I CAN DANCE

This interactive board book showcases several kinds of dance.

Two finger holes cut through this chunky board book allow children’s fingers to form dancers’ arms or legs. Rhyming text describes the dancers’ movements. For example, the ballerina says: “I can point with my toes. / I can do a plié. // I can twirl in my tutu. / I can dance a ballet!” In addition to the ballet dancer, readers can pretend to be disco dancers, gymnasts, break dancers, synchronized swimmers, and tap dancers. The colorful, uncluttered, intentionally childlike mixed-media illustrations feature child characters of varied ethnic backgrounds who all appear together on the stage in a final gatefold spread that has room for six fingers. The rhythm is sometimes stilted, but overall, this is an appropriately brief, appealing title with a simple bit of interactivity that toddlers will appreciate. Similarly, the simultaneously published I Can Play offers little ones the chance to turn their fingers into the arms or legs of sports players, including soccer players, basketball players, runners, and snowboarders. For a bit of added fun, both covers include an element of texture, a pink tutu on the dance title and a rough bit of Astroturf for the sports title.

Encouraging activity on multiple levels, a good choice for toddler board-book collections.