 |
When farmer's daughter Trudy Trotter sets off for the river atop her faithful donkey to visit a beaver, she finds herself on a delightfully strange adventure. She encounters a loudly crowing rooster and passes a port teeming with activity and business trade. She witnesses boys learning to assemble bundles of sticks and Officer McQue on his red scooter herding Mr. Ted's gaggle of slippery geese. Trudy is excited by all the town has to offer, such as a precious jewelry store next to a thriving soda shop that promises cold, delicious treats to soothe her burning lips and combat the summer heat.
Unfortunately, Trudy's lack of funds leaves her unable to purchase any of the jewelry store's beautiful gems or the soda shop's wonderful offerings. She concocts a plan and enlists the help of her friend Morgan. But before they can fulfill Trudy's vow to acquire spending money by the end of the day, Morgan's mother offers refreshing snacks. Despite a mischievous fox, accidental injury, and a trip to the emergency room, Trudy's adventure ends with homemade goodness.
Set in the 1950s, this children's tale depicts wholesome fun. Dance employs an inventive rhyme scheme, colorful illustrations, and an entertaining storyline to explore English vocabulary and introduce children to the original meanings of words that are frequently considered inflammatory in today's culture. Throughout the story, the author creatively incorporates one such word starting with each letter of the alphabet. Weaving in touches of humor and tapping into most young readers' love of animals, Dance delivers an imaginative adventure that can be enjoyed by readers of all ages. Most importantly, the book successfully achieves the author's admirable, self-proclaimed goal of promoting "freedom of speech... independent thinking, and expression without the fear of being judged or condemned."