A charming, beautifully illustrated book that encourages kids to get up and move.
In Once Upon a Dance’s picture book, a young boy and his friends help rescue animals from the belly of a sneaky wolf—and learn a few fun dance moves along the way.
In this installment of the Dancing Ever After series, young Peter enjoys a beautiful morning alongside friends Milo the Cat, Ren the Bird, and Roxy the Duck. Suddenly, “a HUNGRY WOLF with a grumbly tummy” swoops in, swallowing Roxy and chasing the others until Peter captures it. A large sneeze launches Roxy out of the wolf, who’s then taken to the zoo. A small pink bunny appears, also recently dislodged from the wolf’s stomach, and informs the group that there’s another animal in there. After another giant sneeze from the sleeping wolf, out pops a hedgehog (and its tutu), and the group happily dances the day away. Each page contains a small photo of Ballerina Konora demonstrating a move that pairs with the action (“Swish your arms, then bring them up wide and twirl”). Roffler’s pastel illustrations effectively demonstrate movement through lightly sketched lines, expressive movements, and adorable character expressions. The text, by a mother-daughter duo, emphasizes motion with plentiful action words (“frolicked,” “crept,” “leaped”). This combination results in a fun story that’s perfect for active children—no dance experience required.
A charming, beautifully illustrated book that encourages kids to get up and move.Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2025
ISBN: 9798899940088
Page Count: 30
Publisher: Once Upon A Dance
Review Posted Online: Nov. 11, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
Not astonishingly go-out-and-buy-it-at-graduation inspirational, but all it takes is one seed of change to be planted.
Imagination soars—quite literally—when a little girl follows her own set of rules.
Every year Oak Hill School has a go-kart race called the Going Places contest. Students are given identical go-kart kits with a precise set of instructions. And of course, every single kart ends up exactly the same. Every one, that is, except Maya’s. Maya is a dreamy artist, and she would rather sketch birds in her backyard than get caught up in the competition. When she finally does start working, she uses the parts in the go-kart box but creates something completely different. No one ever said it had to be a go-kart. Maya’s creative thinking inspires Rafael, her neighbor (and the most enthusiastic Going Places contestant), to ask to team up. The instructions never say they couldn’t work together, either! An ode to creativity and individuality to be sure, but the Reynolds brothers are also taking a swipe at modern education: Endless repetition and following instructions without question create a culture of conformity. Hopefully now, readers will see infinite possibility every time the system hands them an identical go-kart box.
Not astonishingly go-out-and-buy-it-at-graduation inspirational, but all it takes is one seed of change to be planted. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-6608-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: Jan. 14, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2014
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BOOK REVIEW
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