Tessa's Tip-Tapping Toes

[library_mama]

Tessa’s Tip-Tapping Toes by Carolyn Crimi. Illustrated by Marsha Gray Carrington. Tessa is a mouse who can’t stop dancing – she’s even made herself tap shoes out of bottle caps. Her mother tells her to scurry and hide like a proper mouse, and Tessa tries, but she feels all wrong inside. Meanwhile, the owner of Tessa’s house has gotten a new housecat. Oscar loves to sing, but when the neighbors complain, Mrs. Timboni tells Oscar to be quiet and take naps like a proper cat. Oscar tries, but he feels all wrong inside. Then, one fateful night, there is a thunderstorm that results in happy tip-tapping, hip-hopping ending for everyone. The bright, angular illustrations – triangles for Tessa, rectangles for Oscar – bring together this celebration of dance and following one’s heart. Unfortunately out of print, but hopefully your library, like mine, will have a copy.