Dancing Words Blog

Category: PreK-5 Dance Books

  • Magic and Whimsy Series: My Mama Earth

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    I stumbled upon this book at Books Inc. in Berkeley this week. I am adding it to my ongoing "Magic and Whimsy" list, of those special books that evoke feelings of hope, wonder, curiosity, and a sense of our place in the world. Frequently, the text in these books can lead to inspiration for culminating projects with students in grades K-5.

    My Mama Earth is by Susan B. Katz with illustrations by Melissa Launay. Reminiscent of Cooper Evans's Caretakers of Wonder, My Mama Earth includes image- and action-rich text such as:

    • "My mama paints the ocean creatures. Adorning them with brilliant features."
    • "My mama sets the birds in flight. She give thems nests to sleep at night."
    • "My mama plants the tiny seeds. She grows the flowers, pulls the weeds."

    Use this book as a springboard for a group project exploring our world and all that Mother Nature has set into motion. This is a great book for a culminating project for December or May/June events.

     

  • Remarkable Animals

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    Today I would like to highlight one of those fun "flip books" where the pages are divided into thirds. Depending on which third you flip, you can create fantastical animals with each variation of the head, torso, or tail.

    Remarkable Animals by Tony Meeuwissen can be a whimsical warm up activity with students in 2nd-5th grades. Use the book as a springboard for group improvs in trios. With each page turn of the book, the group's shape changes. 

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  • A Butterfly is Patient

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    If you are unfamiliar with the various books by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long, I encourage you to check them out at your local library! Today I want to highlight A Butterfly is Patient.

    This book is filled with Long's gorgeous artwork about butterflies. The text includes both large print sentences on each spread and then several sentences of more detailed text. Use the large print to inspire your dance:

    A butterfly is patient.

    A butterfly is creative.

    A butterfly is helpful.

    A butterfly is protective.

    This book will be a great springboard for students in preschool-2nd grade. 

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  • Dancing Towards Mother’s Day

    *This is a reposting of a blog post from 2011. 

    As we head towards Sunday, May 12th, there are two great books to share about a child and mother dancing:

    My Mama Had a Dancing Heart by Libba Moore Gray

    Jonathan and His Mommy by Irene Smalls-Hector

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    My Mama Had a Dancing Heart is a sweet tale through the seasons of a girl dancing with her mother. The book is ideal to read in a preschool, kindergarten, or first grade classroom.

    Jonathan and His Mommy is a picture book with a young boy dancing with his mother. They explore different ways of moving around town – big steps, zig zag walks, and more. After reading this book, you can easily translate this story into a dance. It is ideal for preschool and kindergarten age students.

       

  • The Secret Lives of Princesses

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    I just checked out this book again from the library, The Secret Lives of Princesses by Philippe Lechermeier, with gorgeous illustrations by Rebecca Dautremer. 

    This is not your stereotypical "princess book." The book plays on words and "profiles" a handful of princesses through text and art – Princess Hot-Head, Princess Flip and Flop, and Princesses Ices. 

    In an all girls' dance class of students in grades 3-5, you can create some whimsical, magical, and funny solo vignettes. This book will surely inspire students ready to tackle a solo project. Use the illustrations as inspiration for costuming choices as well. 

     

  • Think Big

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    Today's post is about a book with a simple but important mesage for young ones – thinking about and making art. The book explores multiple art forms, not just dance. The text is simple and in phrases…."Brainstorm…Blank Page….Scene set…Onstage…."

    Think Big by Liz Garton Scanlon and Vanessa Brantley Newton is a great addition to preschool and kindergarten bookshelves. It pairs nice with the book To Be an Artist for students in first grade and up. 

    Let's make the language of artmaking an integral part of preK and kindergarten classrooms!

     

  • Sora and the Cloud

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    I was happy to stumble upon this book as well today at the library! Sora and the Cloud by Felicia Hoshino is a beautiful book in English and Japanese. 

    Sora is a little boy who dreams of being up in the clouds. The book is playful and imaginative in text and watercolor artwork. The story will easily lend itself to movement exploration of clouds, high and low levels, delicate movement, and more. 

    Sora and the Cloud will be a fun exploration with students in preschool and kindergarten. 

  • Exclamation Mark!

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    The librarian at my school shared this playful new book with me this week, Exclamation Mark by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld. She knows the kinds of books I like, that "lend themselves to movement."

    The characters in the story are punctuation – periods, exclamation marks, and question marks.

    It will be fun to embody and explore how each punctuation is different in quality, purpose, and size. Try this book out in 3rd-5th grade classes. Play with being the narrator for your class, or recording the text. For students ready to explore qualities of movement and size of movement, check out Exclamation Mark. 


  • To & Fro, Fast & Slow

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    I just pulled this book off the shelf again today. I am a fan of artist/author Durga Bernhard. Her 2001 book To & Fro Fast & Slow can be a great springboard for a wide variety of dance explorations with students in preschool-third grade.

    A dance teacher might simply read the book and riff off of the text and pairings of words, such as: south and north, back and forth, over and under.

    The story is actually a unique one, capturing a child who lives two lives – split between time with her father and time with her mother. That component of the story will resonate with many students. How do we explore different ideas, activities, and environments in our lives? 

    I love using the word pairings in "opposites books" as springboards for movement, whether it is for improvisational activities, partner activities, or creating a dance with contrasting ideas.

    The book can easily be purchased used on amazon.com. Check it out!

     

  • Ballerina Dreams

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    I was just referencing the book Ballerina Dreams with a colleague the other day, in a discussion about dance classes in the Bay Area for students with special needs. Ballerina Dreams (by Lauren Thompson, with photographs by James Estrin) is a beautiful, inspiring tale of a group of 5 young students with cerebral palsy or Erb's palsy, determined to also dream of ballet classes and a final performance.

    The book chronicles in photos and text the story of the girls learning dances, donning costumes and make up, and living the dream of being a dancer on stage. It shows the girls, their determined teacher, and their amazing class helpers – all who worked together to make the culminating performance possible.

    Ballerina Dreams is powerful for various reasons. First and foremost, it is a great addition to any dance collection, showing that dance is possible by all students who have a love and curiosity of movement. This book will absolutely inspire students and parents with disabilities. The book is ideal for students ages 4-8. 

    Second, the book is an inspiring example for dance teachers all around the world. There is still so much potential to offer more classes and opportunities for dancers with varying abilities. 

    Reading Ballerina Dreams will inspire students, parents, and dancers alike. We all can dance when given the opportunity.