Valerie BollingRecensioni

The joy of playing around after a hard day at school isn't only familiar but contagious and will have readers already planning their next round of fun and games.

Written in simple, poetic, rhyming form, these pages let the excitement of afterschool activities fly. These kids are ready to head outdoors, meet up with others, and enjoy their free time. The array of games and possibilities sails beyond cultures and upbringings as these kids enjoy climbing, dancing, getting soaking wet and more.

The illustrations carry an imaginative flair, which holds enough details to be familiar and, yet, doesn't demand exactness to reality. It makes it as playful as the text. These, along with the rhyme, will have kids coming back to read this one time and again.

The theme isn't deep, but it's one every young reader will relate to. There is the message of diversity in the illustrations but this slides right in with the fun to steer very clear of preachiness. The main purpose is to celebrate playing with friends, and this comes across loud and clear. I received a DRC and loved the atmosphere.

Few words are needed for this tale to capture listeners' attention and have them nodding at a very familiar situation.

A little girl and her father take her bike out of the garage so she can ride. But learning how to balance and steer is something which takes patience, time, and determination. Luckily, the father is there to help.

Each page is laid out with a bright, bold scene. It starts in a garage and soon heads out into the neighborhood and beyond. The little girl's emotions are easy to connect with, and having her father at her side is warming and encouragement pure. There are few words, allowing this to have almost a poetic atmosphere as the illustrations call forth emotions from the listeners through their familiar scenes. Anticipation and excitement turn to disappointment, and with a little care, turn back into hope, achievement and more.

This book isn't only about riding a bike...although that's certainly a theme. The love a parent has for a child beams from every page. Then, there's the message of not giving up and trying again. All of this is wrapped up with a sense of care and security.
I received a complimentary copy and am giving this one 4.5 stars while rounding up.

"Turn, twirl
Twist, whirl...
Wiggle hips
Spin, dip, dip"

White endpapers feature line drawings of a wide variety of dance shoes and different musical instruments in rainbow colors, introducing the many different types of music and dance showcased in the book, from flamenco to kathak to breakdancing; a double page spread at the end of the story names each dance, its origin, and a brief description.

See also: How Do You Dance? by Thyra Heder

This is a "get up and move!" book for a lively storytime. The dancers depicted are diverse.

This is a wonderful book for all ages, but especially for the elementary age group who are just learning about the world. The author takes the reader on a journey around the world through dance. The book has very few words, but the words are poetic and match the sounds that you would hear with the various type of dances, heels clicking, swirling skirts, and boots tapping. The book closes with an informational page about all of the dances referenced in the book, and where the dances come from across the globe.

This book is fun, and the author can be found reading the book aloud on Youtube and it is excellent for those who want to also host a video author share. Click below!

https://youtu.be/zRUQtHxAQOM

Let's Dance takes the reader through the many different dances we have around the world and where they came from. It is written in a rhythmic way and explores the cultures and where the dances we love so much originated. It is a very cute book that I think kids would find fun and exciting.½

Get ready for energy and excitement because these pages are chucked full of just that!

Every page celebrates dance from every corner of the globe. From Cuba to Ireland and around the world, dance has everyone tapping their toes, clicking their heels and snapping fingers with contagious energy. Each culture displays a different background and dance form. And this even reaches across time and religion. But one thing is always clear—dance is fun no matter where you're from or what dance you do. It's simply a great and joyful activity.

The text is kept very simple with just a few words of action like snippity snap. These invite and flow right along with the bright and gleeful illustrations of kids dancing a certain style. Not only do the characters, their clothing and their poses fit perfectly, but the surrounding backgrounds also add the right amount of cultural flavor...and help young listeners guess what the dance might be and where it might come from. At the end of the book, each dance form is quickly revealed along with a very short and easy to understand explanation surrounding it.

This will make a great read-aloud for groups as well as at home. And the illustrations even make it tons of fun to flip through and discover the different dances again and again. It's definitely a read that will leave a smile on the face and good feelings flowing...and maybe even a few feet itching to dance right along.

The endpages of this new dancing book are covered in all kinds of different dancing shoes, from cowboy boots to toe shoes. Each spread shows a different dance, from a different country, all demonstrated by a variety of dancers, including a boogie dancer in a wheelchair. The text is brief and simple, "Boogie down/to the ground/Up on toes/strike a pose/leap high/fly, fly, fly" covers two spreads. The first shows boogie dancers in a disco, the second ballet dancers (one in a hijab) floating across a colorful background.

The art is colorful with a smooth, animation-like finish. At the end of the book, there is a brief sentence giving the name and origin of each dance; "African-American youth created Breakdancing. Breakdancers can do amazing stunts, like handstands and headspins!"

When kids ask me for books about dancing, they're usually girls wanting ballet books. However, I am also in the process of collecting books that encourage movement and work well in a storytime context. My staff are now in charge of our winter movement series, Winter Wigglers, and more movement-based books are always useful. This is a friendly introduction to many different kinds of dances for young children, perfect for preschool and kindergarten storytimes and movement programs. One-on-one readers can encourage listeners to match the shoes to each dance and if you have a little extra time you can expand the book into a series, trying out a different dance each time. Don't forget the fun dress-up clothes!

Verdict: If you're in on the trend of movement in libraries, this is a great introduction to familiar and unfamiliar dances (depending on your community's makeup) and will get kids leaping, wiggling, jingling, and dancing. Recommended.

ISBN: 9781635921427; Published March 2020 by Boyds Mills Press; E-ARC provided by author; Purchased for the library