MotherReader

Dancing Feet
by Lindsey Craig, illustrated by Marc Brown

A bevy of animals dance their way through this boisterous book for toddlers, the element of surprise coming with each page turn. “Stompity! Stompity! Big gray feet! Who is dancing that stompity beat?” (Hint: look at the cover.) Cute sound words in the singsong text keep things lively, and the end finds a diverse group of children are dancing like the animals in the book. Lots of fun for a toddler/preschool storytime or to share solo with a special kid — as long as you are willing to get up and dance. The illustrations are bright and cheery, but people who know children’s literature may find themselves asking, “Not that Marc Brown?” Yes, it is indeed the same illustrator and writer of the Arthur books, but showing a completely different art style in this title.

Give this book as a gift with a CD of music to dance to, like Fisher Price: Disco Dance Party, or look for 105 other ways to give a book.

Book: Ten Little Fish, by Audrey Woods, or The Three Little Fish and the Big Bad Shark, by Ken Geist

Song: “Once I Caught a Fish Alive”

Book: Punk Farm, by Jarrett Krosoczka, or Farm Flu, by Teresa Bateman

Song: “Old MacDonald Had a Farm”

Book: Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend, by Melanie Watt, or Ned’s New Friend, by David Ezra Stein, or Bear’s New Friend, by Karma Wilson, or if you want to do a British accent — and who doesn’t — a Charlie and Lola book, You Can be My Friend, by Lauren Child

Song: “Make New Friends”

Book: Fox and Fluff, by Shutta Crum

Go here for the full text of songs/rhymes/fingerplays.
Go here for more on how to win twenty-five picture books in the ABC Giveaway.