Hilda Must Be Dancing

Kevin R. Free has fun with the onomatopoeia of Hilda's dance moves, and he gives a voice to her animal friends--raspy monkey, deep-voiced rhinoceros, echoey water buffalo--but the narrator's voice is the best. Free has superb pacing and uses Wilson's charming, simple verse to create a smooth and joyful story for new readers to follow easily, learning words and sounds at just the right pace. The reader doesn't even need the book to create the story in the mind's eye. Free ably brings the playfulness and light-hearted rhymes of Wilson's book to life. Wilson's books are perfect for young listeners, and Free's easygoing style adds to the bouncy beat. W.L.S. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine

February 2, 2004
When Hilda Hippo dances, the other jungle animals cringe. For "while she danced in utter bliss,/ it sounded quite a lot like this:/ "Ka-bump! Ka-bump!/ Crash! Crash! Smash!
" The earth shakes, she tramples plants and kicks up clouds of dust. The animals suggest Hilda try knitting or singing instead, but it's not until the water buffalo recommends swimming that Hilda proclaims, "Now, here's a hobby/ I adore.../ Water ballet dancing!" Although Hilda wears plenty of extravagant dance costumes, Wilson's (Bear Snores On
) descriptions sometimes strain: "While Hilda danced flamenco/ in her favorite pair of heels,/ bananas fell in gooey heaps,/ shaken from their peels!" Watts's illustrations create a fantasy jungle full of bright flowers and cartoon animals, but Hilda's pink Homer Simpson–style muzzle maintains an almost uniform expression. The ending scene of Hilda performing water ballet ("Swisha-swisha clap! Clap!
") provides a satisfying solution for all—readers and fellow jungle inhabitants alike. Ages 3-7.