“Bottle Cap Boys Dancing on Royal Street”, written by Rita Williams-Garcia and illustrated by Damian Ward, is an ode to New Orleans from cover to cover. Before the story even begins, two pages of front matter ground readers in the city’s history and culture, complete with vocabulary specific to New Orleans — setting the stage for everything that follows.

At the heart of the story are brothers Randy and Rudy, who grind bottle caps into the soles of their sneakers and take to the streets of the French Quarter. What starts as a competition between the two becomes something more: a sharing and passing down of skill, talent, and tradition. Williams-Garcia’s rhyming text pulses with the same energy as the boys’ feet, and the onomatopoeia gives readers an almost physical sense of the dance. Ward’s illustrations practically glow off the page, capturing the spirit and vibrancy of the city and its people.

Fun, spirited, and deeply rooted in place, this book works beautifully as a read-aloud. Kindergarten through third grade teachers will find rich entry points here for discussion around culture, community, and the art of dance.