Hip-Hop Lollipop

August 1, 2018
With dance moves and beats that soothe, splashed with swirling lines and colors displayed in array--this picture-book tale is a fun-filled hip-hop hooray!Montanari blends energetic rhythm with toe-tapping rhymes in her happy narrative of little Lollipop's love of hip-hop and dance. "Mama says, 'Time for bed. / Bed.' / Lollie's arms overhead. / Dancing down the long hall. / Bouncing off the tall wall." But getting a bouncy ball of raw stamina down for bedtime is harder than you think. Pinkney's swooping lines and whooshes of color enliven the story. Depicting dancing pets that arc and sway in time to the cadence of the rhymes, Pinkney amply demonstrates his mastery of visual narrative. He adds an almost abstract quality with his use of line, using pastel colors to suggest outlines of furniture and then transforming them seamlessly into sheer motion in a smart, refreshing way, playing with perspective while showing totally realistic joy on the characters' charmingly rich, brown faces. Montanari has penned a read-aloud treat that is sure to enhance the nighttime ritual. However, caregivers shouldn't be surprised if their little ones decide this bedtime story deserves backup dancers. Though it's far from lulling, it's well worth the risk of a prolonged bedtime. The glee it provokes will surely be worth it. (Picture book. 3-7)

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August 20, 2018
It’s bedtime, but a girl named Lollipop can’t stop “dancing hip-hop.” Carrying a little yellow boom box and accompanied by an equally enthusiastic cat and dog, she bops through the house, “Dancing down the long hall,/ Bouncing off the tall wall.” She stops by her big sister’s room, where Tasha, a fan of techno, is dancing, too (“She glides heel-to-toe in slo-mo”). Together, in a scene that exudes sisterly solidarity and silliness, the two brush their teeth to the beat: “Head rotation./ Jubilation!” Eventually even Lollie runs out of steam, and some good-natured parenting sends her slipping into bright yellow pajamas and snuggling between the covers, dreaming of dances to come. The text by Montanari (My Dog’s a Chicken) isn’t rap, but it doesn’t need to be—its catchy musicality and rhythm pay fitting tribute to a girl with boundless energy. Watercolor and ink drawings by Pinkney (On the Ball) are ecstatically impressionistic: lines curve and arc, characters defy gravity, and with swirling pastel streaks embellishing every scene, the whole house feels like it’s in perpetual motion. Ages 3–7. Author’s agent: Erzsi Deak, Hen&Ink. Illustrator’s agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House.

November 1, 2018

PreS-Gr 1-Lollie, an African American preschooler, loves to dance and hip-hop is her favorite groove. Her big sister Tasha jams to techno-"She glides heel-to-toe in slo-mo," but Lollie is all about "Hands tutting. Knees jutting. Arms cranking. Body swanking. Hip gyration. Exultation!" Even when Mama says it's time for bed, the child keeps on jiving and Tasha joins right in. Next, Daddy calls "It's bedtime!" and the girls keep up their pop 'n' locking to the music as they brush their teeth, change into pajamas, and turn down the music. Lollie settles in at last, and before long, is dreaming her hip-hop dreams. Montanari's infectious text, full of rhyme, repetition, and onomatopoeia, begs to be read aloud. Pinkney's fluid artwork, done in rainbow-hued watercolor and India ink, captures a warm and loving family vibe. VERDICT A fun and lively bedtime book for exuberant kids who love music and have their own ideas about winding down.-Luann Toth, School Library Journal

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