Because . . .
Kindergarten-Grade 3–Baryshnikov dances onto the stage of celebrity authors with a playful book about being true to oneself regardless of how others react. A boy recounts how his grandmother always embarrasses him, beginning with Monday when she leaps over a neighbor's head. As the week progresses, he quickly overcomes his discomfort and by Sunday has learned the reason behind her eccentric behavior. Fact and fantasy intermingle freely as the child describes his neighborhood, and everyone from the crossing guard to an alley cat responds to Grandma's antics by asking, Why? She brushes off their questions with a breezy because until she finally explains as she flies off into the sky, Because…I-am-a-dancer! The book's dialogue appears to be handwritten and is incorporated into the illustrations, creating a bold transition from the typeface of the narration. Light, playful characters float across the pages, their weightlessness and energy accentuated by broad expanses of white space. The strong artwork carries the spare, understated text, as the boy makes a surprisingly quick transition from embarrassment to awe and obvious pride. Fans of Baryshnikov and libraries looking for new titles about self-expression will wish to buy this book; others may consider it a supplemental purchase.–Suzanne Myers Harold, Multnomah County Library System, Portland, ORCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.