snouto Domoinko de Silo.”)

* “Rhinoceros Tap,” Workman Publishing, 48-page book with 42-minute audiocassette: $15.95. (800) 722-7202.

* Storyopolis, 116 N. Robertson Blvd., Plaza A, Los Angeles. Free; reservations required: (310) 358-2512.

Philharmonic for Kids: Children ages 6 to 12 will find some classical pizazz in “Astounding Sounds of Great Music,” the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s 1996-97 “Toyota Symphonies for Youth” season.

The five-concert series kicks off on Dec. 7 at 10:15 a.m. in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, with “Beethoven Lives at the Music Center,” conducted by Roger Norrington.

The series continues with “Morph With Mozart” (Dec. 21), “Fun With Bobby McFerrin” (Feb. 15), “It’s Czech, Mate” (April 5) and “Clowning Around With Esa-Pekka and Jeff,” with L.A. Philharmonic Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen and bass trombone soloist Jeffrey Reynolds (May 24).

Doors open at 9:15 a.m., with pre-concert arts and crafts and entertainment.

Each concert runs 45 minutes and is signed for people with hearing impairment. Tickets are $6-$10, with a limit of six tickets per household, and are available at the L.A. Philharmonic’s Music Center box office or Ticketmaster outlets.

There will also be five, 30-minute “Open House at the Music Center” concerts performed on the same dates, at 11:30 a.m.

Tickets are $6. Information for both series: (213) 850-2000.