Playing on the title of Ted Nugent's 1981 live album Intensities in 10 Cities, Recess Monkey's latest CD, In Tents, may not thunder from your speakers like the Motor City Madman's classic, but their pop chops are likely to land them near the top of our year-end list of the best kids' music of 2012.

The band explore the wonderful weirdness and spectacular world of the circus via musical influences like The Beatles, The Raspberries, and The Kinks.

• Read a full review of Recess Monkey's In Tents

Image Courtesy Monkey Mama

Maurice Sendak was one of the most adventurous children's authors in the history of the genre. From literally exploring the boundaries beyond the physical picture book page, to writing about existential and yet huggably real subjects, Sendak brought class, imagination, and joy to the world of children's literature. He will be missed.

• Read a full review of Where the Wild Things Are Soundtrack

• Read about the life and art of Maurice Sendak

Image Courtesy Interscope Records

Yet another Disney Channel project yields yet another Walt Disney Records release in the Lemonade Mouth Soundtrack, a collection of tunes that accompany the tv movie of the same name. Based on Mark Peter Hughes' young adult novel, the Disney tv production follows a group of musically-inclined detention hall mainstays who form a band and express themselves through their songs.

The Lemonade Mouth Soundtrack features tunes written by the typical stable of Walt Disney songwriters, so the overall sound of the CD will be familiar to the ears. Unless you're a diehard follower of Bridgit Mendler, Adam Hicks, or Naomi Scott, or collect Disney Music Soundtracks, this one is for fans only.

• Read a full review of the Lemonade Mouth Soundtrack

Image Courtesy Walt Disney Records

Remember all those awesome sing along songs from the first few seasons of Sesame Street? Well, you can sing along once more with the release of Sesame Street: Old School Vol. 1!

This 3-CD release collects three original LPs onto one CD, and includes faves like "Bein' Green," "Rubber Duckie," "Sing," "People in Your Neighborhood," and "I Love Trash." The cool thing is that this set also unearths a bunch of songs you probably haven't heard since childhood!

• Read a full review of the Sesame Street: Old School Vol. 1 CD

Image Courtesy Koch Records