When Nana Dances

PreS--This atypical celebration of the grandmother-grandchild relationship spotlights nanas who dance. For these preschoolers, spending time with a grandmother is so much more rewarding when "Nana dances with me." Latinx, Asian, Black, and white grandmothers mambo, shimmy, and tap-tap-tap while gardening, walking down the street, doing laundry, and even spending time in the rain. Readers can strut and jive along with the rhyming text: "She says that once--/brush, scuff, and slap--/she crossed the stage/with a tap-tap-tap." Easy to read and fun to say, these words aren't confined to dance--the human spirit is infectious when talents are shared with others. Black-outlined digital illustrations convey fluid motion and countenances with minimal effort. Readers can almost hear the laughter emitting from these delightful pages. While it is clear that these characters have better than average dancing skills, the relatability is undeniable. The universal lesson here is relationship-building through a zest for life. VERDICT This is a showstopper for all ages. Highly recommended as a jovial, offbeat approach to a universal human activity.--Richelle Rose, Kenton County P.L., KY

An ode to dancing grandmothers from a range of backgrounds, this picture book celebrates the fun that Nana creates, whether she's shake-a-shaking, shimmying, or doing the salsa. Yolen and her first grandchild, Stemple-Piatt, who both trained in ballet from a young age, join forces for this dance-centered narrative. In rhyming text, the authors highlight a variety of steps through Nanas who have seemingly professional dancing backgrounds: "She says that once--// brush, scuff, and slap--/ she crossed the stage/ with a tap-tap-tap." Anonymous first-person narrators describe how Nana dances with them, guided by a light refrain: "When Nana dances-- then whoa--Nana dances. Oh, how Nana dances with me." Doodle-adjacent art outlined in fine black lines by Burris emphasize movement and simple expressions, showcasing mostly physically thin Nana-and-grandchild pairings of varying ability, age, and skin tone. A cadenced celebration of grandparent-grandchild relationships. Ages 4-8. (Nov.)