City Street Beat

September 29, 2014
Viau (Look What I Can Do!) adds to a crowded category of picture books celebrating urban life in this rhyming ode to the sights and sounds of the city. A girl and her mother drive into the city, where they meet up with a young friend and her father. The parents mostly stay in the background as the children jump rope, ride the subway and a bus, and dance to a street band. Viau's verse zips along with a strong emphasis on sound effects ("Hear the shutters climb the wall./ Rat-a-tatter. Bang!"), though the recurring refrain strains in its effort to come across as fresh and hip ("Rock-n-roll the razz-ma-tazz/ And hip-hop to the beat"). Bakos's busy illustrations, painted in a vivid palette, offer a cheerful, multicultural cast and abundant city bustle to explore while matching the unceasingly upbeat mood of the verseâthe closest the book ever comes to any sort of urban grit is an encounter with a garbage truck. Ages 4â7. Author's agent: Karen Grencik, Red Fox Literary. Illustrator's agency: the Bright Agency.

August 1, 2014

PreS-Gr 2-For the duration of a day, two peppy little girls enjoy a visit with one another while dancing along bustling streets and listening to rhythms in the city sounds. The girls hear catchy rock and hip-hop beats, from ordinary people walking, musicians playing, the bake-shop bell ringing, a trash truck rumbling, birds eating, and more. With an absence of dialogue and the inclusion of a recurring verse, the book is marked by a descriptive rhyming writing style that progresses at a jaunty pace. Bakos's perky full-color artwork re-creates the movement found within the city. A multicultural cast of adult and juvenile city goers engages in an abundance of activities common to an urban environment. At times, the girls appear to be unsupervised as they take in their adventure, but a few scenes with parents nearby will reassures readers that familiar adults are around. Also among the busy details are whimsical and dainty mice that reappear throughout. There is much to see in this cheerful tale that will stimulate readers' imaginations while showcasing city life. As an extension of the story, encourage children to listen for rhythms in the sounds of their school or home surroundings.-Lynn Vanca, Freelance Librarian, Akron, OH

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