Additional information
by Anita Yasuda (Author), Devika Oza (Illustrator)
Delight in the ringing of ankle bells and the swish of colorful scarves as Bollywood dance is described in playful rhymes.
Two sisters arrive for the Masala Magic Dance Recital. They join the other performers to get ready. "Rustle, hustle." And watch the opening act. "Wiggle, giggle." Then it's older sister's turn. "Flickity-flip. Thumka-hip." The families in the audience join in. "Toes tap. Hands clap." It's a wonderful time. Until ... uh-oh. Younger sister has second thoughts about performing! "Heart-stopping." With a gift and a bit of encouragement from older sister, little sister steps on stage. "Thumka-hip. Flickity-flip." The audience is invited to participate. "Hustle, rustle." And soon everyone is dancing to the Bollywood beat!
The joy is infectious in author Anita Yasuda's lyrical romp of a picture book, and children won't be able to resist dancing along! Bollywood culture is on full display in this delightful celebration of family, tradition and dance. Yasuda cleverly repeats the same rhymes from the first part of the story in reverse order to tell the second part of the story. The deep, rich colors in Devika Oza's mesmerizing art bring the dance recital to life, exquisitely conveying the movement and emotions of the dancers and the audience, as well the street where the recital is set. The back matter includes a brief glossary of terms.
Author Biography
Anita Yasuda is the author of Up, Up, Ever Up! Junko Tabei: A Life in the Mountains, Diwali: A Festival of Joy and Bollywood Beat!, as well as many other books for young readers. She has received a Boston Globe-Horn Book nonfiction honor, a Freeman Book Award of Note, a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection and a nomination for the Forest of Reading Yellow Cedar Award.
Devika Oza is an illustrator from Kolkata, India, the "City of Joy," renowned for its art, culture and food. Growing up in a land rich with folklore meant that storytelling has always been integral to her life. While pursuing a BA in multimedia and animation in a prestigious art institute in Kolkata, she discovered her passion for illustration, which led her to specialize in illustrating for children. She lived for five years in Toronto, Canada, and now resides in Dublin, Ireland.
