"When the sun goes down, the music of the desert begins to play... and play... and plaplay. And the cactus begin to dance…and dance…and dance."
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Freeze Dance Written and illustrated by Dawn Martin Trafford Publishing
book review by Maria A. Hughes
Dr. Seuss once said that, "children want the same things we want, to laugh, to be challenged, to be entertained and delighted."The author captures all these elements beautifully in this enchanting and imaginative read about desert cacti that come out to dance when the sun goes down and no one is watching. The cacti then freeze as soon as the sun begins to rise so that no one can discover their secret.
The reader will meet Hip-Hop Harry, Boppin' Betty, and Tappin' Tooty, three cacti who dance to their own music and rhythm, unlike a majority of their peers who dance the same way. The author offers an important lesson to young children and challenges them—through these unique and lively characters: to be true to yourself.
What makes this book stand out from the rest is the way in which the tale is expressed: through catchy phrases, clever use of word positioning, and fantastic watercolor illustrations. Dawn Martin does a good job in creatively placing the text on each page so that it crafts a visually exciting story. That said, unlike most children's books, which are illustrated and lettered separately, the lettering is drawn onto the page, making the book feel unnecessarily "budget" in its presentation. It almost seems as if they were scanned from the original artwork. The rhythmic, almost musical, wording will nevertheless capture the interest of a child and keep them reading until the end—tthe true test of a children's book.