Footwork: Candlewick Biographies: The Story of Fred and Adele Astaire

Great story! I purchased this book for our dance studio and everyone loves it!

In 35 pages of text and lively illustration, young readers (I'd say this book is perfect for ages 8-11) are introduced to siblings Adele and Fred Astaire, as they take their pint-sized waltz and tango act across America. The writing is clear and straightforward ("Adele was dainty and had a pixie smile. Fred was bony, and his ears were enormous"(23).)and just right for the intended audienceThe story wraps up when Adele leaves the act and Fred is making his way to Hollywood. Since the title says the story is about both of them, I guess that is only fair, but I wouldn't have minded bit more about Fred's life after that (it's covered in half of a page.) I am not a big fan of reading on electronic devices, but this is one book where I could totally get into being able to click a link while reading and see Fred in action.The writing is punchy and easy to follow. I came away feeling quite awed by the amount of work Fred (and sometimes Adele) put into making the dancing look easy. In the author's note, Fred is quoted as saying "Hard work is great fun" and this book shows he gave more than lip service to that statement.I would suggest this book to anyone who loves to move (dancers, cheerleaders, gymnasts), kids pursing a sport or skill that takes a lot of practice, and any 'tween who is pursuing a slightly off-beat dream (A boy? Dancing?)About me: I'm a middle school/high school librarianHow I got this book: sent to me by the publisher

I enjoyed this book, though I liked the author's picture book on Louis Armstrong better. This one, the story of Fred and Adele Astaire and their lives as young dancers, is interesting in its history. I enjoyed learning about the times they lived in, how they traveled, how they worked, for whom they worked. But I just didn't find the story that riveting.

Yes, this book tells the story of Fred and Adele Astaire in a way that kids understand, but it doesn't give a child any reason to care about them. It reads like a resumé -- "first they did this, then they did that, then they did the other thing."The illustrations are nice out of context, but a ghastly choice for this particular subject. Perhaps the rubbery style was supposed to suggest the fluidity of dance, but it simply makes the dancers look formless and off balance, everything that the Astaires were not.