Doris

by Sarah Jacoby, Sarah Jacoby (Illustrator)

Overview

Doris dances to her own tune in this whimsical and emotionally resonant tale about finding the courage to be yourself.

Doris has always reveled in the warmth of a spotlight.

Her whole life, she’s danced the nights away,

With friends from the only home she’s ever known.

But one day, Doris twirls…

Out

Of

Step

…Until she stumbles across a whole new kind of spotlight.

This gorgeous tale by award winning picture book creator Sarah Jacoby, filled with breathtaking art, is a classic in the making, reminiscent of favorites such as Ferdinand and Peter Rabbit. It will surely melt your heart and might even make you want to dance in the moonlight!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250829382
Publisher:	Roaring Brook Press
Publication date:	08/15/2023
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	664,723
Product dimensions:	11.35(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.35(d)
Lexile:	AD520L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

Sarah Jacoby is the award-winning author and illustrator of such picture books as Can I Sit With You? and Forever Or a Day, about which the New York Times wrote, "Her soft illustrations, in lovely sunrise, sunset and moonlight colors, capture both wide-open spaces and the enduring bonds of family love.” Sarah often thinks about colors and light as she dances in her little row home in Philadelphia.

Editorial Reviews

06/05/2023

This limpid story of self-discovery begins in a circus tent, where a dappled gray horse named Doris performs without a mistake (“Clip-clop, clip-clop”) and finds only contentment: “It felt perfect.” Inside the tent, it’s golden and warm; outside, the light is icy blue. Upon noticing “a twinkling... out there,” Doris ventures out into the moonlit landscape, moving her body in new ways. After a minute of hesitation (“She heard home echo in the distance”), she begins to dance in earnest (“clippity-skip-clop-trot”), until she’s “dizzy with moonness. Whoa.” Working digitally and in watercolor and pastels, Jacoby (So Much Snow) shows Doris’s black mane flowing and swaying against fields of wintry blue as she finds a whole new, dancing self. But she’s alone: “Did I wander too far? Am I the only one out here?” Readers see the brown pony before Doris does, a small figure dancing every bit as exuberantly as Doris. They both twirl and stretch as they discover each other as partners (“Whoa,” both of them think) in this story about taking risks to enter a new world with curiosity and joy. Ages 3–6. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

A Bank Street Best Book of the Year

★ "Inspiration to step—or dance—out of one’s comfort zone." - Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"A limpid story of self-discovery...about taking risks to enter a new world with curiosity and joy." - Publishers Weekly

"Magical and moving." - Booklist

"An applause-worthy tale." - BCCB

"Joyous [and] vibrant." - School Library Journal

From the Publisher

11/01/2023

PreS-Gr 1—Doris begins as a cipher, jumping into a story with no real introduction. Readers don't know where Doris the horse is—though it may be the center ring of a circus—what she performs, what emotional stakes she actually faces. She quits that place for wilder, unbordered spaces, leaving the story open for exploration around general themes, such as bravery in the face of the unknown, being comfortable with oneself, opening up to new ways of life, and relying on one's inner resources instead of adulation from others. This vague uncertainty carries through somewhat impressionistic illustrations. They add to the freedom and interpretative nature of the text but will leave some readers feeling untethered. The shifting spots on Doris's skin and the hint of un-horselike smiles (a pony joins Doris) could be either distracting or beatific. But for readers who sink into the colorscape and go with the rhythm of the pictures, the joyous bursts of language and brush strokes give vibrant movement to the non-story. Sound words—twinkling, springing, wondering—lend an air of magic to the adventure. VERDICT Interesting art and a slightly elusive story will reward those who work for a foothold. The sparse and sparkly language will be compelling to older preschoolers, while there are enough discussion topics for elementary-aged children.—Cat McCarrey

School Library Journal

★ 2023-06-08
Doris, a dappled gray circus horse, has always loved performing in the ring, but she’s curious about life outside the big top.

The dancing horse goes out to discover new places and moves lithely through the night. “She couldn’t help wondering…wandering, springing, spinning out of step.” Is she happy in her new environment or scared or “dizzy with moonness”? As she continues her dance and doesn’t hear the usual applause at the end, she questions her situation. “Did I wander too far? Am I the only one out here?”And then, all of a sudden, there is a new friend in the moonlight, a small brown pony who loves Doris’ dancing and also enjoys prancing. Doris is no longer frightened and has a partner in exploration. As the sun comes up, Doris asks her new friend, “What else do you think is out there?” With its graceful multimedia illustrations, swirling images created with watercolors, pastels, and Photoshop, and short, lyrical text that sometimes dances on the page in agile arcs, this delightful book can be used as a read-aloud in schools or libraries or in more intimate family settings. Children will quickly recognize Doris’ ambivalent feelings as she escapes her comfortable circus life for new encounters in the woods, similar to their own growing-up experiences as they move outside into the larger world. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Inspiration to step—or dance—out of one’s comfort zone. (Picture book. 5-7)

Kirkus Reviews