Dance Baby Dance.

In this vibrant board book, toddlers from various ethnic backgrounds are depicted in their daily lives exploring, laughing, running, and of course dancing. The comforting presence of parents, grandparents, cousins, sisters, and neighbours accompany them, as do beloved objects such as teddies and kittens. Baby dances in the wind and the rain, in the park, round the garden and under the sun and moon. The book demonstrates the exuberance of small children as they discover everyday delights, safe in the knowledge they are loved.

The book is comprised of 11 paired pages. In each pair, a glossy photograph faces a page of complementary text bordered by a coloured circle. Pictures are credited to photographic agencies. On occasion the text does not exactly reflect the content of the picture but only one is glaring. “Pet the Puppy that wriggles and barks” faces a picture of a large fierce guard dog, which gives a confusing message for toddlers.

The rhyming verse is satisfying and with enough variety in the tempo to avoid it being overly repetitive.

“Dance with Mom or dance with Dad

Laughing, smiling, they’re so glad

Dance to the east, dance to the west

Dance to the sister who loves you best.”

Children aged 1–3 will enjoy observing their counterparts in action and parents will enjoy a certain richness of philosophy, above and beyond that of the usual board book content.

Andrea Spalding is an acclaimed author of over 30 books for children and young adults. This title is a welcome addition for all libraries, toddler and baby programs, and a charming purchase for an individual child’s bookshelf.