Illustrated by E.B. Lewis
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On March 12, 1926, the doors of the Savoy Ballroom swung open in Harlem. It was a night to remember, when blacks and whites, rich and poor, all came together to dance! This inspiring story of the world-famous dancing palace and home of the Lindy Hoppers is told from a father to his son, Happy Feet. It’s Happy Feet’s favorite story–after all, he was born on the very night the Savoy opened. And he hopes that one day he’ll make his own dancing debut at the legendary ballroom… because with a lot of hard work and a little Savoy magic, anything is possible.
Limited Edition Archival Pigment Prints
from Happy Feet by E.B. Lewis
- Frankie Manning, EB Lewis & the Publication Reception on 12/3/05
- National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People 2006
- 2006 Paterson Prize for Books for Young People Finalist
- From Cold Feet to Happy Feet, an essay in Publisher’s Weekly.
The story captures the mood and language of Harlem in the ’20s and ’30s. This charming, brief tale makes a dramatic read-aloud introduction to swing and the Savoy.
—School Library Journal
For more than three decades, ‘all of Harlem togged out in their finest threads’ to swing at the Savoy. Richard Michelson captures the Savoy’s opening night, on March 12, 1926, through stories told by a father to his son. Young readers …will delight in playful slang like ‘hep cats’ and ‘jelly on the cuff’ (meaning ‘no charge’).
—New York Times Book Review (Sunday Feb 13, 2006)
If you want your kids to care about dance, let them read this book.Michelson’s story of a father and son who love swing, captures the language and excitement of Harlem during the glory days of the Savoy Ballroom.
—Frankie Musclehead Manning (“The King of Swing”)