Carla and Leo's World of Dance

Gr 3—6—Ten-year-old Carla and her friend, Leo, sign up for ballroom-dance classes. As they learn the Viennese waltz, foxtrot, swing, merengue, mambo, cha-cha, rumba, salsa, and tango, their teacher offers information on the history and culture of these dances. The format has a comic-book, poster-art style with the print highlighted in rectangular colored shapes. The bold, linear illustrations of the dancers fill the pages as Carla and Leo demonstrate the steps with grace and zest. The two young people are trendy and attractive whether in their costumes or in everyday clothes. Carla, in particular, with her big eyes and Betty Boop-type lips, has a manga quality and could just as easily be 16 as 10. This is not a how-to manual but a celebration and introduction to the diverse dances. The enthusiasm of these two characters is infectious, and the slick artwork captures the elegance and drama of these movements and makes them look like lots of fun.—Carol Schene, formerly at Taunton Public Schools, MA