Baby Danced the Polka (Ala Notable Children's Books. Younger Readers (Awards)) (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Jennifer Plecas (Illustrator) "It was nap time on the farm..." (more)
Key Phrases: While Papa

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreS–Mama and Papa put their baby down for a nap, but the youngster feels like dancing. Each time the adults set out to do a chore, Baby escapes the crib and boogie-woogies, cha-chas, or shooby-doobies with a different stuffed-animal companion. Soft pastel illustrations portray a cozy farmhouse and sturdy flaps on every other page hide the toys so that listeners can guess who the next dance partner will be. "While Papa shaved his whiskers,/And Mama washed her wig.../Baby danced the polka/With the polka-dotted... Pig." In the end, the entire family, including the cat, cannot resist temptation: " 'Get your fiddle!' said the mama./ 'And your dancing shoes!' said Pa./ 'We'll have the best ol' polka-fest/In all of Arkansas!'" Baby finally falls asleep after the sun goes down "With dreams of polka parties/Still a-dancing in his head." A bright and lively bedtime selection.–Olga R. Kuharets, Broward County Libraries, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

PreS. What a happy, rollicking baby. And what a rolling, rhythmic text. It's naptime on the farm, but instead of staying in his crib, Baby gets out and starts dancing. With whom? Lift the flap and see his stuffed pig. Then it's back to bed, but "while Papa stretched his long johns / and Mama stitched her coat / Baby boogie-woogied / with the frisky little . . .". Yes, behind the flap is a stuffed goat. Three- and four-year-olds will enjoy screeching out what's coming next, but even toddlers will enjoy the rhyme and disclosing the animal Baby's dancing partner. The sprightly pen-and-watercolor artwork bears a very strong resemblance to the work of Helen Oxenbury. Although these pictures aren't as accomplished, their warm, cozy feeling has the same appeal. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dial (March 30, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803725876
• ISBN-13: 978-0803725874
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 7.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #26,049 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Oh baby, do you want to dance?, August 31, 2005

By	E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Slowly but surely, book by book, title by title, author Karen Beaumont is making a name for herself. She started out slowly with amusing titles like "Duck Duck Goose (A Coyote's On the Loose)" and the justifiably forgotten "Being Friends". Then, recently, she's been picking up speed. Producing books that, with the right illustrators, bring fully to life her bouncy trouncy rhythms. Beaumont isn't afraid of a little rhyme and rhythm. By the time I got around to reading "Baby Danced the Polka" I found that I'd been missing one of the hottest rhyming children's writers alive today. We can only hope that this inventive streak she's showing is the real thing and not a momentary fluke.

In "Baby Danced the Polka" you've got a lot of kid-friendly elements all jouncing around together. This book shimmies and shakes, is about a kid who doesn't want to take a nap (something so many little ones can identify with), has a beat to it, and falls into the category of lift-the-flap books. The story takes place on a sleepy farm where a mother and father have chores to do, so they put their little baby to sleep. Just the same, the baby in question isn't about to settle down for the afternoon. It proceeds to dance the polka, the boogie-woogie, the cha-cha, and the shooby-dooby with a whole host of stuffed animals. Though its parents keep insisting it go to bed, this babe can't help but put on its dancing shoes. By the end, he's convinced both Mama and Pa, so all three members of the family dance until it's night. Then, at long last, the baby goes to bed, "With dreams of polka parties / Still a-dancing in his head".

I reviewed a children's book of poetry not long ago where other reviewers complained that the poems didn't scan correctly. No such problem exists here. Beaumont has a golden ear for fun and funny preschool comedy. Kids will have a hard time resisting an infant who wants to strut and shimmy while all the time clothed in jammies. Also, the book isn't afraid to slide into silliness on occasion. At one point the "chores" performed by the parents include, "... Papa shaved his whiskers / And Mama washed her wig". Washed her wig?

Illustrator Jennifer Plecas (who I already loved due to her "Good Night, Good Knight") is in fine form here as well. This baby has moves. Admittedly, the polka doesn't look much like a polka and the cha-cha could use some work. It would've been nice to see actual honest-to-goodness dance moves within this book's pages. Ah well.

For a storytime of true dance fever you might want to consider pairing this rhythmic coup with other bouncy farm tales like, "Dumpy La Rue" by Elizabeth Winthrop or "Barn Dance!" by Bill Martin. For its own part, "Baby Danced the Polka" is going to be deeply loved by scores and scores of children everywhere. If you know a small child who loves music and movement, this book's a sure-fire hit. Gets 'em every time.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Preschooler's delight!, January 21, 2005

By	Meggie (Illinois) - See all my reviews

Your preschooler will choose this as a favorite book as you turn the pages filled with colorful pictures and fun rhymes. There is a flap to lift every so often that will have your preschooler helping you when you read it a second and third and........time. You can't lose with this one!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My son puts down his truck to read this book, August 25, 2005

By	Redheaded Runner (Duvall, WA United States) - See all my reviews

When he wants to read, my thirteen month old pulls this book out of a bag of about 2 dozen books. He rocks back and forth to the rhythm of the words and gets excited when it is time for him to lift the flap to see the baby dancing with an animal. We originally checked out this book from the library, but are adding it to our home library now.