THE DADDY-DAUGHTER DANCE

The much-anticipated annual Daddy-Daughter Dance is finally here.

Mama and Baby Brother are excited and supportive as Mona and Daddy set off; the two have been waiting all year for this day. With errands to run before the big event, the pair bust a move everywhere they go. As Daddy says, “We take the groove wherever we go. Because the groove—” “Is inside us,” replies Mona, finishing a sentence she’s clearly heard many times before. Readers may be able to identify some of the dances as Daddy and daughter do the Floss on their way to the nail salon and the Bounce as they head to the hair salon. Dressed to the nines, Daddy and Mona arrive at the community center, only to discover an unfortunate surprise: burst pipes and a last-minute cancellation. But the groove living inside father, daughter, neighbors, and readers alike isn’t just a saying; it’s a philosophy that leads to a happy ending for all, along with bops, spins, and twists in the park by the gazebo. Daddy and Mona present Black; their community is diverse. Newsome’s jazzy text is suffused with energy, while Mohammed’s bright and funky artwork, consisting of paper collage alongside digital and analog inks, gives a textured, flowing look to the duo’s dance day even as Daddy’s moves sometimes go awry, to humorous effect.

A party in a book that illustrates movement and connection in more ways than one.