Let's Dance, Grandma!

PreS-Gr 1—Lucy loves dancing. She also loves her grandmother. So naturally, the little fox wants to groove with grandma. The only problem is that "Grandmas don't dance," at least according to her mom. Grandma is no slouch, though. She loves playing ball, horsey, dress-up, lions, and hide-and-seek. At the end of their long, rambunctious day together, Grandma surprises Lucy by showing her that she does dance after all-she just dances in her own way. The story is told in lively, energetic prose, with subtle humor. The tenderness in the relationship between grandmother and granddaughter, as well as a sense of fun, is captured well. The book explores a question that is important for children to consider: How is playing with a grandparent often different from playing with a peer or parent? McMullen offers an authentic picture of the grandmother's physical limitations and fatigue (she needs her nap) while depicting her as exuberant and playful. The book would serve as a great starting point for a conversation to help youngsters understand that grandparents might not be able to interact in the way they want them to, and it also shows that older relatives have unique and surprising gifts-if children are open to them. The cartoon illustrations depict foxes that are somehow simultaneously fierce and cute. Some details, such as the grandmother's distended belly, seem slightly odd, but the illustrations as a whole match the high quality of the text.—Jess deCourcy Hinds, Bard High School Early College, Queens, NY