Tessa's Tip-tapping Toes

by Carolyn Crimi, Marsha Gray Carrington (Illustrator)

An enchanting performance starring a little mouse who was born to boogie and a cat who can't stop crooning.

Other mice scurry, but not Tessa. She boogies, bops shimmies, and hops. On her family's raids through Mrs. Timboni's kitchen, Tessa tangos across the teapot and sashays with saltshakers.

Soon Mrs. Timboni brings home a cat--but Oscar is no ordinary cat. He doesn't like to nap or chase mice. Instead, he croons on Mrs. Timboni's counter, sings in her sinks, and trills on the dining room table. Is it any wonder that there's magic in the air when these two talents finally meet?

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Music, Cats, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

Published March 1, 2002

About the author

Carolyn Crimi, AKA the Pirate Queen, is the author of numerous books for young readers, including BORIS AND BELLA, illustrated by Gris Grimly. Of HENRY AND THE BUCCANEER BUNNIES, she says, "While I don't have long floppy ears or a pro-nounced overbite, Henry and I are kindred spirits, who love books and carrots!"

Reviews

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’d recommend this book for kids that like to dance and/or sing, and that covers most children. It’s a cute story, but for some reason I didn’t fall in love with it. I can usually suspend disbelief, but a friendship between a cat and a mouse, with the mouse’s mother and the cat’s woman companion joining in too, well maybe I wasn’t enough in a singing/dancing mood when I read it because this book has such high ratings here. I did like that the two main characters had an activity they loved so much they felt compelled to do it, and that they found a way to express themselves through those activities, dancing and singing.

The art style was okay, though the cat looked weird to me, but it was kind of weird in a good way.

If I’d been more in the mood for this story, I can see giving it one more star. And, don’t pay attention to me. Aside from myself, 10 members have rated it with 5 full stars, 8 with 4 stars, only 1 other with 3 stars, only 1 with 2 stars, and nobody with just 1 star, so if the book’s description appeals to you, you’re likely to really enjoy this book. Check out Kathryn’s wonderful review: (http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... she’s enthusiastic about this book. Being an apartment dweller I appreciate her sensitivity to the neighbors. ;-)

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute, I can't help myself from giving it five stars, even if the illustrations aren't my usual "favorite style" and it didn't end up being about ballet (as I had hoped). This is the story of Tessa the mouse, who just loves to dance--in fact, she feels she MUST dance--but when the lady of the house gets a new cat, Tessa's mother forbids her from dancing because her tap-tapping toes might attract the cat's attention and lead to danger. Meanwhile, the new cat has his own passion--he loves to sing! When the neighbors call to complain, his "owner" requests that he stop singing because it might lead to trouble. But, one rainy night, when the raindrops are making the most rhythmic pitter-patting on the roof, can cat and mouse ignore the "music"?

A very fun story about unlikely friendships and following your bliss, I loved Crimi's writing style. I thought that it was a little unfair to the neighbors in the end but overall it's just such a feel-good and inspiring story I decided to shrug it off and give five stars anyway ;-)

[Lexxa Kight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tessa’s Tip Tapping toes is about a little mouse who loves to tap dance, however her mom tells her to stop because it is not normal. Tessa lives in a little hole in a house and the homeowner just got a cat who loves to sing. The neighbors do not like the cat because he sang, but he did not care. One night he started singing and Tessa started dancing. When the mouse and the cat saw each other, they started singing and dancing together. The home owner and Tessa’s mother were upset at first but they then joined in with the singing and dancing. They then danced and sang the whole night.

I would say that the theme of this book is to do what you love and to not let others stop you. Tessa loved dancing and she was told to stop, but she did what she loved and stood up for herself. Similarly, the cat was told to stop singing but he went against that.

In my opinion this is a very good children’s book. It teaches children to do what they love and it shows an unlikely friendship for at the end of the story. The cat was told to chase all the mice, but instead he sang and danced with Tessa.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to dance, sing or just read! This book has a very fun story and eye catching illustrations that I think many children would like. I think children aged 6 and up would enjoy this book and could learn good life lessons from it.

[Katlin Thorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first heard this book read to me, when I was eight, I loved the consonance of the words. Consonance is what I noticed first. Then, as I grew older I started understanding that Tessa was defining the stereotypical character of a mouse. She was expected to scurry around and try not to be seen, but that is not Tessa's style. Tessa's love for dance always takes over when she hears a beat. Tessa tries to stop dancing like her mother tells her to, "But when her toes weren't tip-tapping, they felt all wrong." After Tessa is completely introduced, the reader is introduced to yet another outside of the stereotypical "norm" animal, Oscar the cat. Oscar loves to sing when he hears a beat. One night when it's raining an unlikely friendship is created from the common recognition of the beat of the rain, and the love for music. The friendship being another change from the sterotypical expectations.

I have had my copy for many many years! The wear and tear definitely shows this book was read often!

[melhara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute story about a mouse Tessa, who can't resist dancing whenever she can, and a cat named Oscar who can't resist singing whenever he can. Overall, this picture book would be great for kids who love to sing and/or dance.

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Part of a personal challenge to read all of my boyfriend's and his sister's childhood books before we donate and give them away.

[Cheriee Weichel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a charming story of a mouse who couldn't stop dancing and a cat who couldn't stop singing. They do their best to be ordinary animals, but in the end, find out that together they can make their little world boogie.

[Kaylynn Johnsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story about following the desires of your heart.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book would be great to teach alliteration.

[Tessa Zimmerly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: fiction/ modern fantasy
Grade: PK- 5th

One of my favorite books and not just because the mouse has the same name as I do. This is a fun and upbeat book. The students can use their background knowledge of mice and cats to understand the conflict in the book.

[Torrie Heller · Rating 5 out of 5]

type: fiction
Genre: fantasy
Awards: none
Summary: This book is about a mouse that loves to dance. One day the owner of the house she lives in decides to get a cat in hopes of getting rid of the mice. The cat she gets loves to sing, but the owner yells at the cat and tells the cat that is is not allowed to sing because the neighbors will complain. Tessa's parents also tell her she has to stop dancing of the cat will get her one day. After moths of no dancing and no singing the cat starts to sing in its sleep. Naturally the mouse starts dancing and they end up coming face to face, read the book to see what happens.
1 Critique:I really don't have anything that stands out that I don't like, I love that it puts a twist on you average cat and mouse situation. I also really like how in the end they all learn how to coexist and be happy at least while singing and dancing.
Question: What are somethings that you love to do (dancing, singing, swimming)? Do you know of anyone that likes some of the same things that you do?
Craft Element: I would use this as a reminder to my students that if they are always themselves, good things will come from it in the end. You could also use it to teach about alliterations.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

In most cases, cats are not friends with mice...but, when Tessa, with the Tip-Tapping Toes and Oscar, with the Doo-Whappa-Whaapa Doo tongue are thrown together in the same house, things are turned topsy-turvy.

Soon everyone is in on the toe-tappin' fun.

Used for "An Actor's Life for Me!: Sing, Act, Dance" Storytime- October, 2010.

[Jessica Chambliss · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has amazing illustrations and amazing adjectives. For my lesson I used it to introduce the children to adjectives and how more interesting the book is when they use adjectives! We placed all the adjectives on a board and discussed them after we were finished reading. I would use this book on any grades K-2.

[The Brothers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dex (2yo) LOVED this book. It's about a little mouse named Tessa who has dancing feet that although she tries to control them, in the end she has to dance! Also in the mix is Oscar the singing cat, who though he's warned to control it, has to sing. They make quite a pair.

Cartoony, colorful and fun illustrations.

[Juliana Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet lively story about a tip-tapping mouse and a be-bopping cat. Tessa's mother begs her to move quietly and not make so much noise in the night. Oscar's owner begs him to be quiet and stop singing all night. But one rainy night, Tessa and Oscar just can't control themselves and the sing and dance until even the neighbors call asking them to be quiet.

[Clarissa Childress · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was a cute story. It involves a mouse and a house cat. Tessa's mom tells her to stay away from the kitchen where the cat is at. Eventually Tessa's dancing and the cat's singing cause them to meet on accident. The cat and mouse ended up getting along fine. I thought it was a good friendship story!

[Leslie Zinsmeister · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great for demonstrating poetry. In my first grade placement, they are always encouraged to find rhyming words. This book provides a lot of rhyming and the children loved reading it and discussing all of the rhymes.

[Cana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mommy says: Kids didn't pay great attention to this book about a mouse who likes to dance and a cat who likes to sing. Mommy found it a little tedious, too.

[♥Tëšśã♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

♥i love this book, mostely because it has my name in the title, and its an awsome book!!!!!!!!!!!♥

[Hira · Rating 5 out of 5]

alliteration

[Jenny Forgay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great book to incorporate with dancing and music, and children will fall in love with Tessa.

[Sharie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the tap shoes

Cat and mouse are each told to act a certain way, according to their cat- and mouse-ness; but not everyone fits those molds, and that's OK