Breaking to the Beat!

by Linda J. Acevedo, Frank Morrison (Illustrator)

A boogie-down picture book about a shy boy named Manolo who overcomes his fears and insecurities to become part of a new innovative dance style called breaking. Step back, step back! Kid Flex 'bout to bust a move. In the 1970s, many said the Bronx was just a pile of rubble, but for a shy kid like Manolo, it was alive with rhythm and music. He grew up with salsa dance parties at home and DJs battling on turntables on the street. Inspired by these new beats and the moves of James Brown, neighborhood boys and girls started dancing with a mix of twists, slides, and shuffles. The rhythm of the Toprock. Drop of the Six-step. Wiggle of the Worm. A new dance style called breaking was on the rise, and Manolo wanted to be a part of it. Debut author Linda J. Acevedo was inspired to write this story from the many b-boys and b-girls whose love of dance propelled them to create an innovative and groundbreaking new form of dance. Coupled with award-winning illustrator Frank Morrison's sinuous and pulsating art, Breaking to the Beat! is an energizing ode to the Boogie Down Bronx and to Hip Hop--a movement that would forever change the course of music, art, and culture.

Genres: Picture Books, Music, Historical Fiction, Historical, New York, Childrens, Hip Hop

32 pages, Hardcover

Published May 30, 2023

Reviews

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

With it being the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, this might be one to share with patrons, friends, or family! 3.5 Stars

Breaking to the Beat! is a fictional account of the rise of hip-hop and b-girls/b-boys in the Bronx during the 80s. Readers follow young Manolo as he learns to break dance and gains world wide acclaim. Interwoven into the framework of the story are tidbits of historical references to the Boriquen community as well as the Bronx. The artwork by Frank Morrison was phenomenal and enchanting. Honestly, part of me was more invested in the art then the story itself. Unfortunately, I have to agree with a few reviewers who have noted that this probably would have better served as an informational picture book. While I think it's nice to have stories that are inspired by historical events, I think that actually crafting a picture book that captured the actual rise to hip-hop as well as the legacy of b-boys and b-girls would have worked much better. The story wasn't as cohesive as I anticipated and lacked the depth that I was looking for. Overall, it was a solid read and would work perfectly if you're planning to create any hip-hop displays in honor of the anniversary.

[Shoshanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this as a way of teaching young children about the early days of hip hop culture in the Bronx, with a focus on break dancing!

[DaNae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once again Frank Morrison kills it with his illustrations. This rolls out a little like a documentary on Hip-hop. I just can’t help but wish it had stuck to non-fiction. I feel it would have been a better package.

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing introduction to break dancing.

In this fictionalized composite story, young boy named Manolo, raised in the Bronx, is inspired by the music around him to try break dancing. When he finally gets the courage to try it, he is less than successful. But with determination and persistence, he perfects many moves and becomes good enough to form a dance crew with his friends and perform in many places. Backmatter includes an afterword by the author about how she approached this topic and a bit more history about breaking. Also included are two pages about breaking terms/moves.

Acevedo's text has hits and misses. She does a great job of describing breaking - the moves and how it feels to dance. The refrain she uses "Rock, rock, y'all, and ya don't quit!" feels a bit clunky and dropped onto the page. Rather than telling this story as a composite, I really wish she had focused on a real person because this feels like a general "everyman" story rather than a laser-focused tale of success by one person.

It is Frank Morrison's acrylic artwork that steals the show here and becomes the focus of the reader's attention. They are gritty and dark, with plenty of movement and action, building up tension with the turn of the page (What will he show us next?). I particularly like the 2-page spread with Manolo's silhoutte between the reader and the graffiti-tagged subway train as it zips by. Morrison is the master of stylized portraits - their elongated bodies move gracefully across each and every page.

Pair this with Boogie Boogie, Y'all by C.J. Esperanza (HarperCollins, c2011) for a fun trip to the Bronx!

Recommended for PreSchool-grade 3.

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although some of the text is catchy and the acrylic artwork particularly effective in distilling the essence of hip-hop and break dancing, overall, this picture book disappointed me. Using the character of Manolo as a composite of various dancers struck me as unnecessary and distracting since he's featured during part of the book but not in other parts. There is little follow-up to the mention of the crumbling and desertion of the Bronx where this movement presumably rose from the ashes, something I'd expect to find since readers will surely want to know how hip-hop and break dancing affected the neighborhood. Perhaps the author is trying to enlist some of the breaking moves described in the back matter in the narrative, and that writing style went right over my head, but overall, I felt as though I was being slung from point to point or in a windmill or continuous head spin. Regardless of my own qualms, this picture book will probably attract some readers who might never pick up a book otherwise. It just doesn't do justice to its subject matter.

[Bailey Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly was not sure what to expect from this book when I picked it up, but it definitely exceeded my expectations! This book includes fabulous illustrations and history in addition to the fun hip-hop/break dance storyline. The book follows a young boy in the Bronx during a time of instability, chaos, and economic ruin. Despite living a town that seems forgotten, a new art form emerges. Young people are creativily expressing themselves through break dance. I love that this was included in the book. The main character grows throughout the book. First we see him witnessing the growth of the art form, his doubt in himself as he practices, his growth as he finds friends to create a break dancing group, and his determination to make a career out of the rising art form! This book is wonderful!

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know I LOVE Frank Morrison's illustrations.

This is good, but it could've been better.

1. It could have been presented as non-fiction—without an amalgamated main character.
2. It could have followed a more narrative fiction plot and used the back material to support the historical elements and vocabulary.

Instead, it's trying to both, somewhere in between, which makes it feel slightly disingenuous.

Happy to have this addition to the books introducing and recapping the rise of hip-hop culture, just wish the editor had moved the needle one way or the other in regard to the structure of the text.

[Sam W · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is very well done picture book that even though it is a work of fiction a large amount of research went into before writing it. The story follows Manolo a boy from the Bronx as first hip hop is born then b-boy dancing followed. Once Manolo is bitten by the beat bug and finds his dancing rhythm he is a goner, spending the rest of his life dancing and teaching others his life's joy.

It should not go unnoticed that the book is illustrated by the fabulous Frank Morrison, every illustration helps bring the story to life for the reader.

[Connie T. · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's the 1970s and out of the rubble of the Bronx, young kids are moving to snappy beats, giving rise to the hip hop and break dance movement. The story is told through the eyes of a fictitious breaker and tracks his rise to fame.

The artwork is dark, fluid and edgy. A number of breaking movements are explained after the story and an afterward adds further details and mentions that breaking will make its Olympic debut in Paris 2024.

[Tracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rhythmic, spirited story that traces the origins of breakdancing to latine communities in 1970s Bronx.

While this picture book is marketed to young readers (grades K-3), I feel like it will also appeal to slightly older kids (grades 4-5). This is a great choice for classroom read-alouds in upper elementary schools, and would make a cool jumping-off point for research projects.

[Margaret Boling · Rating 2 out of 5]

1/6/2025 ~ I felt like this book lost its way...The text felt like a historical account of break dancing and hip-hop, but the backmatter revealed that the group and main character were fictional. I felt no heart from the characters or the group. Frank Morrison's illustrations were fabulous, but didn't bring the book to the level of causing me to order it.

[Ender · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice intro to hip-hop and break dancing. As her first picture book, Acevedo does a commendable job of mixing context, plot, and significant action. The story beckons you to hop on Google and YouTube. In that regard, it’s a great book for kids because the opportunities to explore after are all there.

Ages 5-11

[Panda Incognito · Rating 3 out of 5]

This picture book teaches childrens about the roots of breakdancing, with lots of cultural slang and dance terms incorporated into the text. The illustrations are dramatic and appealing on some pages, but at other times, they seem blurry and lack a clear focal point.

[Cara Byrne · Rating 3 out of 5]

An engaging story of Manolo, a Puerto Rican boy growing up in the Bronx in the 1970s. Inspired by the true story of the Borinquen Breakers, a dance crew that informed a lot of the dance moves we see today, this was a fun book for young dancers.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full of music and movement, this is a good introduction to hip hop without being an informational book. For the 50th anniversary of hip-hop and the introduction of breakdance to the 2024 Paris Olympics, this is a timely picture book.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This unique picture book pulses with the rhythm and kinetic energy of hip-hop and breakdancing themselves!

[Viviane Elbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting look at the origins of break dancing, which arose out of poverty in the Bronx. It was also interesting to learn that break dancing has earned a spot in the upcoming 2024 Olympics.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good overall, but I was thrown by the illustration of Henry Chalfant...as an old man, not as he would have appeared in the 70s. Otherwise, fairly solid.

[Susan Companion · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations in this book are fantastic and it’s a great read for children interested in break dancing and how it came to be.

[Zan Porter · Rating 4 out of 5]

n the 1970s Bronx, Manolo, a shy Puerto Rican boy, overcomes his fears and insecurities to become part of a new innovative dance style called breaking.

[Hannah]

This text needed a lot of work, but I am here af for the art.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned from reading this book that breakdancing will be an Olympic sport starting in 2024. I will be tuning into to watch that!

[Y.Poston]

an insightful recounting of the
history of hip-hop

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A n elementary level picture book history of break dancing in New York from its start to its rise including becoming an Olympic sport.

[Kelsey Doll · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of info-dumpy. More of a history of hip hop than a story. Well researched and informative.

[Lisa Houston · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as fan. Illustrations were ok. This book is for a select group of students

[Jacqui · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 This picture book explains the history of break dancing through the eyes of a shy boy named Manolo. The history is illustrated through the gritty and bold artwork of Frank Morrison. It was extremely helpful to have the brief glossary at the end of the book.