Title: “Amy the Dancing Bear”
Author: Carly Simon
Illustrator: Margot Datz
Genre: Children’s Books
Plot: “Amy the Dancing Bear” is about a little bear who just wants to keep dancing! It is her bedtime, and her mother comes into her room several times and asks her to get ready for bed. Each time, Amy says that she must keep dancing. The sunset it so beautiful that it moves her to dance, and her pirouettes fill her with joy! Her mother does tasks like washing the dishes and listening to a record in between each bedtime check, and eventually mama bear falls asleep in the bathtub.
Mama Bears dreams of her little bear daughter dancing around and never growing tired. When Amy finds her mother drifting in and out of sleep, she wraps her up in a towel and tucks her into bed. Amy herself is finally in her pajamas and as her mother looks out the window, there is a constellation of a dancing bear in the sky. Amy finally heads to bed, as the moon is high in the sky.
Rating: 5/5
Opinion: I love this book for so many reasons! Number 1: The illustrations are amazing! The house that the bears live in is so flowery and relaxing. As you turn each page, the sunset changes into something more and more beautiful. The nature accents around each illustration really makes you feel like you are in a bear’s house! I love the mama bear in the bathtub illustration best. The bubbles are flowing over the edge of the tub, there is an amazing sunset in the background, and mama bear is starting to fall asleep.
Number 2: Amy the bear is such a wonderful character! All she wants to do is dance. Her mother sees how in love with dancing she is, and Amy’s excitement is so infectious that mama bear cannot tell her to stop. Amy does the tango with an imaginary partner, she does pirouettes, and she says that she is so inspired by the beautiful setting sun that she just absolutely must keep dancing.
Number 3: This book makes a perfect bedtime story. Lots of kids do not want to go to bed, and neither does Amy. This book begins with excitement and energy, and slowly moves into peace and relaxation. By the end of the book mama bear has already fallen asleep, and Amy is closing her bedroom door and turning out the light. I think “Amy the Dancing Bear” is a great book for kids to read with their parents and calm down after a busy day. I highly recommend this book! It’s a wonderful read!
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