{"id":25408,"date":"2015-01-27T21:49:20","date_gmt":"2015-01-28T01:49:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=25408"},"modified":"2015-01-27T21:49:20","modified_gmt":"2015-01-28T01:49:20","slug":"review-of-rupert-can-dance-by-jules-feiffer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=25408","title":{"rendered":"Review of Rupert Can Dance, by Jules Feiffer"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"rupert_can_dance_large\"<\/a>Rupert Can Dance<\/em><\/p>\n

by Jules Feiffer<\/p>\n

Michael di Capua Books, Farrar Straus Giroux, 2014. 32 pages.
\nStarred Review<\/p>\n

Jules Feiffer, the genius behind Bark, George<\/a><\/em>, has another simple-but-powerful kid-pleaser here.<\/p>\n

Rupert is a cat. His owner, Mandy, dances all day long, and Rupert loves to watch her dance. Mandy only stops dancing when she goes to sleep \u2013 and that\u2019s when Rupert starts. <\/p>\n

You can not<\/em> believe how good he was.<\/p>\n

Not just a good dancer, but also a quiet dancer.<\/p>\n

Dancing was Rupert\u2019s secret!<\/p>\n

And the last thing he wanted was for Mandy to wake up and find out.<\/p>\n

Rupert loved having a secret from Mandy. Cats love secrets<\/p>\n

and Rupert took great pride that his secret was one of the best ever.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But then, one night, Mandy wakes up unexpectedly and learns Rupert\u2019s secret. And, to Rupert\u2019s horror, she wants to give him dancing lessons.<\/p>\n

Rupert was mortified. The fun in dancing was to do it his own way. In secret. And without having to take lessons.<\/p>\n

Dogs might qualify for lessons, but Rupert was a cat.<\/p>\n

Cats are not meant for lessons. Cats are free spirits.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Rupert stays under Mandy\u2019s bed for three days. Until finally Mandy hatches a plan for getting Rupert interested in life \u2013 and dancing \u2013 again.<\/p>\n

Part of the charm of this book is Jules Feiffer\u2019s loose, enthusiastic drawings. I like the exuberance of the dancing girl and dancing cat. I like the picture of Mandy thinking about Rupert \u2013 line drawings of Rupert are superimposed all over Mandy, perfectly symbolizing how he\u2019s intruding into her thoughts.<\/p>\n

I also like the way Rupert is such a quintessential cat. Cats indeed love secrets. I believe that. And a cat would indeed blanch at being offered lessons, like a dog.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a book that at least will not get children trying to teach their cats to dance. But it may get them wondering what secrets their own cats are hiding.<\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Picture_Books\/rupert_can_dance.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Source: This review is based on a library book from Fairfax County Public Library.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but I maintain my website and blogs on my own time. The views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

Tweet<\/a>