Can You Dance the Boogaloo? is a children's picture book from new talent Alice V.Lickens. It celebrates a love of music and dancing, that get-up-and-go, feel-good feeling that kids have in abundance. we were sent a copy to take a look at. It is a nice size, sturdy paperback book with 32 full colour pages.
The illustrations are a combination of ink and lino prints featuring the numerous animal characters on their way to the Boogaloo and also a selection of instruments. They are bright, bold and colourful and for me are my favourite thing about this book.
The rhythmical text is rich with sounds and imagery inviting children to join in the boogaloo and dares little ones to sit still. The be-bop beat resonates musically as you read the words aloud.
I think a new reader would struggle to follow the text which snakes around the pictures and includes a lot of made up words and fancy fonts. I think this is a book for reading out loud to a child, sharing the pictures and encouraging movement and interaction.
Using this book as a resource for a music and movement session with little ones would be a fun idea. It is a high energy book that really makes you feel like dancing!
RRP £5.99