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Summary
Summary
With bold paintings and a simple, rhyming text, Caldecott Medalists Leo & Diane Dillon bring young readers a rap a tap tap celebration of dance that will have readers clapping and tapping along."There once was a man who danced in the street / He brought pleasure and joy to the people he'd greet / He didn't just dance, he made art with his feet / Rap a tap tap--think of that!" This simple book for young children has the added bonus of describing the life of a ground-breaking African-American tap dancer. Bill "Bojangles" Robinson was one of the most popular entertainers of the 1920s-30s. People said he "talked with his feet," and in the Dillons' graceful paintings of old New York, he dances from page to page to the tune of a toe-tapping rhyme. Rap a tap tap--think of that!
Author Notes
Leo Dillon was born in Brooklyn, New York on March 2, 1933. He attended Parsons School of Design in New York City, where he met his wife Diane (Sorber) Dillon. They graduated in 1956, married in 1957, and soon became a husband and wife team of illustrators. During his lifetime, they published over 40 children's books including Hakon of Rogen's Saga by Eric Hagard, The Ring in the Prairie by John Bierhorst, The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales by Virginia Hamilton, and If Kids Ran the World. They won the Caldecott Medal in 1976 for Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears by Verna Aardema and in 1977 for Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions by Margaret Musgrove. They also won a Coretta Scott King Award and five Coretta Scott King Honors. In 2002, they published the first picture book they wrote themselves, Rap a Tap Tap: Here's Bojangles-Think of That! They also created cover designs for adult science fiction books. He died from complications of lung surgery on May 26, 2012 at the age of 79.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
Both words and pictures echo the rhythmic feet of one of America's premiere tap dancers. If there are aspiring dancers in the class, invite them to strut their stuff. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
In a departure from their recognizable illustration style, the versatile husband-and-wife team here uses a striking gouache painting technique that pays homage to Harlem Renaissance artist Aaron Douglas to craft an exuberant picture-book tribute to African-American tap dancer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson (1878-1949). Brief, rhyming text introduces the tall, lean and dapper man who "danced in the street" and "made art with his feet." In keeping with tapdancing tradition, each line of verse returns to a rhythmic refrain ("Rap a tap tap think of that!"). The deceptively simple text conveys the complexities of the era: "He danced past doors; some were open, some closed" accompanies a montage of entryways, with some people welcoming Robinson, but a white man closing his door. On the other hand "folks in fancy clothes" depicts whites and blacks together outside a show. Most spreads exude the everyday joys of a bustling city neighborhood, and the bouncy beat will hold the attention of even youngest readers. A short biographical note appears at the end of the book. The cubed-looking apartment buildings, an elevated/subway train, store fronts and traffic lights suggest Manhattan (eagle-eye readers will notice an obscured sign for 125th Street), but the scenes are general enough to lend the art a universal, timeless feel. The Dillons cleverly depict Robinson's fast-flying feet with varying shades of the same color around his legs, creating a sense of movement with a shadow/silhouette effect. The graceful figure he cuts on the page is a hoofer's delight. Ages 3-up. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
The Dillons pay homage to American tap-dancer Bill Robinson and--in their color-blocked, silhouetted illustrations--to Harlem Renaissance artist Aaron Douglas. In each double-page spread, Bojangles's feet fairly dance off the page as he passes through a varied urban landscape. The rhyming text isn't quite as light on its feet, and the rhythm seems to trip over the refrain--Rap a tap tap--think of that! From HORN BOOK Spring 2003, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
A tribute to Bill "Bojangles" Robinson captures the rhythm of the famous tap dancing he did all over the city: in the street, behind doors that were both open and closed to him, in crowds, in upscale neighborhoods as well as "the skids," in the park, and ultimately, on stage. Watercolor illustrations in sophisticated shades of tan, plum, aqua, mustard, olive, rust, black, and gray recall the pre-WWII era in which Robinson lived and danced. The stylized figures, shown mostly in profile without detailed features, are reminiscent of Synthia Saint James's work and stand out cleanly against a bright white background. The contagious, joyful exhilaration of Bojangles's dance is conveyed through shadowy legs surrounding his real ones, as if the rapt onlookers' eyes could not keep up with his frenetic movement, as well as the rhyming text that begs to be read aloud and repeated. A note at the end explains who Bojangles was and includes fascinating information about his life and his talent, including the fact that no other dancer was ever able to repeat some of his more intricate steps. Spectacular, clear design includes spot varnish on the cover, highlighting the colorful type and figures against a matte white. This jazzy introduction to an important contributor to American culture will entrance the youngest music and dance fans. (Picture book. 3-7)
Booklist Review
PreS^-Gr. 2. Tap dancer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson will probably be someone new to young children, but this fancy-free introduction captures the ebullience of his dancing as well as the way he touched audiences. The spreads feature a bouncy text and eye-catching art, both of which tell something about Robinson. Each left-hand page pictures a different audience--families, uptown folks, people on the skids--who marvel at Robinson's tapping toes. Facing pages repeat the same refrain, "Rap a tap tap--think of that," with pictures of Mr. Bojangles practically dancing off the edge of the page. The paintings have the effect of collage and employ strong city shapes, with bridges, buildings, and park benches pressed against feather-white backgrounds. But the art is at its most creative when it shows Bojangles' graceful taps, with shadow legs and feet seemingly moving in concert with the real steps he takes. An afterword amplifies the text, briefly introducing "the greatest tap dancer of all time," who "talked with his feet." --Ilene Cooper