PreS-While Mama is napping on the sofa, Father comforts his baby daughter and soon they are dancing and singing their way through this action poem. The little girl's hair ribbons gleefully soar as she goes "Up to the ceiling,/down to the ground/Backward, forward,/'round and 'round." Van Heerden's soft-focus artwork is animated and realistic. The red, orange, and yellow background hues radiate with the warmth of this African-American family, and the simple, catchy rhyme invites parent/child participation. A great addition to board-book collections.-Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada

<p>This abbreviated version of Taylor's poem,"The Baby Dance," drawing upon infants' universal love of song, weaves a few bouncing lines to make listeners wriggle. An African-American father croons to his baby daughter while engaging in a spontaneous and steadily more exuberant dance. "Dance, little baby,/move to and fro/Coo and crow, baby,/there you go." Van Heerden's judicious use of background colors subtly reflect the increasing tempo, as soothing blues gradually intensify into vibrant swirls of orange, yellow, and purple. A boisterous romp. (Board book. 1-3)</p>