Let's Dance, Grandma!

by Nigel McMullen, Nigel McMullen (Illustrator)

Overview

Lucy loves to dance in author-illustrator Nigel McMullen's Let's Dance, Grandma!, a sweet story celebrating the love between grandparents and their grandkids. Little girls will delight in Lucy's attempts to dance with her grandmother in this charming story with eye-catching art.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780060507473
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	03/11/2014
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.20(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Nigel McMullen originally worked in ceramics and animation. He has written and illustrated several books for children, including It's Too Soon! and Not Me!, and has coauthored several other books, including The Monster Party and The Haunted Castle with Stephanie Laslett and Don't Worry William with Christine Morton. He lives in the Lake District National Park in England with his wife and their Border collie.

Nigel McMullen originally worked in ceramics and animation. He has written and illustrated several books for children, including It's Too Soon! and Not Me!, and has coauthored several other books, including The Monster Party and The Haunted Castle with Stephanie Laslett and Don't Worry William with Christine Morton. He lives in the Lake District National Park in England with his wife and their Border collie.

Editorial Reviews

03/01/2014
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

School Library Journal

2014-03-17
A young fox tries to share her passion for dancing when her grandmother comes to visit. Will she succeed in getting Grandma up on her feet? Lucy loves to dance, but Mom warns on her way out of the house that there will be "No dancing, Lucy. You'll wear Grandma out. Grandmas don't dance." This does not stop Lucy from trying. Each time she tries to coax her grandmother to dance, the older fox just shakes her head. Instead, they play ball, dress-up and cards. Readers will notice the knocked-over vase of flowers, the way the grandmother nurses her aching back and her overall fatigue as she attempts to keep up with her energetic granddaughter. Lucy finally realizes that Grandma may need to rest when she finds her napping in her hiding place during a game of hide-and-seek. When Lucy requests to cuddle instead of dance, Grandma responds in a most delightful way. A sung lullaby leads to gentle swaying, and soon both are dancing, "slowly at first, but then faster, until it seemed to Lucy that the whole world was dancing." McMullen's appealing watercolor illustrations skillfully paint the contrast between Lucy's perky enthusiasm and Grandma's careful movements. This intergenerational story has an ending sure to satisfy. (Picture book. 3-5)

Kirkus Reviews