Two Left Feet

by Adam Stower

Overview

Rufus loves to dance. And like the other monsters in the great big castle, he spends a lot of time dancing disco style. But he has two left feet! Every time he starts to dance, he ends up falling on his little blue face. So when a dance competition is announced, his more agile friends leave him alone and without a partner. But no squirmy creature or google-eyed monster can predict what will happen when he meets a girl with two right feet! Readers will want to dance right along with the wacky characters in this charming book about what can happen when you meet your perfect match.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780747571438
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Publication date:	08/28/2005
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 1.25(h) x 9.00(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Adam Stower has illustrated several books for children, but this is his debut as both author and illustrator. He lives in England.

Editorial Reviews

Stower (Funny Stories), in his first book as author and illustrator, introduces Rufus, a blue-skinned monster who loves to dance. It doesn't matter that he has two left feet and usually lands on his behind with a "Wallop!" at the monster disco, "his friends are always there to pick him up, dust him off, and tell him, `Well, you're certainly the best at the Wallop, so don't worry.' " But when a messenger from the Glittering Palace announces a ballroom dance competition, Rufus is left out in the cold. Stower conveys the hero's sense of abandonment with a darkened page on which Rufus sits alone in a spotlight, staring at his offending feet. As even younger readers can probably predict, a cute girl monster shows up and invites Rufus to sit on the sidelines with her; however, the two wind up tripping the light fantastic and they outshine everyone (she has two right feet). The rather obvious text may carry a flatfooted message, but Stower's watercolor-and-ink pictures possess a waltz-like grace. While's there's enough broad humor to satisfy contemporary kid sensibilities, the delicate ink lines and golden, shimmery colors at times give the artwork the appearance of classic hand-tinted etchings. And Rufus, with his spindly head appendages and gold-buttoned waistcoat, is a charmer. Ages 4-8. (Aug.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Do monsters like to dance? The monsters below the Glittering Palace do. Rufus likes to dance with his friends, but he has two left feet. Every time he tries to disco, he flops onto the floor in despair. When a message from the Glittering Palace arrives, everyone picks his or her partner for the upcoming dance contest. But no one picks Rufus. He is all alone until he sees Maddie crying. They decide to go to the dance and watch their friends compete. Rufus's friends have their own dance steps, too. Legs twists, Tweet flaps, and Sadie shimmers to the newest dance steps. But when their friends start dancing together, everyone gets tied in knots. Rufus and Mattie decide they could not be any worse, and they end up winning the contest. What Rufus did not know was that Maddie had two right feet! Alliteration compels youngsters to read with glee this lighthearted book. Big feet, long tails and fluffy hair adorn these cute monsters in Mr. Stower's illustrations. His caricatures of monsters are full of color and witty humor. 2004, Bloomsbury USA Children's Books, Ages 4 to 7.
—Debbie West

Children's Literature

Gr 1-2-Rufus, a little blue monster with "two left feet," just loves to dance, even though he always ends up on the floor. When a messenger from the Glittering Palace comes down to the cliff dungeon to invite all the monsters to a dance competition, he is left without a partner. After all, who wants to participate with someone who keeps falling? Then Rufus meets Maddie, who has two right feet. Together, they dance their way to the spotlight and are declared the winners. The subtle humor of Rufus's predicament leads to a predictable conclusion. Sunny yellows fill the pages as the fun-loving monsters in assorted colors and with various antennae, wings, and appendages literally have a ball. Children will enjoy this read-aloud.-Bethany L. W. Hankinson, Miller Elementary School, Newark, OH Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal