I Am a Bon Dancer

Description: At her first Obon Festival, a shy Japanese-American girl is too nervous to join the Bon dance, until her grandfather reminds her that the celebration honors generations of ancestors, and she imagines them dancing alongside her.

Review Quotes: This is a truly wonderful selection, blending a relatable story of overcoming initial failure with a meaningful exploration of ancestry and cultural heritage. The text provides valuable background on the Bon festival, its Buddhist origins, and its enduring tradition in Hawaii.This title is highly recommended for school libraries, offering rich opportunities for discussions on heritage, history, and community.
--School Library Journal

The bursts of sensory details and rhythmic descriptions immerse readers into a traditional Buddhist festival setting. . . . Matsushita-Beal's expressive angular panels, jagged yellow flashes, and gritty lanterns present the girl's insecurities as she shrinks into the crowd, and then a glowing, warm light suffuses the scenes when she confidently dances in sync, the unseen spirit of her Grandma Nat dancing by her side.
--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Uyemura's prose pulses with the rhythms of the Obon festival, alternating narrative text with shorter, staccato words and phrases for immersive effect. Matsushita-Beal's illustrations are loose and expressive, relying on soft lines and a warm palette to evoke the experience. . . . A lovely introduction to a cultural experience and the joy of finding one's own dance.
--Kirkus Reviews