Mama, Let's Dance [Paperback]

Patricia Hermes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1995

Remembering their mother who suddenly disappeared, three children--Mary Belle, Ariel, and Callie--cope with tough times on their own. By the author of You Shouldn't Have to Say Good-bye. Reprint. SLJ. H. AB.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Just like Papa did years before, Mama has gone off and left 16-year-old Ariel, 11-year-old Mary Belle and seven-year-old Callie to fend for themselves in rural North Carolina. Ariel's gas station work earns them just enough for food, but keeping their situation a secret from the county welfare people is a job in itself. Mary Belle runs the household sternly, refusing charity from even her good friend Amarius and his niece Dearly. But when Callie falls ill with measles, Mary Belle must finally ask for help. She is rightfully hardened and bitter, though her narrative occasionally sounds wise beyond her years. Callie's spirited naivete helps add sparkle to this emotion- filled and depressing tale. Disappointingly, Mary Belle's final redemption evokes neither triumph nor joy, but readers will appreciate her discovery that what constitutes a family has not much to do with genetics and everything to do with love. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-- Mama loved to dance, but had ". . . so many secrets, things that made her run away in the night." At 11, Mary Belle finds herself in charge of keeping her lively little sister, Callie, and remote older brother, Ariel, together as a family. Ariel's part-time job keeps them fed, after a fashion, but he falls asleep over his homework, and Callie's health fades away. All of them labor over the chore of keeping their secret. Finally, a neighbor, Amarius, sees something's amiss, and without prying begins to help. Then Callie gets the measles, and nothing is right again. Abandonment and poverty permeate the mood and plot of this tightly woven tale. Mary Belle emerges as a heroic child, too young to know she's not to blame for events. Surrounding characters are also well drawn, each revealed through action. The setting, somewhere deep in America's rural South, is marked by dust, treefrogs, and folks sitting in silent communication on shaded porches. A muted chord is one of neighborly loyalty, when color lines fade (Mary Belle's family is apparently white, Amarius's apparently black). Rhythmic, homey text and genuine characters resonate with authenticity. Mama Let's Dance joins the work of Vera Cleaver and Robbie Branscum to portray the heart of America at its best--and at its worst. --Carolyn Noah, Worcester Public Library, MA
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks (April 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 059046633X
• ISBN-13: 978-0590466332
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,578,728 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Patricia Hermes is the author of almost fifty books for readers from early middle grades through young adult, as well as two nonfiction books for adults. Her books have won many awards and recognitions: American Library Association Best Book, Smithsonian Notable Book, C.S. Lewis Honor Book, Ira Children's Choice, as well as many state awards, four of them for the novel,You Shouldn't Have to Say Goodbye.

As a lecturer and speaker at schools and libraries, she engages her audience with her lively presentations, underscoring key qualities of good writing, and, of course, good rewriting. (She has been known to revise her books ten times!) She has researched and written six historical novels in the Scholastic Dear America/My America series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Reading For All., January 26, 2007

By 

Xaphania - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mama, Let's Dance (Paperback)

I read this book when I was in Middle School, quite a few years ago now, and I found that I related well to the main characters attitudes and feelings. Besides that, I never forgot the story even though I wasn't able to find it again until years later. I never gave up searching for the book that left such an impression on me. It is a shame it is out of print and is so hard to find.

The characters become real as you read about them and their circumstances. The book is read through Mary Belle's point of view and Patricia Hermes makes it real and believable because although Mary Belle, along with her brother Ariel, are incredibly mature and responsible for their ages, they don't know more than someone their ages should. Plenty of authors have written through children who are way more advanced for their age than they should be. It's not a bad thing if there is a reason for it, as in the case of Artemis Fowl, for example. Reason: Genius. No more explanation needed because that is part of the story. Having a younger main character completely knowledgeable about things outside of their world and experience doesn't make sense without a reason. Anyway, I digress. We feel for Mary Belle and Ariel because we can see that they are learning as they go and are forsaking normal kid things to to help keep house so they can stay together.

I would encourage everyone to read this book, as it is a very good story. Especially children 8 years and older. It has very good lessons about what being a family means. The three siblings do not always get along, but they always work in the best interest of one another. They're also responsible children who make good choices, or who always try to.

Ariel is a good role model for young men. He takes care of his siblings by earning money and still studies hard to achieve good grades. He shows kindness to his sisters even when he is under stress.

Mary Belle works hard to support her working brother by carefully managing the money he earns. She figures out their priorities and none of the children complain about not having new clothes or toys. She also looks after the youngest child Callie and works to shield her from their tough times.

Callie, at seven years old, has a lot to handle for her age and isn't really sure she understands the situation. She continues to hope for their mothers' return and gets annoyed by Mary Belle's insistance that she keep it quiet, but she tries to be helpful as well.

Perhaps this story isn't written in the style of many other children's books, but the writing is effective, the characters believable, and the story is good.

5.0 out of 5 stars My Fav Book, May 2, 2010

By 

Melinda L. Hurley - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mama, Let's Dance: A Novel (Hardcover)

Even though this is geared towards pre-teens, this is still my favorite book of all time. Great story. Not much compares in my opinion.

5.0 out of 5 stars one of my favorite books..., May 25, 2005

By 

KP - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mama, Let's Dance: A Novel (Hardcover)

I loved reading this book; it was so filled with emotion that I never wanted to put it down. It is rare that I find a book that interests me, especially as much as this book did.