Let's Dance

January 1, 2020
Dancers of various ages, races, abilities, and species groove to the abridged lyrics of iconic rocker Bowie's titular 1983 hit. "Let's dance," the author invites. And dance Marks' joyful, cartoony figures do. A child and older adult jive to "the song they're playin' on" an old-fashioned radio; another child "sway[s] through" a playground crowd "to an empty space." A dog and cat join paws/hands with a child in a hijab. Under "this serious moonlight," a couple and a cat float in spacesuits. Two kids dance in manual wheelchairs; one is an amputee. After omitting much of the last verse, the ending urges, "Let's dance, / DANCE, / DANCE." Characters' skin colors range from pale to dark. However, despite diverse characters and bright, textured digital illustrations, the song's translation to picture book falls flat. Without the melody, the lyrics' rhythm falters, and such lines as "If you should fall into my arms / And tremble like A FLOWER" ring awkward. Some illustrations seem incongruous with their lyrics, as when a double-page file of cheerleading kids wearing itty-bitty red sneakers illustrates "Put on your red shoes / And dance the blues." Though adult fans will appreciate nods to Bowie's eclectic style--lightning bolts pepper the pages, and a child's shirt is reminiscent of his Union Jack-patterned coat--such touches will be lost on readers unfamiliar with Bowie's oeuvre. It's wonderfully inclusive, but only Bowie's biggest fans may feel like dancing. (Picture book. 4-6)

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February 10, 2020
Bowie considered his 1983 global hit one of his less nihilistic numbers, ostensibly qualifying it for the ever-expanding jukebox picture book genre. Marks (The Panda Problem) works hard to keep the mood light, with peppy vignettes featuring a multigenerational cast of varying ethnicities with bright eyes, wide smiles, and happy feet. The first mention of the famous opening lines (“Put on your red shoes/ And dance the blues”) shows a school dance team performing in blue uniforms (curiously, the scarlet shoes are barely visible); the later reprise takes readers to a kitchen dance party. But the dancing never shakes loose of being well-behaved (the one exception is a girl who boogies with an authentic rocker stance, hair askew, tongue stuck out), and images for some of the lyrics have an indistinct feel: “Because my love for you/ Would break my heart in two” attends two kids and an adult bouncing on a trampoline. Playing the actual song, with its irresistible signature chords and Bowie’s distinctive quaver, will probably be a more effective means of inspiring little folks to get funky. Ages 4–8.