As a children’s librarian, I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by poetry every day, even when it’s not labelled as such. Many of my favourite picture books are essentially illustrated poems, with their rhythmic, rhyming texts.
I Got the Rhythm is a fantastic read-aloud with its bouncing, rhythmic, rhyming text that’s sure to get readers of all ages tapping and bouncing to the beat of the city.
A young girl explores her urban neighbourhood and finds herself drawn into the rhythm of the world around her, celebrating and embracing the movement and sharing her beat with everyone around her.
This book is absolutely made for reading aloud with a group, and it positively dares you not to join in on the fun, clapping, tapping and bopping to the rhythm. The young girl feels the beat in every part of her, seeing it with her eyes, hearing it with her ears, catching it with her hands and stomping it with her feet. She pops and locks, hips and hops, and lets the music move her whole body, and the simple, repetitive text invites audiences to join in on the fun and express themselves from their heads to their toes!
The colourful cast is diverse (not too sure about that clown though…*shudder*….), and the inner city environment will be at once to familiar to many young readers, who will appreciate its positive portrayal. I Got the Rhythm is brimming with joy, and encourages audiences to find and share the music of life, the everyday rhythms and beats that surround us and move us, but that we are sometimes too busy to notice and enjoy.
Highly, highly recommended – go on, get the beat!
I’ll see if my library has this book, Jane. Looks like fun!
I hope you can find a copy of it, it’s a lot of fun!
This looks super-fun!
It is! Colourful, joyful, spirited and loads of fun. 🙂
Looks to be a great opportunity to share joy and togetherness with children– fun and colorful!
Definitely! It’s all about finding the joy and the rhythm all around you in your community. 🙂
Your review bounces along merrily just like the text!
Thank you! I’m a pretty bouncy person, too! 🙂
Sounds like the imaginative and adventurous reader could have a lot of fun with this one.
So much zest and movement in that cover illustration alone.
Exactly! This little girl just has so much sass, I love her!
Looks like a really fun book. Will have to look for it. 🙂
Thanks for sharing this today, Jane. It looks adorable!
It’s super fun! One of the many reasons I love being a children’s librarian is that I get to explore all these adorable stories. 🙂
Your post is brimming with joy, Jane – thanks for sharing this lively book!
Thanks for stopping by! I love the idea of finding the music and the movement in the everyday, so this book is right up my alley 🙂
Looks like a fun read. Clowns have been getting some disturbing press lately.
You know, I was never afraid of clowns as a child, it wasn’t until I read Stephen King’s IT as a teenager that I started to find them creepy…. 😉
The newspaper articles of clowns lurking in the woods near schools are super creepy. Offering kids money to come into the woods. No. That is just wrong. I haven’t read SK’s IT, and perhaps I’ll give it a miss. I used to love reading horror, but after pregnancy, my tolerance is nil.
Great recommendation, Jane! This book brings a smile to my face. =)
I’m glad – it really is a joyous book. 🙂