Ursula Dubosarsky (text) and Andrew Joyner (illustrator), Mary and Marcus, The Crazy Dance and Other Stories, ABC Books, March 2022, 240 pp., RRP $16.99 (pbk), ISBN 9780733339844
A ‘very happy panda’ named Mary, who loves to sing, dance and play the ukulele, and Marcus the non-singing, non-dancing and non-ukulele-playing snake seem an unusual pair, but in fact they are the best of friends. The two are featured in five fun stories in this beginner chapter book.
The spirited characters of Mary and Marcus come alive with Dubosarsky’s expressive narration and masterful control of pace. The plot lines of each story are simple, creative and highly amusing and are sure to bring enjoyment to young readers. My personal favourite was ‘The Swap’, an entertaining story about role reversal. The minimal text on each page also helps to make the book much more approachable for readers transitioning to chapter books.
The theme of friendship is common throughout the stories. The acceptance of differences, individual strengths and weaknesses, and supporting and complementing each other are some of the ideas that arise and could be explored further with your children or students. I liked that the storylines weren’t overly explained thus encouraging readers to use the pictures and personal understanding to come to their own conclusions.
Joyner’s fun cartoon illustrations and the use of descriptive font throughout make this a visually pleasing read as well. The character’s facial expressions and their dynamic movement across the pages greatly contribute towards the storytelling and overall enjoyment of the book.
I would highly recommend this book for middle-primary-aged children in terms of an appropriate level of text, but to be honest it could be enjoyed by any age looking for a light, amusing and cosy read.
Reviewed by Julie Bertola
