TAMMY THE TROLL

A debut picture book invites readers to embark on a dance-filled adventure to befriend someone new.

It’s time to visit Tammy the Troll, a purple-haired, diamond-bellied creature who lives in the forest. But this won’t be just any old trip: McDermott’s series opener models storytelling through dance by including movement suggestions and prompts next to each short paragraph of text. Narrator Konora (her stage name) is the readers’ guide, asking them to join her and a group of classmates on a journey through the woods to find Tammy. As Konora, a white dancer, tells the story, small photographs of her demonstrating the appropriate movements appear next to the prompts. She leads readers and the classmates across tangled roots and mountains to the tree in which Tammy lives. When a search through Tammy’s house proves fruitless (“Knock on an imaginary front door,” suggests Konora), the kids perform a friendship dance and climb across a bridge, after which they discover the troll and present her with a gift. But the adventure isn’t over, as the children (and readers) still have to get home. This delightful narrative is a wonderful choice for dance teachers, librarians, and other educators who regularly work with preschoolers. While children will find the story charming, the adult professionals appear to be the target audience of Konora’s ballet-inspired dance tips and tricks. Gheorghita’s vivid, three-dimensional digital illustrations portray kids of mostly light skin tones, with the exception of one child.

This dance-inspired tale can be enjoyed by kids and employed by early childhood professionals.