I Am a Dancer

June 1, 2008
PreS-Gr 3-Similar in style to the author's "I Am an Artist" (Millbrook, 1992), this book shows girls and boys in various movements that can be defined as dance steps. In Collins's free-verse poem, they "shimmy out of bed," splash in puddles to the "steady drip-blip of rain," fly a kite, and play ball. Graham's beautiful oil paintings are filled with solidly built children on the move, while some of the backgrounds are almost ethereal. Even the brushstrokes convey action. This book is a lovely merging of art and poetry and gives a delightful sense of joyful motion. Paired with Rick Walton's "How Can You Dance?" (Putnam, 2001), it would make a great storytime selection."Elaine Lesh Morgan, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR"

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