Title: Prancing Dancing Lily

Author: Marsha Diane Arnold

"This witty picture book stars a dairy cow who will soon inherit the position of 'Bell Cow,' the leader of the herd. Unfortunately, Lily's inability to stop 'prancing and dancing' casts doubt on her leadership abilities. Discouraged, Lily sets off on a globe-trotting journey to find her true place in the world, an adventure that gives her the confidence to break with conformity and return home to lead in her own unique way. Arnold's amusing characters and clever text come to life through Manders's comical cartoon illustrations. Peppered with playful humor, his pencil-sketch and paint technique gives the images a distinctive look. The book is well designed from the clean pages to the endpapers, which provide a map plotting Lily's travels. This great read-aloud provides a subtle message and a guaranteed good time."

     School Library Journal

"As in Robert Kinerk and Steven Kellogg's Clorinda, a spirited heifer who dreams of being a hoofer takes center stage in this light-on-its-hooves tale about following one's muse. Milking time at Farmer Gibson's place finds the cows falling into an orderly line to enter the barn. All except Lily, who would rather prance around the pasture. Sensing that she doesn't fit in with the herd, Lily hits the road to 'find a place for me/And a dance that fits me perfectly.' Her search for just the right beat leads her around the globe. From each interesting but ultimately unfulfilling locale, she pens rhyming notes to her Mamoo Rose and the gang (from Radio City Music Hall: 'I kicked my hooves with so much flair/The lights and trees fell everywhere') Finally, a visit to the Caribbean has Lily dancing to the beat of her own drum — literally. She returns home having mastered the conga, and changes Farmer Gibson's milking line forever. Arnold's bovine fantasy, with its silly tone and quick-step pacing, will keep kids' attention. Along the way, a sprinkling of dance terms and geography tidbits add depth, as do the endpapers, which map Lily's route. Mander's watercolor-and-pencil compositions possess an appropriately free-line, madcap edge. Kids will especially enjoy scenes of Lily feverishly stamping a 'feisty flamenco in Spain' and belly-dancing in Turkey."

     Publisher's Weekly

"In Marsha Diane Arnold's Prancing, Dancing Lily, a toe-tapping cow watches the other cows in her herd walk from barn to pasture at a dignified pace and decides to leave the slow-moving farm to explore the world. Visiting locales from New York City to Senegal, Lily learns new steps, but the hoofer decides to head home after concluding that none of the dances is quite right for a cow."

     Publishers Weekly Special Spring Children's Edition

The Good, The Great, and The Awful' books
"My nomination for 'great' is the rather wacky, heartwarming story of Prancing, Dancing Lily, by Marsha Diane Arnold, with pictures by John Manders.

"This author imbues Lily with such a winning personality that I predict adults will enjoy it as much as the children. Lily is a dairy cow in a Wisconsin herd who has some career issues. Her mother and grandmother led orderly lines of cows to the barn at milking time. Lily feels she was born to dance instead. She leaves to find her place in the world. Her first barn dance is a disaster, as is her audition for the Radio City Rockettes.Round the work she goes, sending her mother, Mamoo Rose, postcards with rhymes.

"Unlike most children's books where the protagonist finds that there's no place like home and/or their destiny, Lily finally comes home and gets the entire herd of cows to dance and prance as she does. A triumph for oppositional-disordered people everywhere! Viva, Lily!"

     Red Rock News
     Sedona, Arizona

"A far-reaching tale is found in Prancing, Dancing Lily by Sebastopol writer Marsha Diane Arnold and illustrated by John Manders.

"Lily is so fond of dancing and marching to her own drum, she doesn't fall into line behind the other cows when the farmer calls them in. 'Stop zigzagging through the line, Lily!' says Violet, one of the cows. 'You're making us dizzy!... She'll never be able to lead the line... She can't even stay in line.'

"As she pores over Dance World magazine, Lily thinks, 'Somewhere in the world there must be a place for a dancing Bell Cow.' And she sets off to find it — with square dancers and the Rockettes in the United States, then around the world dancing the flamenco in Spain, on stilts in Senegal, at the ballet in Russia and belly dancing in Turkey. She finally has her epiphany in a conga line in the Caribbean. She scoots home to lead the cows in a line not with a bell but a drum. It's a wildly imaginative story that celebrates the iconoclast who's just looking for her niche. And the art is a crack up."

     San Francisco Chronicle

"Lily is destined to become the "Bell Cow", the leader of her dairy herd. But, some cows question her ability to lead — she can't even walk a straight line!

"Sebastopol author Marsha Diane Arnold tells a story sure to appeal to anyone who ever felt out of place. Prancing and dancing, Lily sets off on a global quest, seeking a place for a dancing Bell Cow. She tries square dancing, ballet, and tap dancing. But alas, none of them are quite right for cows. Being a techno-savvy cow, Lily faxes and emails notes home. At last, she finds the conga line — perfect for her herd.

"Cartoon-like art perfectly enhances this sweetly uplifting story."

     California Kids

"Planning a summer road trip with a kid or two between the ages of 4 and 8? Then pack Marsha Diane Arnold's latest book — Prancing, Dancing Lily.

"This charming story from the award-winning Sebastopol children's author recounts the adventures of a spirited Wisconsin cow who would rather dance than graze all day.

"So Lily takes to the road, traveling to New York City, Senegal, and Turkey. How does she keep in touch with bovine friends? Phone, fax and email, of course."

     The Press Democrat

"Prancing, Dancing Lily follows a cow with tapping hoofs and wanderlust. She takes off to find her perfect spot in the world and samples square dancing, a Rockettes show in New York City, a dance aboard a cruise ship, flamenco in Spain and more. Each experience is a disaster with Lily upsetting the dances in progress. Then she discovers a conga line in the Caribbean. The lively story is by Marsha Diane Arnold and the animated pictures are by John Manders."

     Columbus Dispatch

"Lily wants to feel like one of the herd. She loves to dance and twirl around the pasture. But how can she be Bell Cow and lead the line, when she can't dance in a straight line? Lily travels the world searching for the perfect dance. She sashays to country, twirls to ballet in Russia, and flops and hops on Broadway. When she finally finds the perfect dance, she heads for home to become Bell Cow.

"Award-winning author, Marsha Diane Arnold, has written a delightful children's picture book. PRANCING DANCING LILY, with charming characters and lively text, makes for a great read-aloud story. Arnold's book would work wonderfully in elementary grade classrooms. The brightly-colored illustrations, by John Manders, add oomph and wonder to every page. Young readers are sure to love PRANCING DANCING LILY by Marsha Diane Arnold.

"This reviewer and her three children, ages 12, 7, and 6, highly recommends Arnold's enjoyable children's book."

     Jennifer LB Leese
     Webpage: http://www.geocities.com/ladyjiraff