Deer Dancer

Deer Dancer is a playful and sweet addition to our dance book collections.

The book brings together an author and illustrator I love. Mary Lyn Ray also wrote the book Stars, which is a beautiful story to explore in dance classes with 3rd-5th graders. (My 7^th and 8^th graders even made a dance based on the story.) Lauren Stringer  also illustrated the unique and informative book When Stravinsky Met Nijinsky.

In Deer Dancer, a hesitant and awkward young dancer finds a quiet place outside to dance, explore, and build confidence. She meets up with a deer, and a playful dance dialogue ensues. The story actually captures many wonderful ideas around confidence, being a dance student, and finding a place in our lives to “try ideas on.”

For schools that use the social-emotional curriculum called the Toolbox Project, I think this book can be a nice addition to your program and conversations with students.

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