BUSY FEET

A day in the life of several active kids as told through their tireless feet.

Little ones are shown climbing and sliding on the playground, visiting the beach, and scrubbing up in the tub, all through images that focus on their active, busy legs, feet, and toes. Berneger’s rhyming text makes for a fun, buoyant read-aloud. There is a reference to a classic nursery rhyme with the phrase “Dizzy feet all fall down!” along with repetitive opposites like in and out and hot and cold, making it a perfect fit for toddler and preschool readers. Chapman’s illustrations capture joyful, childlike movement. One particularly beautiful spread shows two children on a tire swing, gleefully midtwirl. There are bright, eye-catching colors on every page, from bold reds and oranges to pinks and vibrant blues. Polka dots, plaid, and stripes appear on clothing and in the background, adding to the story’s sense of movement. There are two children who anchor the images, one with dark brown skin, the other pale and freckled. The story celebrates movement of all kinds, including through an illustration of a child using a wheelchair who is shown zipping along, ball in lap. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A bouncy, exuberant read as playful as its target audience.