Song and Dance Man (1989 Caldecott Winner)

The Song and Dance Man is a wonderfully colorful story told by children remembering their grandfather. Although the story is simple, it has descriptive language and is rich in imagination. The story begins as the children’s grandfather takes them up to the attic , turns on an old lamp to serve as his spotlight, and gives his grandchildren an old-time performance. “His tap shoes makes soft, slippery sounds like rain on a tin roof”, is just one example of the many descriptive sentences throughout the whole book, which makes you feel as if you are watching the show from the front row. The illustrations are done in a light colored pencil, which makes it even more adorable and child like. Song and Dance Man was written by Kevin Ackerman, the illustrations were done by Stephen Gammell, and was the Caldecott Winner in 1989. I really enjoyed the way this book was simple, lighthearted and fun, and was meant to entertain and delight young readers.