DANCE WITH OTI

Dancer and choreographer Mabuse, best known for performing on the British reality TV series Strictly Come Dancing, teaches kids how to do the jive.

The story opens with a racially diverse group of children lined up outside Mrs. Oti’s dance studio, waiting for their first lesson. Mrs. Oti, a Black woman, presumably a stand-in for Mabuse, greets them happily. First, it’s time to warm up. Hardy’s bright, expressive illustrations depict the children as they do stretches, jumping jacks, and more. Then it’s time to learn the jive. Mrs. Oti invites her students—and readers—to lift their hands up, then put them down, then to jump to the left and then to the right. The marvelous dancers make plenty of mistakes that add just the right amount of adorable hilarity—and will reassure uncertain little dancers that it’s OK to mess up. One child forgets her steps as she stares at her shoes. Another dance pupil cannot remember which direction he’s going. With kindness and wit, Mrs. Oti always reins the class back in and keeps everyone in step. A green parrot flies into the room, inspiring Mrs. Oti to tell the kids to grab some feathers from the dress-up box, flap their arms, and do the bird jive! Filled with arrows and text instructions, this book will make for a very active storytime. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A charming story that will encourage little readers to MOVE!