Valerie Bolling

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 show more 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. show less

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. show 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. show less

Lovely swimming story in an extremely accessible one-phrase-per-page format - perfect for baby and toddler storytimes. A joyful book featuring a Black family supporting the youngest as he learns to swim.

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 show more 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 show less