Song and Dance Man

by Karen Ackerman (Author) Stephen Gammell (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
Series: Borzoi Book

A beautifully nostalgic picture book about one grandfather's younger days that shows you're only as old as you feel!

In this affectionate story, three children follow their grandfather up to the attic, where he pulls out his old bowler hat, gold-tipped cane, and his tap shoes. Grandpa once danced on the vaudeville stage, and as he glides across the floor, the children can see what it was like to be a song and dance man. Gammell captures all the story's inherent joie de vivre with color pencil renderings that leap off the pages.

Bespectacled, enthusiastic Grandpa clearly exudes the message that you're only as old as you feel, but the children respond--as will readers--to the nostalgia of the moment.

Utterly original.--(starred) Booklist.

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Publishers Weekly

Grandpa, once a song-and-dance man on the vaudeville stage, is invigorated by a visit from three grandchildren. They climb the stairs to the attic where mementoes of the past glitter invitingly through the dust. The reminders of days gone by beckon to Grandpa; he wants to show his grandchildren what made a song-and-dance man great. Throwing open an old trunk, he arranges a stage while the children try on hats and attempt a few steps of their own. At last the mesmerizing show begins: Grandpa plays the banjo and performs tricks; he tells the oldest of jokes and laughs until his eyes water. This tender story is charmingly told; Gammell's illustrations, particularly his portrayal of Grandpa, sparkle with personality. By working ingeniously in shadows and silhouettes that hint at a younger and more vibrant Grandpa and by using small explosions of color, the artist further enhances the blending of past and present. Ages 3-7. (Oct . )

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2 Gammell's animated, crisp, colored pencil line drawings enhance this story of Grandpa, who was famous for his vaudeville song and dance. Clever details of his and his grandchildrens' personalities are consciously delineated as he now performs on his attic stage. The shadow and the performer, transformed by his art, complement the text tenderly. The spirit of song and dance are reflected in the careful placement of drawings and text; five times they stretch voluminously across double-page spreads, although the text is always legible. It is also poetic at times. The accurate depiction of old age and the magic of the theater rhythmically combine like a dance with a solid beginning, middle, and end. It offers enchantment for children and for the person of any age who reads it to them. In its entirety, this glimpse into a unique, artistic personality offers a sweet reminder of the joy in the diversity of people, much like Blos' memorable Old Henry (Morrow, 1987). In boldness, realism, and linear strength, the illustrations are reminiscent of Steig's Amos and Boris (Farrar, 1971), which is also about individuality and acceptance. However, the persistence of memory and the acceptance of individuality are sophisticated concepts. The book's only weakness is that it may too often be set aside by adults looking for something easier to digest. Gratia Banta, Germantown Public Library, Dayton, Ohio

ALA/Booklist

Starred Review
Utterly original.

Review quotes

 
Karen Ackerman
Karen Ackerman has written over 25 books for young readers, including The Night Crossing, A Brighter Garden illustrated by Tasha Tudor, and Bingleman's Midway illustrated by Barry Moser.

In addition to winning the Caldecott Award for his spirited illustrations in Song and Dance Man, Stephen Gammell is the illustrator of two Caldecott Honor Books, The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant and Where the Buffaloes Begin by Olaf Baker.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780679819950
Lexile Measure
580
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication date
January 15, 1992
Series
Borzoi Book
BISAC categories
JUV007000 - Juvenile Fiction | Classics
JUV031000 - Juvenile Fiction | Performing Arts | General
Library of Congress categories
Picture books for children
Grandfathers
Entertainers

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