Dance Away

by George Shannon, José Aruego (Illustrator), Ariane Dewey (Illustrator)

Rabbit's dancing saves his friends from becoming Fox's supper.

Genres: Picture Books, Rabbits, Animals, Childrens, Humor

Paperback

First published April 1, 1982

About the author

George Shannon is a popular storyteller and former children's librarian whose many notable picture books include Tomorrow's Alphabet, Lizard's Guest, and White Is for Blueberry. Tippy-Toe Chick, Go!, illustrated by Laura Dronzek, was named a Charlotte Zolotow Award Honor Book. George Shannon lives on Bainbridge Island, Washington.

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dance Away was a blast to use in storytime, although it's perhaps a bit long for the toddler crowd. However it worked beautifully for my preschool kids and I think could extend up through 1st grade or so. Rabbit loves to dance. He loves it so much in fact that he's making his friends a little crazy - until they're captured by a fox that is! How Rabbit uses dancing to escape the fox is silly and giggle inducing - the kids loved it. Throughout the book Rabbit's dancing song is repeated over and over again: "Left two three kick right two three kick, left skip right skip, turn around!" While brave storytime leaders could create a tune for Rabbit's song, I chose to chant it which seemed to work fine. My preschool audience started reciting the song with me about halfway through the book and one little girl even attempted to perform the steps while sitting on her bottom. This would be a great interactive book if you had the space, although the format is probably too small to be used with more than fifteen or so kids. It occurs to me that this could also be really fun Readers' Theater for older kids - 2nd or 3rd grade or so. The illustrations, by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey, are uncluttered and clearly express Rabbit's joy in dancing. The focus is definitely on the characters and the dancing with several spreads having no background at all besides a base color. Dance Away worked perfectly for my dance-themed storytime, but it would also work well for a rabbit theme, a trickster theme or a music theme. The CIP information includes a note that "Rabbit's dance can be done to any schottische or any other music in 2/4 or 4/4 time."

Used for dance-themed storytime in 3/2009; Terrific Ts and Preschool ST on 3/24 and Family ST 3/26.

[Dest · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not crazy about the illustrations, but the story falls in the great trickster tradition which is always fun. And there's a dance-y refrain that's easy to learn and repeat.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super fun story with a recurring phrase (rabbit's dance) that can really engage the preschool story time crowd! Perfect for my dance-themed story time.

[Emmalee Orman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dance away is about a rabbit who loves to dance and is always dancing, trying to dance with his friends. Then a mean fox captures his friends and wants to eat them, so the rabbit goes to try and save the day.

The identity characteristic is that the rabbit is very caring and thoughtful of his friends. The rabbit just wants to have fun with his friends and dance with them. Identity characteristics are what makes us who we are, why we are the way we are. In the book the rabbit goes and saves his friends even though they were not very nice to the rabbit it shows that the rabbit is thoughtful and charismatic.

I think that this book would be good for kids in 1st or 2nd grade.

[Jj · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet kind-of-trickster tale about bunnies who outsmart a hungry fox USING DANCE AS A DEFENSIVE WEAPON. Even if you don't like these sorts of stories, you have to admit this features a pretty nifty use of dance as a literal means of escape.

[Erik · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't think the rabbit's little song worked very well, and it's repeated on almost every page. Not a fan of the art style either.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who doesn't like to dance!

[☁︎ ☾ ｡⋆ morgan ⋆｡☽ ☁︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

funny illustrations, but not my favorite, that worked well for the story with the repetition and wording. silly and engaging!

[Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harper really liked it, Hayden didn't lol

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite books to use for a spring rabbit story time. 4/11/11

Used this again for story time and had a couple of children doing the dance. 5/2/12

Used at PJ Story Time, a young girl selected it, and it was a little long. This one also works better if I am sitting in the chair, so I can show the steps. I tried to do them with my fingers, but it didn't seem to keep her attention as well.

Was able to use this since I had the day care class come. Doing the dance steps I was able to keep them interested.

[Gail · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought my two year old would like this because it was about bunnies and dancing, but she didn't. In the story, rabbits escape from a fox by dancing while holding hands. The tempo gets faster, as in a Yiddish line dance or a debke. The fox starts looking very weird.

[Gail · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bunnies escape a fox that wants to eat them by dancing. Too complicated for my two year old.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story and the kids could join in with the dance rabbit does over and over again
Rabbit's dancing saves his friends from becoming Fox's supper.