WHEN LANGSTON DANCES: And Invites Readers Along!

 Picture books like this one make me think that I don't feature picture book celebrations of the arts nearly enough. So, I did some key word searches and found quite a few music-performance, visual arts, and even dance-related posts. across a decade of book love shared here. I felt both pleased and challenged to seek out and share more. At the end of this post I'll link to some of those others, and encourage you to suggest titles in the comments for me to explore- from current releases to long-time favorites.

.

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
2021

WHEN LANGSTON DANCES, written by Kaija Langley and illustrated by Keith Mallett, captures the exuberance and inspiration that dance, music, and other expressive arts serve in our lives. The cover introduces us to Langston in a gorgeously-executed ballet leap. The endpapers and opening pages are subtly-swirling sweeps of intense, passionate color. Then, on the first page of text and image, we learn that "Langston liked basketball, but he adored ballet."  

I urge you to take a mindful pause on that first page, whether reading it for your adult selves or with young company. Appreciate Langston's leaping dunk of the ball into the hoop. Call to mind the muscular grace of athletes. Notice the nuance of Langston's feet and hands and the arch of his neck. The illustration captures Langston's  FEELING about what his body is doing, sharing his joyful self-expression in  movements, and his satisfying results. 

Then, and only then, turn the page to find Langston seated with his mother in the dark, enthralled by an Alvin Ailey Dance Company performance, bodies soaring across the stage. Front and center on that stage is a powerful and graceful, muscular and magnificent male dancer whose skin color resembles Langston's. There, in that darkened venue, Langston's dream glows to life and lights his face. 

He will dance. 

When someone says, "Boys don't dance like that," Langston confidently responds that yes, they do, because he has witnessed the thrill of what dance can be. With a mother who supports his dreams and neighbors who admire his efforts, he arrives at a dance studio. There, he glances at but passes other classes-- tap, hip-hop, African-- until he reaches the ballet room, kicks off his sneakers, and joins the girls at the barre. 

There is so much to love in the characters of Langston, his mother, his instructor, and his neighborhood community that it makes me smile to imagine your own discovery of this book. Young people today have grown up with programming (SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE) and social media (YouTube and TikTok) in which dancing (by any gender or gender expression) is showcased and celebrated. Even so, males are most often featured in modern dance and improvisations as compared to classical ballet. This is a book that could provide a handheld experience, perhaps as powerful as the in-person experience of Langston, the character. Let's make sure that every child, everywhere, can see themselves in the arts. 

Here are some posts from the past that will support that effort:

LET'S DANCE, by Valerie Bolling, Boyds Mills Press, 2020.

BEA AT BALLET, by Rachel Isadora, Nancy Paulson Books, 2012

A DANCE LIKE STARLIGHT, by Kristi Dempsey, Philomel Books, 2014

There are plenty of other posts about dance and other arts, so feel free to use the search box on the right menu bar>>>.

I sincerely welcome suggestions in comments about other favorite picture book titles of yours, of any kind, but most especially about arts, artists, and creative expression. 

Interview: LET'S DANCE! Author Valerie Bolling

Readers: I hope you've had a chance to read my review of the recent picture book release, LET'S DANCE!, written by Valerie Bolling and illustrated by Maine Diaz. 

I'm very pleased to share an interview with the author here, and include links to some other resources and background. This title is Valerie's debut picture book, but I'm confident it is the first of many future successes and hers is a career to follow. Rather than explore what she's been doing with her life until this landmark event in her writing career, you should know she's a very busy instructional coach for middle and high school teachers, among other things. I've included a link at the end of the interview if you want to learn even more about her background.

SB: Welcome, Valerie!  Congratulations on LET’S DANCE!  It’s a lively debut picture book and I’m guessing there have been many exciting moments in the journey from your original idea to the recent release. Could you share some high (or low?) points with our readers?

VB: Thank you for your congratulations, Sandy! Writing and publishing Let’s Dance! has indeed been a journey, and, like most journeys, there have been high and low points. 
The first high point was my phone call on July 2, 2018 with Jes Negrón, the editor of my book, who told me that she was interested in publishing Let’s Dance!. The next high point was when I received my author copies on Jan. 27, 2020. 
The low points were the rejections that I received before Jes’ acquisition. I even came close to being published one other time. An agent was interested in the story and requested I send her two more manuscripts. When I did, however, she wasn’t as interested in those, saying, “I foresee a harder sell for the other projects.” Thus, she decided to pass. 

I believe things happen for a reason. That rejection from that agent meant that Jes was the one who would see this book through to publication, and I’m so glad she did. It was her vision that expanded upon my desire for a diverse, inclusive book, creating one with a global theme.

SB: That example is such an important message to aspiring writers and a reminder to those who have already experienced success. You made the book the best you could and believed in it, never giving up. 

Now that LET’S DANCE! is out in the world, what reader reactions have pleased or  surprised you most?

VB: Fortunately, the reaction to Let’s Dance!has been very positive. For that, I have two people to whom I must express my utmost gratitude. My amazing illustrator, Maine Diaz, brought my words to life; everyone who picks up the book comments on her remarkable illustrations. Our fantastic editor, Jes, had a vision that propelled this book to a global level by seeing in my words the opportunity to showcase dances from around the world. 

In terms of what has pleased or surprised me the most, there are two stories to share. Recently, I read my book to a group of sixth graders. Later, the school librarian told me that one of the students had asked to check out Let’s Dance! because “He wants to read it to his little sister.” The other “moment” occurred at my local library. I was talking with the librarian in anticipation of hosting my launch event there. When I mentioned the title of my book, she gasped, “That’s you?! You’re the author of Let’s Dance!? We were just talking about that book at our meeting last week. We’re all excited about it, and we’ve already ordered it!” Then, she started doing a little jig! Those are the moments that make me happy I wrote this book. I want people to enjoy it; I want it to make them dance! 

SB: What fun for you! And I agree that the illustrations and book design enhance your words in wonderful ways. You’ve said in other materials that you are, at your core, a writer and an educator. Are there ways in which working with your students has helped you develop your own writing craft and talent? If so, would you share an example?

VB: Working with students has made me open to taking my own advice. I believe in revising incessantly. I tell my students that I have a revision sickness, one from which I cannot be cured. I continue to push my writers to revise, and I do the same with my own work. Even when I decide to query or submit to a contest, I say that “it’s ready for now,” knowing that more revision will likely occur.

I also know and appreciate the value of receiving feedback. I’ve talked to my students about the importance of receiving peer feedback and have required them to share their writing with a partner or in a small group. Even when I work with students on crafting their college essays, I tell them that they must show the essay to at least two others for feedback. As for myself, I share my writing with my writing partner and with my critique group. 

SB: That sounds very familiar to me. During my own long career in classrooms, I often used two phrases during writing workshops: 

“When you say you’re done, you’ve just begun.”

And 

“Real writers need each other to do their best.”

What “real writer” practices or advice have you shared while working to help young writers grow? 

VB: I have to say, Sandy, that I agree with both of the mantras you’ve shared and have said similar things to students, like: “You can always continue to revise. At some point, you may have to recognize that you’re done for now, but more revision can still be done.” 

I’ll share an interesting exchange I had with a former student that illustrates this point. My fourth graders were working hard to revise and refine their memoirs, which I was planning to enter in a contest. One day a student said to me, “My mother said I don’t need to make any more changes. She said it’s already good enough.” I responded, “Your mother is right. Your story is good enough, but there’s a difference between ‘good enough’ and ‘contest-ready.’ If you want your story to be the best it can be, there’s still more work you can do.” The student continued to fine-tune her story, and it won first place in the contest! By the way, another student of mine won second place. 

SB: Congratulations to your learners. I'm guessing you got a hug from that good advice, even if that wasn't the immediate reaction! 

VB: Actually, Sandy, when my student’s parents received the news that she had won the contest, they invited me to join them for a Chinese buffet lunch after the awards ceremony. We became good friends after that and still are. In fact, I attended that student’s wedding last November.

SB: More congratulations are due you for being named a 2020 Mentee through WE NEED DIVERSE BOOKS (linked). Could you share a bit about that experience? (How it developed, what your goals are, how it works, whatever you think readers would care to know. This is also a chance to share what you’re working on currently or share/hint at upcoming projects.)

VB: I appreciate your congratulations, Sandy! It is truly an honor to have been named a WNDB mentee. This is actually the second time I applied for the mentorship. There was an option for prospective mentees to name their preferred mentor, and when I read the books written by the mentors, I knew, unequivocally, that I wanted Kelly Starling Lyons. 

I wrote on my application: “Kelly is an incredibly accomplished, prolific writer (congratulations to her on her recent award for Going Down Home with Daddy!) and would have invaluable advice to share with me about my writing as well as the publishing industry. Also, of the picture book mentors, I feel that my style is most similar to Kelly’s.” 

I don’t know how prominently what I wrote figured into the selection process. I’d like to think that the manuscript I submitted also caught the committee’s attention. Regardless, I’m thrilled to have Kelly as a mentor! 

I believe each mentorship works differently, depending upon the mentor and mentee. In her introductory email to me, Kelly asked me to complete some assignments. She asked about my vision as a writer, goals for our mentorship, and questions I have. Related to the manuscript I submitted, she requested that I analyze mentor texts and paginate my text. 

In addition to receiving feedback from Kelly on my manuscripts and readying them for publication, I look forward to learning all that I can –about anything related to writing and the publishing industry – from this prolific, award-winning author.

SB: Thank you, Valerie, for taking time to share your experiences with us, especially with such a busy life and during such an intense period as your debut book launch. 

VB: Thank you, Sandy, for taking the time to interview me. I appreciate the opportunity for your readers to get to know a bit more about me, and I’m especially pleased to share Let’s Dance! with them.

Readers, you can learn  much more about Valerie's personal and professional background in this very  thorough interview on Mary Elizabeth Cummings blog, here.

She provides her own lovely and personal introduction on the ABOUT page of her website, here.

You'll enjoy reading a truly informative (and fun) interview with Valerie about her writing journey in this celebration interview with author Kaitlyn Leann Sanchez, HERE.

Don't forget my advice to keep your eye on Valerie's ongoing and future successes. We'll make that easier for you by including her social media links:

Website: http://valeriebolling.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/valerie_bolling
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valeriebollingauthor/ ANDhttps://www.instagram.com/letsdancebook/

Here's a reminder about the fun of Valerie's book, in the "verdict", an excerpt of the recent review by Jennifer, Librarian at Jean Little Library:

Verdict: If you're in on the trend of movement in libraries, this is a great introduction to familiar and unfamiliar dances (depending on your community's makeup) and will get kids leaping, wiggling, jingling, and dancing. Recommended.

It's LEAP DAY: Leap into LET'S DANCE!

Boyds Mills Press

LEAP DAY comes along only every four years, and a picture book celebration of dance and diversity is even more rare.
Whether you've got a yes-I'm ready-for-prime-time dance repertoire or you boogey at a cringe-worthy-on-the-Ellen-Show level, you won't want to miss this picture book, LET'S DANCE, written by Valerie Bolling and illustrated by Maine Diaz.  
The contagious effects of music saturate the lyrical rhymed text and vivid action-packed pages. LET'S DANCE offers  universal appeal of movement and music through a multicultural lens.
Little bums and shoulders will start bobbing at the first sights and sounds of the exuberant action and expressions of kiddos virtually leaping off the cover. I have no doubt that adult readers will be doing some seat-swaying and toe-tapping within a few page turns, too. 
A first peek at the end papers hints at the multi-cultural, globe-trotting magical genres of dance, from ballet slippers to cowboy hats, from high-top sneakers to castanets, and more. The illustrator is adept at balancing the authenticity of the garb and styles with diverse characters who are not locked into stereotypical types of dance or culture.

I'm always impressed with perfectly metered and rhymed text, especially so when the word count totals only sixty words of main text swirling from page to page in two-to-four word lines. The text opens up learner-engaged opportunities from meter-clapping to onomatopoeitic explorations at any age. 
Each of ten double page spreads features traditionally-dressed kid-dancers from around the world, executing flamenco to Irish step dancing, disco to breakdancing, west-African kuku dancing to kathak dancers from India, and beyond. The dancers are diverse in skin tone, body size, hair style, and setting, but are universal in the magical effects of melody and rhythm. I'd include a few quoted lines, but in isolation they don't do the author justice. In fact, this book is  a master class in the perfect interaction of words, illustrations, and book design. 

My only dance instruction was preschool "ballet class" in a summer recreation program. Since those years I have learned that choreographers use the term "vocabulary" of movement, positions, etc. That term sprang to mind as I enjoyed and examined this book, realizing that the artist's vocabulary of movement, poses, and perspectives enhanced the author's word choices as ideally as did the art director's choices for font, color, size, and layout.

My first view of this book was in a PDF digital file, and I admired it then. Soon after, I received an advance paper copy that magnified my response a thousand-fold. In fact, the physical book underscored my commitment to the importance of enthralling kids with actual books rather than digital screens. 
The large trim size opens to a lap-filling horizontal dance-floor of delight. A double-page spread of back matter offers cameo images of each dance with a brief description, identifying the dance name and cultural origins. (Consider that an invitation to check out examples-in-action in real life or on screen.)
You might envision a struggle to settle down bouncing toddlers following their dance through these pages. 
No worries. 
The closing spread presents a smiling tot, tucked in bed, dreaming to the tunes of twirling sheep. That's right, the calming conclusion makes this an ideal bedtime or naptime book, and would work especially well as a story time book with that settling resolution to dial down the energy, providing a transition to the next activity or story. 
Just keep your eyes open for a dapper little lamb who loves to steal the spotlight with swagger! I hope you'll take a close look at this one, and then make a purchase. As a library fan, I'm usually fine with sharing books "on loan", but this one should find a permanent place in your lives. 
It's definitely a "read it again" book.

I'll bet you remember the Lee Ann Womack hit from several years ago: I HOPE YOU DANCE. If not, click that title and remind yourself with the YouTube video. 


And, as the song says, I HOPE YOU'LL DANCE.

BTW, if you'd care to learn more about LEAP DAY traditions and superstitions, click HERE.

The PDF and advance copy were provided by the publisher with no promise of a review of any kind.