I Got the Rhythm (I Got the...)

These husband-wife collaborators present a book that reflects the joy and delight of an African-American girl who's energized by the sounds, sights, and smells around her. Accompanied by her mother and eventually joined by friends, she bops through a city park--puffy pigtails bouncing and a wide grin on her face--as she uses her whole body to respond to and interpret the rhythm she detects around her. The driving beat of debut author Schofield-Morrison's narrative is likely to have readers bouncing and tapping right along with her: "I shook a rhythm with my hips. SHAKE SHAKE. I felt the rhythm with my knees. KNOCK KNOCK." Morrison's (Stars in the Shadows) full-bleed oil paintings make the most of the story's more boisterous moments. His lithe caricatures showcase rubbery limbs, chipmunk cheeks, and arching bodies as the girl breakdances in front of an admiring crowd ("I popped and locked./ I hipped and hopped") and a spontaneous line dance erupts amid a diverse group of children. An upbeat celebration of the senses, self-expression, and camaraderie. Ages 2-6. Agent: Lori Nowicki, Painted Words. (June)

PreS-Gr 1--A young girl discovers a world of exuberant rhythm in her neighborhood, from the drummer in the park to playground clapping games to the subtle beat of butterfly wings. The straightforward narrative captures the engaging ways the narrator finds her own rhythm exploring the world around her. She "[hears] a rhythm with [her] ears," "[looks] at the rhythm with [her] eyes," "[catches] the rhythm with [her] hands," and much more. Ready made for storytime, Schofield-Morrison's text pulses with a beat of its own and practically demands audiences to clap along. Each double-page spread offers interactive elements that work for a range of ages, from vocabulary presenting each way the narrator catches the rhythm (hands, knees, feet, and more) to the fun readers can have joining in and keeping the rhythm with their own fingers, singing it with their own mouth, or tapping it with their own toes. Morrison's oil-on-canvas illustrations take their lead from the energetic text but form the core of the story with expansive spreads crackling with movement. A rich, color palette helps the action jump off the page, with a bright blue sky as the backdrop for the yellows and golds and greens of the setting complementing an array of pinks, especially the narrator's bright pink dress. The urban setting and varied cast of characters make this title particularly valuable, showcasing diversity as an integral part of everyday life.--Ted McCoy, Springfield City Library, MA

"For a storytime that will get bodies rocking, fingers popping, and rhythm flowing." —Library Media Connection

"The little girl at the center of it all is wholly likable in her joyful approach . . . This will work well in an interactive storytime for preschoolers, as listeners are invited to shake and stomp along with the happy protagonist." —BCCB