Earthdance

From the Publisher

"The poem grows in power as it flows along, and is ably supported by Gorbaty's gorgeous, inventive artwork." --School Library Journal, starred review

"Ryder’s lyrical text invites young listeners to transform themselves into Earth and experience all its wonders.... An obvious choice for Earth Day story hours, this may also serve as a catalyst for children creating their own poetry or as a springboard for creative dramatics."--Booklist

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

A poem asks readers to imagine themselves as the earth; PW singled out the "powerful" artwork, saying that it "captures a world charged with energy and drama." Ages 3-8. May Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

"Stretch your arms out wide and slowly spin around," encourages the narrator of Ryder's (The Snail's Spell) somewhat uneven environmental ode, in which the reader imagines him or herself as Earth. Certain passages resonate with poetic imagery ("You are twirling so gracefully, carefully, not even the sand moves as you spin"). Others stumble along ("Up your hills/ and down your rivers,/ cars and ships/ carry people/ from one place/ to another,/ all places on you"). The powerful illustrations, however, solidify the book's appeal. Gorbaty's (God's Gift) conceptual, stencil compositions-most featuring a horizon-like arc-convey movement, as if the scenes of crowds, volcanoes and footprints in the snow are revolving on a globe before the viewer. Often he needs only a few bold strokes and scratches of color against a deep black background to capture a world charged with energy and drama, one in which majestic icebergs crack and waterfalls tumble. Most readers should catch on to the book's novel, albeit abstract approach. Its case for actually inspiring a sense of connection and responsibility to the planet is less certain, though given its visual strengths, it stands a good chance. Ages 4-7. (Apr.)

Children's Literature - Jan Lieberman

Joanne Ryder creates an imaginative poem, a paean to the majesty of the earth. Imagine you are the earth..."wiggle your shoulders/ and mountains tremble and quake./ Shake your hair and feel windswept grasses tickle your face." The art is an energetic, joyful and playful evocation of the multitudes that inhabit this planet. Each picture is a breathtaking explosion of color and form. What a grand book to share this Olympic year when nations gather to become ONE.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 5-This celebratory poem asks readers to imagine that they are the Earth. Ryder first evokes the celestial body in space, spinning and dancing around the sun, larger than the moon. She suggests that its forests, seas, and deserts form a brightly colored and comforting quilt. And of course, it is home to so many creatures. Earth is personified through striking tactile imagery: "Wiggle your shoulders/ and mountains tremble and quake./ Shake your hair and feel windswept grasses tickle your face." The poem grows in power as it flows along, and is ably supported throughout by Gorbaty's gorgeous, inventive artwork. This is an especially well-designed book, with its use of appealing bright colors and careful placement of text. The illustrations, both stylized and childlike, set a playful mood that nonetheless dovetails nicely with the poet's environmental message: "Dance slowly,/spin gently,/and carry them/ through space. May they hear /your whispers,/feel your strength/under their feet, and treasure you."-Marilyn Taniguchi, Santa Monica Public Library, CA

Kirkus Reviews

Ryder (My Father's Hands, 1994, etc.) addresses readers in the second person, beckoning them to join in a cosmic appreciation of the earth and all it holds. Simple verse shot through with sensory and physical images invite children to imagine themselves as the globe, twirling through nights, days, summer, and winter. Text and art boldly converge in a series of invocations: "Wiggle your shoulders and mountains tremble and quake" and "Shake your hair and feel windswept grasses tickle your face." An innovative book design incorporates the text into Gorbaty's brightly colored paintings, which at first feature one or two images but quickly build into chaotic, celebratory scenes of life on earth. Powerful, pulsing graphics and a valuable, almost incantatory, message.