That's what it's all about

Hokey Pokey: Another Prickly Love Story

by Lisa Wheeler; illustrated by Janie Bynum

Y'know, a kid's book doesn't need any great literary merit to be worth reading. This one's a lighthearted twirl around the dance floor with a love-struck porcupine, and we like it just fine around here.

Cushion loves Barb, a hedgehog (Barb, get it?), and Barb loves to dance. Cushion isn't exactly light on his feet. He takes lessons from various animals and fails at the foxtrot, funky chicken and bunny hop, but not before impaling his friends or leaving behind a few prickly souvenirs.

He despairs he'll ever impress Barb, until she sweeps him off his feet with a few heartfelt lessons on dancing and love. Gotta love those plucky types. Oh, the puns! Stop me, please.

The pastel art's about what you'd expect -- sunlit and sweet, with Cushion's quills expanding like a lion's mane as he trips over his two left paws.

What's best, I think, is how it appeals to a clumsy little kid. They're not too agile at this age -- remember that jumping, climbing and running are all recent accomplishments. Dancing, with its more precise movements, even when you're just rocking to a beat, must seem an Olympian feat.

So Cushion's an easy one for empathy as he bumbles his way about, makes a fool of himself and somehow still triumphs. We're not aiming for Fred Astaire here, just to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Most days, that's pretty cool by itself.

Rating: *\*\

Comments

[MotherReader]

My kids and I liked this book, but I think it was leftover liking from the first book, Porcupining. Both are cute, but I think the first one is cuter/funnier.

[Anne]

We don't have that one, so I'll have to take your word for it :-)