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76. Art Imitating Life in "Balancing Act"
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By: Kerry Aradhya, on 12/10/2012
Blog: Picture Books & Pirouettes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Balancing Act, Creative Movement, Maria's Movers, Picture Books for Dance Class, Ellen Stoll Walsh, Add a tag

Read It. Move It. Share It. 
Every month, I recommend a picture book for dance educator Maria Hanley to use in her creative movement classes in New York, and then we both share our experiences with the book. In November, I recommended Balancing Act by Ellen Stoll Walsh. After you read my post about the book, don't forget to stop by Maria's blog, Maria's Movers, to find out her movement ideas!


Has it really been almost a month since I last posted? Wow! This is not the first time I have gone several weeks without blogging, but every time it happens I am amazed how quickly the time has gone by. And every time it happens, it is usually for the same reason.

Yes, I admit that time gets away with me sometimes, and then I have trouble balancing work, family, writing, dancing, blogging... Life really is a balancing act, and a very delicate one I must add. Spend just a little too much time or energy on one aspect of life, and you might have to make some changes to get back on track. Well, the book I picked for our November collaboration -- Balancing Act by Ellen Stoll Walsh -- is all about balancing, too...but on a teeter-totter!

The mice made a teeter-totter.
It was fun to balance...
one mouse on each end. 
Ta-da!
But then a salamander wanted a turn. 
Hmmm...

From this excerpt, you may be getting an idea of where this book is headed. Well, the salamander jumps onto one end of the teeter-totter, and that end of the teeter-totter drops to the ground. Oh, but then another salamander hops onto the other end of the teeter-totter, and everything is perfectly balanced again. But wait! Now a frog wants a turn! This continues on for a while until it starts getting a little bit harder to balance the teeter-totter, like when a big heavy bird wants to join in!

I thought this book could be fun for teaching balance, or for giving little ones a chance to practice coming up with creative solutions to a problem. It will be fun to see what Maria decided to do with the book in her classes. You can find out here.

The illustrations for the book are just as delightful as the simple story line. Created with paper cut-outs, the teeter-totter and the animal characters stand out against a white background on every page. And the characters are colorful, yet slightly muted. A perfect "balance" of the two...

I couldn't find a website for Ellen Stoll Walsh, but I found this really neat Pinterest page with links to more of her picture books and some fun artistic and educational ideas to go with them. Enjoy!

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77. Join the November Read & Romp Roundup!
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By: Kerry Aradhya, on 11/13/2012
Blog: Picture Books & Pirouettes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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It's November -- the perfect month for celebrating picture books! One of my favorite literary activities this month is Picture Book Idea Month, also known as PiBoIdMo. It's a challenge to come up with 30 picture book ideas in 30 days. Although it's too late to officially register for the event (which makes you eligible for prizes), it's NOT too late to join in the fun! You can follow along on author Tara Lazar's blog Writing for Kids (While Raising Them), where guest bloggers are sharing their experiences creating picture books every day this month.

If you're looking for more inspiration, it's also Picture Book Month. Author and storyteller Dianne de Las Casas founded this annual international celebration of picture books with a few other children's authors and illustrators last year. Each day this month, a different author, illustrator, or publishing professional is writing a short post on the Picture Book Month blog about why picture books are important.

Because it's November, it's also time for the official call for submissions to the November Read & Romp Roundup right here on my blog. If you have a recent (or even not so recent) blog post that involves picture books or children's poetry AND dance, yoga, or another form of movement, leave your link in a comment on this post. I'll round up all the links and post about them together in a few weeks. Happy November!

Submissions are open until Thursday, November 29, 2012. 

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78. Have You Met Prima the Ballerina?
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By: Kerry Aradhya, on 11/9/2012
Blog: Picture Books & Pirouettes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Nikki White and her husband Ethan White both danced professionally for ballet companies in the San Francisco Bay Area for more than 10 years before embarking on a new and exciting direction in their dance careers. They're on a mission to bring contemporary ballet to wider audiences and in doing so were named one of three finalists on Paula Abdul's CBS television show Live to Dance in 2011. Interestingly, their new career direction also includes the launch of a new picture book character -- Prima the Ballerina!


If you've checked out the video above, you've gotten a little taste of who Nikki and Ethan are and what their impressive dancing and choreography are like. But just who is Prima the Ballerina? Well, I've read about Prima online and have also been in touch with Nikki to find out.

"Prima is an expressive young girl, with a wonderful imagination, a curious nature, and a big heart," says Nikki, who will be writing all the books in the Prima series. "She finds the dance in every movement, the games in everyday activities, and the joy that comes from self expression."


These days, Nikki spends a lot of time teaching, and Prima was developed partly in response to parents and fellow teachers wanting to know how she engages her students. So in some ways, the books will be an extension of Nikki, using many of the same techniques that Nikki uses to teach dance to young children.

The series will follow Prima as she learns about many different kinds of dance. But, given Nikki's background, all of the books will show how the foundation of ballet connects to these other forms of movement. Hip-hop, classical Indian dance, modern dance, tap, and ballroom dance are all on the list of possible themes for future books. 

The first book in the series -- Prima the Ballerina: In Her Backyard -- focuses on how ballet can inform creative movement. In the book, Prima meets backyard animals who each teach her a different way to move. She meets butterflies, an owl, and snakes. Ants teach her how to balance, and a bunny teaches her how to jump high, with her toes pointed, and land softly on the ground. By the end of the book, Prima realizes that she can make a whole dance out of everything she has learned from her animal friends!


If you look closely at Prima, you may be wondering how she was illustrated. Well, Nikki's husband Ethan is not only a remarkable dancer but also a talented visual artist. "Prima is made out of clay with fully articulating joints that allow her to have the same range of motion as a real dancer," says Nikki. She and Ethan took photos of Prima in proper ballet positions and blended them together with other handmade, drawn, and computer-generated characters and backgrounds to create the images in the book. Pretty neat, right?

Another thing I've learned from talking to Nikki is that more than just a series, Prima the Ballerina is a brand that was created to reach children and their caregivers with dance tools they might not otherwise have available to them. Prima is available not only as a hardcover picture book but also as an interactive flipbook. An accompanying musical CD is also available for purchase, especially if you are looking for music to go along with the games Prima plays with the animals in the book.

"We've witnessed and personally experienced the decline in arts and education funding, and we feel that it is up to us as a society to create a culture that values and celebrates the arts," Nikki says. "The launching of this brand is our attempt to make dance education affordable and available to all."


I have to give Nikki and Ethan a lot of credit for launching these products on their own. They have been busy marketing online, visiting bookstores, going on school visits, and much more. And they have a lot of dedication and enthusiasm!

If you are searching for a traditionally published book about dance to entertain young children, this may not be what you're looking for. But if you are searching for a tool to engage young children in dance and begin teaching them some of the important concepts that all good dancers must master, then Prima could be for you. I wish Nikki and Ethan lots of success in growing their brand!

Learn more about Nikki's and Ethan's artistic background and adventures at whitetreefineart.com. Read more about Prima and preview her products at primatheballerina.com.

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79. If You're a Monster and You Know It...
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By: Kerry Aradhya, on 10/31/2012
Blog: Picture Books & Pirouettes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Read It. Move It. Share It. 
Maria from Maria's Movers lives in New York City, so I'm very glad she is safe and has power after the storm -- two things that made it possible for her to still participate in our monthly post. Each month I recommend a book for Maria to use in her creative movement classes, and then we both share out experiences with the book. This month we explore If You're a Monster and You Know It by Rebecca Emberley and Caldecott Medalist Ed Emberley. It's a fun book for Halloween!


Written and designed by Rebecca Emberley and illustrated by Ed Emberley, If You're a Monster and You Know It is one of many picture books created by this prolific father-daughter duo. Like many of the books they have collaborated on, this one is full of energy and bright colors. It's also full of monsters (the not-so-scary kind) who love to move and groove...

If you're a monster and you know it, wiggle your warts 
If you're a monster and you know it, wiggle your warts 
If you're a monster and you know it, 
and you really want to show it, 
If you're a monster and you know it -- wiggle your warts
WIGGLE WIGGLE

Do you recognize that tune? If You're Happy and You Know It is a favorite song of many young children, so I'm sure lots of children will have a great time singing the song in this book, too. In fact, the book comes with a free download of the song sung by Adrian Emberley -- the daughter of Rebecca Emberley and the granddaughter of Ed Emberley! 

In addition to wiggling their warts, the monsters in this book stomp their paws and twitch their tails. They also like to make a lot of noise, so you can find them smacking their claws, snorting and growling, and roaring. The end of the book even has a pull-out spread showing the animals doing all the movements and making all the sounds at the same time...

If you're a monster and you know it, do it all!
SNORT GROWL     
SMACK SMACK
STOMP STOMP     
TWITCH TWITCH
WIGGLE WIGGLE     
ROAR ROAR

In classic Ed Emberley style, the illustrations are extremely colorful and a little abstract. The monsters on the cover are a good representation of what you will find inside, with the boldly colored monsters popping out against a black background on every page. 

Each stanza of the song is actually given four full pages (two two-page spreads), with the second two-page spread devoted solely to the movement or sound emphasized on the previous spread. If you look closely, you'll see that the illustrations on the second two-page spread are really close-ups of some of the body parts of the monsters on the previous pages. I think it will make flipping through the book fun for little ones, especially those who can't yet read and will really notice all the little details.

I picked this book for Maria to try with her classes for a few reasons. First of all, it's October, and monsters seems to fit in really well! I also thought the illustrations and song would be very popular with her young students and provide lots of ideas for movement. The fact that the book comes with downloadable music is an extra bonus that would make using it in class even easier! 

Let's see what Maria thinks about this book here. And, if you're in the mood for some other monster books with creative input from the Emberley clan, you can check out these...


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80. Read & Romp Roundup -- October 2012
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By: Kerry Aradhya, on 10/29/2012
Blog: Picture Books & Pirouettes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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The rain is picking up, the wind is starting to howl, and I'm bound and determined to get this month's Read & Romp Roundup posted before the power goes out! I hope everyone along the East Coast stays safe and warm over the next couple of days. And wherever you are, if and when you have access to the Internet, I hope you'll enjoy the roundup...

When a reader wrote to Maria from Maria's Movers to see if she had any movement ideas to go along with the picture book Pumpkin Circle: The Story of a Garden, Maria was up for the challenge. Here she provides three ideas to try with preschoolers. My favorite is having all the dancers make a class pumpkin together...using their bodies!

At Picture-Book-a-Day, Amy shares her review of Josephine Wants to Dance. Created by Australian duo Jackie French and Bruce Whatley, it's no surprise that the book is about a dancing kangaroo! Read Amy's post for more about the book and links to great supplemental material!

Amy also features two more picture books -- both by Vincent X. Kirsch -- that contain elements of dance. The first -- The Chandeliers -- is about a family of performing giraffes. The second -- Forsythia and Me -- is about two best friends Chester and Forsythia. Chester thinks Forsythia is amazing because she does things like perform with the ballet, so Chester needs to find a way to prove he can be a great friend, too!

I'm so happy that Nichelle from Dance Advantage also joined the roundup this month with two posts. The first contains reviews of The Barefoot Book of Dance Stories and The Barefoot Book of Ballet Stories. Both are written by the legendary Jane Yolen and her daughter Heidi Stemple, and both are accompanied by gorgeous illustrations to go along with the storybook text for children and adults.

Nichelle's second post is a list of nine picture book biographies about dance. Isadora Duncan, Alvin Ailey, and Jose Limon are the three modern dancers and choreographers on the list, but there are also ballet dancers, tap dancers, and ballroom dancers. I love picture book biographies, and I love this list because it is all about dance. Thanks, Nichelle!

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81. Join the October Read & Romp Roundup!
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By: Kerry Aradhya, on 10/19/2012
Blog: Picture Books & Pirouettes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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This month is going by so quickly. I don't know about you, but we aren't even ready for Halloween at our house. The decorations aren't up, and only one of my two daughters has a costume to wear so far! I can tell the rest of the month is going to be a busy one. Nonetheless, I'm actually going to try to post the October Read & Romp Roundup by the end of the month. I think it may be a first!

I know not all of my readers celebrate Halloween, but I still have a feeling a few of the submissions this month will have to do with monsters or goblins or ghosts. Or at least I hope so...because that would be fun!

So, this is the official call for submissions for the October Read & Romp Roundup. If you have a recent (or even not so recent) blog post that involves picture books or children's poetry AND dance, yoga, or another form of movement, just leave a link to your post in the comments below. I'll gather up all of the links and summarize them in a new post at the end of the month.

If you're new here or aren't familiar with the roundups, you can read some of the old ones here. Looking forward to hearing your new ideas!

Submissions are open until Monday, October 29, 2012.

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82. Read & Romp Roundup -- September 2012
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By: Kerry Aradhya, on 10/12/2012
Blog: Picture Books & Pirouettes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Angelina Ballerina, Mouse's First Fall, Read and Romp Roundup, Picture Books about Dance, Apple Farmer Annie, Tap Dance Fever, Add a tag

Welcome to the September Read & Romp Roundup! Thanks, as always, to all of the contributors...and to you, the readers! Without further adieu, here are last month's submissions...

Angela at OMazing Kids added the picture book Apple Farmer Annie by Monica Wellington to her list of "Fall Faves." Angela describes the book and provides a comprehensive lesson plan to go along with it. Yoga poses, breathing exercises, suggestions for music, and sneak peeks of the book are all included!

I'm so happy that Erik from This Kid Reviews Books joined the roundup this month with a review of the picture book Tap Dance Fever by Pat Brisson and Nancy Cote. Check out Eric's post to learn more about the star of the book -- Annabelle Applegate -- and how she just can't stop dancing! Erik also includes a link to directions on how to make your own tap shoes. Fun!

In keeping with the seasons, Maria at Maria's Movers shares her creative movement ideas to go along with the picture book Mouse's First Fall by Lauren Thompson and Buket Erdogan. As you might expect, Maria even incorporates real leaves into her ideas for this book!

At Picture-Book-a-Day, Amy reviews one of her all-time favorite picture books about dance -- Angelina Ballerina! She also provides links to more information about Angelina, ideas for books to pair with this one, a hand print craft, and directions on how to make your own tutu!

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83. An Interview with Author Sarah Lynn
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By: Kerry Aradhya, on 10/9/2012
Blog: Picture Books & Pirouettes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Advice for Authors, iStoryTime, Tap Dance, Sarah Lynn, Tip-Tap Pop, Amazon Children's Publishing, Frankie and the Big Squish, 1-2-3 Va-Va-Vroom, Author Interviews, Marshall Cavendish, Add a tag

This week author Sarah Lynn is celebrating the release of her third picture book -- 1-2-3 Va-Va-Vroom! She's here today to talk about writing and her experiences with different types of publishers. Sarah's second picture book, Tip-Tap Pop, has a tap dance theme, so I was also curious about her background in dance. Congratulations, Sarah, and thanks for joining us today!

It seems that you are a very busy woman -- filling your days as a clinical social worker, school counselor, owner of a small private practice, and mom. Yet you still have three picture books under your belt. How do you find the time to write?

I have to be honest and say that I do struggle with finding time to write. I’ve always used the precious time after my children are in bed as my writing time, but I am finding it harder as they get older. They have later bedtimes now, and I find myself more emotionally, physically, and intellectually depleted in the evenings.

I actually think it’s not just about finding “time.” It’s about finding time when my mind is clear. My brain has to be fresh and open for me to create. I’m finding this more difficult as time goes on, but writing is important to me, and so I am determined to find a way to make it happen. I try to jot down notes when I have ideas. I bring these notes to soccer practice or outside when my kids are playing in the backyard. Most of the time I don’t even glance at the notes, but I know I have them there in case another idea presents itself.

I have two confessions, though. I’ll admit that my aforementioned jobs are all part time -- about 32 hours total for the week. It’s my grand attempt at being as involved in my own children’s lives as possible, while still bringing in an income. My second confession is that my laundry piles up awfully high. Writing is a great way to procrastinate household chores!

No worries. My laundry piles are always way too high, too! Aside from your many jobs, you also seem to have a strong and eclectic background in dance. Can you tell us a little more about that? And is dance still a part of your life?

For much of my childhood, dance was the source of my passion. I felt a love for dance that enlivened me. My primary love was ballet, but I also did hip hop, tap, modern, and jazz. I trained hard and long, I went away for the summers to train in Texas and Pennsylvania. When I graduated from high school, I felt as if I needed to make a decision -- to be a professional ballet dancer or to go to college?

Looking back, it might not have had to be so cut and dry, but in my mind I had to make a choice. I decided to go to college and stop dancing. At that time I completely stopped dancing. I’d loved it so much and had been so dedicated that I felt it would be painful to just do it for fun. I knew I wouldn’t be as strong or my technique as good.

After about five years, I did go back and take some adult classes for fun. I caught the eye of the studio owner, and she asked me to teach “baby ballet” on Saturdays and adult classes in the evenings after work. Once I had my own children, though, I stopped that as well. There just aren’t enough hours in the day. I miss it.

I can really see your love of dance shining through in your writing. Tip-Tap Pop has such a beautiful rhythmic quality, even though it is not written in rhyme. Do you think your dance training contributes to the rhythm in your writing?

Yes! My tap dance teacher always spoke our tap dance steps in perfect tap dance rhythm. I can still hear her voice in my head. My ballet teachers always used their hands to demonstrate the ballet moves, I can still see that in my head as well. When I listen to music, I can visualize choreography.


Are there any other ways that dance has influenced your writing?

I love the way dance tells a story. I love the way movements and facial expressions can convey emotion. Dancing is the epitome of “show, don’t tell.” Beautiful language and the imagery of words can be equally lyrical.

Your first two books were published in two very different ways. Frankie and the BigSquish was published as an iPhone App by iStoryTime, and Tip-Tap Popwas published by the traditional trade publisher Marshall Cavendish. What were some of the differences in these two publication experiences?

The experiences were very different. I had gotten a couple revision requests for Frankie and the Big Squish from a mainstream publisher. Despite my revisions, they decided not to publish. When I heard about iStoryTime company, I thought it would be fun to submit this story, since I didn’t feel I’d find a traditional house to publish it. They accepted my story but told me I needed to find my own illustrator. There was no advance for this endeavor. The contract states that once the story sold enough copies, I would begin to earn royalties. However, this has never happened. I look at this option as another way of sharing a story with the world, but for me, at least, it did not bring in any income.

With Tip Tap Pop, I was paid an advance. I will earn royalties if the book earns out my advance. They found the illustrator for me and helped me with editing. This was a fabulous experience. I love the illustrations in this story. I think the editor was brilliant in her choice of an illustrator, because the pictures add a light quirkiness to the mood of the book. This shows the benefit of traditional publishing, because this story would not have been the same without Valeria’s art work.


Were there any similarities between the two experiences?

There wasn’t much similar in the experiences, to be honest. The only main similarity is the feeling of excitement in seeing my words brought to life by an illustrator. That is amazing.

 Your third book -- 1-2-3 Va-Va-Vroom! -- was just published by Amazon Children's Publishing. Since this is a fairly new publisher, I am guessing this experience was also unique? Could you tell us more about it?

Actually, I sold the book to Marshall Cavendish, to the same editor who’d purchased Tip-Tap Pop. Shortly after I sold the book, the Cavendish company was purchased by Amazon. My interactions with Amazon have been entirely positive. My editor is still with the company, and she’s lovely to work with. There have been some fun additions, though, like an “author relations manager,” who is my first contact when I have questions. She responds very quickly to emails (within the day), and that’s so nice.


Despite the fact that this is a very difficult time to break into the picture book market, you seem to have had a lot of success in different formats over the last couple of years. Any advice for all those aspiring authors out there?

Yes. It is difficult to break in, and it’s also difficult to publish again (even if you’ve already been published). This is a loving business, because people who create children’s books are accepting and wonderful and friendly and encouraging. However, it’s also a tough business because there’s so much rejection.

This is the advice I try to give myself. I try to remind myself that I write for myself. I enjoy it as an outlet, as a project, as a way to share experiences. I know that most of what I write will not be published. So if I’m only writing with the end goal of publication, I’ll be disappointed more often than not. If I’m writing with the goal of creating, having an outlet, enjoying the actual process of writing, then it’s a win-win. Of course I am thrilled when something winds up being published, but I try to make my motivation about more than that.

The other advice I have is to be open to feedback. Revise like it’s going out of style. Read in your genre as much as you can. Remember, it’s not just about writing something good. It has to be something marketable and different from what is already out there.

Thanks again, Sarah, for joining us and offering such wonderful insight and advice about the writing process! 

For more information about Sarah and her work, you can visit her website at http://www.sarahlynnbooks.com. To read my earlier review of Tip-Tap Pop, click here. Maria Hanley from Maria's Movers has also written a beautiful feature on Tip-Tap Pop here. 

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84. "The Babies on the Bus" Is Great, Great, Great!
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By: Kerry Aradhya, on 9/28/2012
Blog: Picture Books & Pirouettes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  The Babies on the Bus, Karen Katz, Maria's Movers, Maria Hanley, Picture Book for Dance Class, Add a tag

Read It. Move It. Share It. 
Every month I recommend a picture book for dance educator Maria Hanley to use with her young dance students in New York City. Then I post about the book here, and Maria posts about it on her incredibly resourceful blog Maria's Movers. This month we are exploring The Babies on the Bus by Karen Katz. It's especially great for the toddler and preschool crowd!


The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round. The wheels on the bus go round and round, all through the town! I think just about every toddler or preschooler has heard that song, don't you? It's just so fun to sing!

The Babies on the Bus by Karen Katz is a perfect book to go along with the song, which is just begging to be accompanied by movement. The bright and festive illustrations depict nine cute and cuddly multicultural children, a bus driver who looks like a toddler himself, and a brave teacher who is leading the children on a field trip to a local museum. There is a lot of movement in the illustrations, as you might except from a group of youngsters. You can get a feel for some of the movement in this trailer from the publisher...




After hearing the song in my head and seeing the energetic children in the book, I can easily imagine some of the movements that could accompany the song in a creative dance class. I envision children sitting in a straddle position on the floor and moving their legs "open and close" like the doors of the bus. They could tiptoe across the floor when the "driver on the bus says shush, shush, shush." Or they could create a movement sequence and perform it at different speeds when "the motor on the bus goes zoom, zoom, zoom."

When snooping around the web, I also found a really neat YouTube video called "The Wheels on the Bus with Miss Melodee." While singing the song -- with a beautiful singing voice I must say! -- Miss Melodee demonstrates how it could also be incorporated into a ballet class. Sometimes she uses classic ballet steps that fit the words perfectly, and other times she changes the words a little to fit a particular step. Here's the video if you want to take a look.  

So, I've been collaborating with Maria Hanley enough now that I'm going to guess she came up with something even different than I did or Miss Melodee did. What do you think? Let's find out here! 

The babies on the bus say, 
"Bye-bye, bus! Bye-bye, bus! Bye-bye, bus!
The babies on the bus say "Bye-bye, bus!"
Now it's time to go.

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85. Join the September Read & Romp Roundup!
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By: Kerry Aradhya, on 9/21/2012
Blog: Picture Books & Pirouettes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Giveaway, Read and Romp Roundup, Picture Books about Dance, Liz Vacco, Petite Feet, Add a tag



I returned from Barnes & Noble a few hours ago with a stack of picture books and chapter books I'm going to take with me tomorrow to the National Book Festival in Washington, DC. I've removed a stack of older picture books from our shelves and am going to take those with me as well. Eilleen Spinelli, Anna Dewdny, Judy Sierra, and Marc Brown are among the picture book authors and illustrators I am hoping to meet and have sign my books. I am so excited!

Since books are on my mind tonight, I thought it would be a good time to put out my monthly call for submissions to the Read & Romp Roundup. I just realized that all the authors I mentioned above write in rhyme, so I guess poetry is on my mind, too!

If you have a recent (or even not so recent) blog post related to picture books or children's poetry AND dance, yoga, or another form of movement, leave your link in a comment on this post. I'll round up all the links and post about them together on my blog in a few weeks. 

Submissions are open until Sunday, September 30, 2012.

In case you didn't see it, I also have a giveaway going on through September 30, 2012. Dance educator Liz Vacco is giving away a copy of her Petite Feet DVD for kids. You can learn more about the video, hear how Liz uses storytelling to teach dance, and enter the giveaway here. Have a wonderful weekend!

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86. Petite Feet: An Interview and DVD Giveaway!
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By: Kerry Aradhya, on 9/17/2012
Blog: Picture Books & Pirouettes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  DVD, Giveaway, From Head to Toe, Liz Vacco, Petite Feet, Dancer Interviews, Children's Dance, Storytelling, Add a tag


Choreographer, performer, and dance educator Liz Vacco guest posted a few months ago about how she uses the picture book Silly Sally in her children's dance classes. Perhaps it's because of her strong background in theater, but Liz is no stranger to using storytelling in dance! Liz has even created a children's story of her own -- The Story of the Dancing Dolls -- and incorporated it into a new DVD called Petite Feet to teach the fundamentals of ballet to children. 

Well, Liz is back with us today to answer a few questions I had about using storytelling in dance -- both through picture books and through the Petite Feet DVD. Liz is also generously giving away a copy of the DVD to one lucky reader who comments on this post. Read to the end of the interview to find out the details!

Thanks so much for agreeing to an interview, Liz! For a little bit of background, how long have you been teaching dance for children? And how did you get started?

I’ve been teaching dance to children regularly for 11 years. I spent my first year after college in New York City waiting tables while pursuing my acting and dancing career. The restaurant where I worked was downtown and was affected by 9/11. After some time off while the restaurant was being rebuilt, I realized that I did not want to go back to waiting tables. I had reassessed my values and knew I wanted to share with children the very things that I love -- dance and theater.

How long have you been incorporating different types of stories into your classes?

From the beginning, I believe. Because of my training as an actor as well as a dancer, I have always been drawn to the expressive aspects of dance -- be that expressing a feeling or an entire narrative. I quickly saw that my young students were equally excited when the emphasis of class was on expression and storytelling. 

As we know, children make no secret about what their favorite things and activities are (and their least favorite, too), so I knew pretty quickly that I needed to include a story in class every week. Throughout a class, we still stretch and learn vocabulary and age-appropriate technique, but the students always know they will be rewarded with a story at the end.

What are the benefits of using picture books in your classes? 

Sometimes, as a teacher, it’s a lot to have a new story in your head every week. I’ve memorized a bunch of stories, and I’ve created a handful as well, but every so often it’s nice to have the words right there in front of me. I think having illustrations to reference makes it fun for the children as well. The process of taking in an image and then transferring it into their bodies is an important exercise and a first step toward becoming creators of art. It’s what I continue to do to this day when I create original work based on texts with my multimedia performance company Immediate Medium.

Any challenges to using picture books?

The biggest challenge is often just a question of coordination -- dancing while holding the book and not losing my place, and also maybe holding one of my little dancer’s hands at the same time!

Are you drawn to any picture books in particular? If so, what makes them special to you?  

I love to use From Head to Toe by Eric Carle at the beginning of the semester, especially with my littlest students. After years of teaching, sometimes I take for granted the fact that this could be a student’s very first experience in a movement class, or any class for that matter. From Head to Toe lets us take it slow and step by step, exploring each body part and its movement possibilities. By the end, we get up on our feet and really move through space, which is always a great finale. The always vibrant Eric Carle illustrations and animal imagery really help engage the children as well.

You mentioned that From Head to Toe is a great book for your littlest students. Do you think some picture books are better suited for your older students?

I teach children from 18 months to 12 years old. I think picture books are most effective with my students ages 2-5 years. Within that range, there are definitely certain books that are more appropriate for 2-year-olds than for 5-year-olds and vice versa. 

I love using From Head to Toe, We're Going on a Bear Hunt, and Mouse Paint for 2- and 3-year-olds. Silly Sally, which requires dancing backwards, and It Looked Like Spilt Milk are great for 4- and 5-year-olds. For dancers 6 and up, I tend to focus more on stories from the classical ballet canon (when it’s a ballet class, of course). Occasionally I show the students a photo from a ballet or an illustration inspired by the ballet before we choose roles and dance the story in a more drawn-out fashion.

Thanks for answering so many questions about picture books! To change the subject a little, how did you come up with the idea for the Petite Feet DVD?

I think after the tenth or so parent came up to me and said “You should really make a video of your ballet class,” I knew I couldn’t put it off any longer. Parents also often told me that when they videotaped open classes or recitals, their children would watch them over and over again at home. 

I wanted Petite Feet to be more interactive than just a still camera capturing a dance class or performance. I wanted it to include all the elements of one of my classes, and especially the story, but I wanted it to feel like the kids at home were as much a part of the class as the kids in the DVD. Making the DVD was a great opportunity for me to invent a new dance story as well -- and now I use The Story of the Dancing Dolls in my classes regularly.

How do you recommend the DVD be used? And by whom?

I think the DVD is great as an introduction to dance for brand new dancers, and it also can be a supplement for children who are already enrolled in dance classes. A lot of parents of my current students tell me that when they have to miss a class, they make up for it by using the DVD at home. 

I have also received feedback and occasionally photos from many families around the world who’ve purchased the DVD, and there are some stories that really warm my heart. One family in Japan lost their home in the tsunami but stayed to help rebuild. When they couldn’t find a class in the small town where they currently live, they bought the DVD and sent me such a grateful email. So I recommend that the DVD be used by anyone who feels inspired -- and the more the merrier, for sure!


Wow. That is a really incredible story, Liz. Thanks for much for sharing it. And thanks, also, for giving our readers a chance to win their very own copy of the DVD. 

If you'd like to enter the giveaway, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling us what role storytelling plays in your life or the lives of your children or students. The giveaway will close on Sunday, September 30, 2012, when we'll randomly pick a winner. Good luck!

4 Comments on Petite Feet: An Interview and DVD Giveaway!, last added: 10/4/2012
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87. Read & Romp Roundup -- August 2012
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By: Kerry Aradhya, on 9/8/2012
Blog: Picture Books & Pirouettes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Dance, Playful Learning, Maria's Movers, Read and Romp Roundup, Picture Books and Movement, Who Likes Rain?, Tanya and Emily in a Dance for Two, OMazing Kids, Add a tag

August was a busy month for many of us. Teachers were getting lesson plans together. Parents were preparing kids for the new school year. Kids were trying to remember what it's like to be on a regular schedule -- or, at least my kids were! And, hopefully, all of us were reading lots of great books. Speaking of great books, the August Read & Romp Roundup is full of them. Thanks to everyone who submitted!

At OMazing Kids, Angela shares a comprehensive list of children's yoga, wellness, mindfulness, and relaxation products. The list includes resource books for teachers, DVDs, coloring pages, workbooks, and of course plenty of picture books!

Maria from Maria's Movers uses the picture book Who Likes Rain? with her 4- to 5-year-old dance students. Read how they use the sounds from the book -- like "gurgle," "whoosh," and "KER-SPLAT!" -- to come up with their own dance!

Once again Amy at Picture-Book-A-Day reviewed two dance books over the last month! The first is Tanya and Emily in a Dance for Two by Patricia Lee Gauch and Satomi Ichikawa. Although Tanya and Emily have very different dance styles, they learn to dance together both inside and outside of dance class. Also find out what activities Amy would pair with the book!

Amy also reviews DANCE by dancer and choreographer Bill T. Jones and photographer Susan Kuklin. First she describes the book, which shows how dance can be used to convey a variety of emotions, shapes, and ideas. Then she provides plenty of ways the book can be used to spark interesting discussions with children about dance!

Educator Mariah Bruehl is the founder of a blog I discovered the other day. It's called Playful Learning, created "to help parents support their children's learning and development." This guest post by Monique Barker shows how storytelling can be used to introduce kids to yoga!

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88. Into the Outdoors: A Plethora of Prepositions!
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By: Kerry Aradhya, on 9/4/2012
Blog: Picture Books & Pirouettes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Picture Books for Dance Class, Prepositions, Camping, Susan Gal, Maria's Movers, Maria Hanley, Into the Outdoors, Add a tag

Read It. Move It. Share It. 
Dance educator Maria Hanley and I explored Into the Outdoors as the August picture book in our monthly collaboration. Its unique blend of two themes -- camping and prepositions -- makes it a one-of-a-kind book for sure. And it's also a fun one to incorporate into dance classes for young children. After you read this post, you can see how Maria used it with her young dancers here.


When I was growing up, a few times every summer my family would lug our camper behind our car into the forests of Pennsylvania, where we would spend a few nights out in the wilderness with friends. Hiking, canoeing, playing in the creek, making fires, roasting marshmallows, and watching wildlife -- particularly chipmunks, deer, raccoons, and the occasional black bear! -- are all wonderful memories I have from my childhood.

Nowadays, once or twice a year my husband, our two daughters, and I head out into the Maryland woods, pitch a tent, and spend a few nights in the great outdoors as well. We haven't taken the girls hiking or canoeing yet and haven't seen quite as many animals as I did growing up, but hopefully we'll get there one day.

How about you? Do you have any special camping memories? Would you be interested in a picture book about camping? Or, although this may seem a little off topic, might you be interested in a book about prepositions? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, then I just might have the book for you!

In Into the Outdoors by Susan Gal, a family of four fill their car to the brim and leave the city to go camping in the mountains. Over the course of the book, the family partakes in many of the same same activities I did as a child. They go for a hike, they play in a stream, they build a fire and roast marshmallows, and they climb into their tent at night.

Throughout the day, the family also sees tons and tons of wildlife. Although they saw many of the same animals I usually see when I go camping, they saw a few others, too. Like a fox, a porcupine, and a moose! As you may be realizing, the story line of this book is quite simple. But, what makes the story so unique is its superfluous use of prepositions!

Alongside each other, we dream our dreams, 
beside the lake and beneath the moon, 
outside in the great outdoors.

I counted the prepositions in the book, and I came up with 19, all printed in yellow text to stand out from the otherwise white wording in the book. Almost all of the prepositions -- including across, along, around, behind, beneath, beside, over, through, up, and under -- would be great to introduce to a dance class. The youngest children might not know all of their meanings, but the illustrations can help show them. Plus, several of the prepositions are used more than once, giving the children extra opportunities to practice their meanings.

If I were teaching a dance class with this book, I think I'd set up a really neat obstacle course using as many of the prepositions as the kids could remember. Or, since there are so many prepositions, maybe I would use the book for a couple weeks and make a few different courses. Are you curious too see how Maria used the book? Let's see here!

If you're looking for other ideas for teaching prepositions, We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury is another picture book I recommend. Maria and I featured it around this time last year. Here's that post.

1 Comments on Into the Outdoors: A Plethora of Prepositions!, last added: 9/20/2012
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89. Join the August Read & Romp Roundup!
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By: Kerry Aradhya, on 8/19/2012
Blog: Picture Books & Pirouettes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Add a tag



Do you have a recent (or even not so recent) blog post that involves picture books or children's poetry AND dance, yoga, or another form of movement? If so, or if you're planning to write such a post, then you've come to the right place!

This is the official call for submissions to the August Read & Romp Roundup. Just leave a link to your post in the comments below, and I'll include it in the next roundup.  If you're new here or aren't familiar with the roundups, you can read some of the old ones here. Looking forward to hearing your new ideas!

Submissions are open until Friday, August 31, 2012.

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90. Poetry Friday: Moving with Mary Quattlebaum!
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By: Kerry Aradhya, on 8/17/2012
Blog: Picture Books & Pirouettes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Poetry, Poetry Friday, Highlights High Five, Mary Quattlebaum, Action Rhyme, Jo MacDonald Had a Garden, Add a tag

Whenever I find a new children's poem with a dance or movement theme, I like to share it on Poetry Friday -- a weekly gathering of writers, poets, and other literature-loving people from around the blogosphere. Today I'm sharing the action rhyme "Moving Up and Down" from the June 2012 issue of Highlights High Five.

This particular rhyme was written by the lovely Mary Quattlebaum, with accompanying art by Debbie Palen and photos by Guy Cali Associates, Inc. I have to send a big shout-out and thank you to Highlights for Children, Inc. for letting me post the rhyme and illustrations on my blog!

© Highlights for Children, Inc.





























Mary Quattlebaum was actually a guest author at my daughter's preschool a couple years ago. On the day of her visit, I had the pleasure of picking her up from the Metro station and spending some time talking with her about picture books. She so kindly gave me a signed copy of her picture book Sparks Fly High: The Legend of Dancing Point, and she gave me inspiration and courage to keep trying to break into today's tough picture book market. Thank you for both of those gifts, Mary!

This week, Poetry Friday is being held at A Year of Reading, so hop on over there to read some more poetic posts. Also, you can read about more of Mary's books, including plenty of poetry, on her website. Her newest book, Jo MacDonald Had a Garden, looks especially good for promoting movement!

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91. Read & Romp Roundup -- July 2012
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By: Kerry Aradhya, on 8/10/2012
Blog: Picture Books & Pirouettes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  All the World, Read and Romp Roundup, Picture Books for Yoga Class, Picture Books for Dance Class, Yawning Yoga, This Jazz Man, Be a at Ballet, ABC Menagerie, Prima the Ballerina, Add a tag

It's that time again. Time to pull together all the great blog posts that were submitted for last month's Read & Romp Roundup. Thanks so much to everyone who contributed. I think we have another really great roundup!

Maria from Maria's Movers introduces readers to Prima the Ballerina in Her Backyard -- an interactive book by professional dancers Nikki and Ethan White. The book can be used as a lesson plan for teaching movement to children and is the first in a planned series!


At Flowering Minds, Darshana reviews Yawning Yoga, written by children's yoga specialist Laurie Jordan with illustrations by Aaron Randy. Full of yoga poses to release energy and relaxation exercises to calm the mind, this book can help young children slow down for bed!


Angela at OMazing Kids shares one of her new favorite ABC books to incorporate into yoga classes for kids. ABC Menagerie contains an animal and rhyme for each letter of the alphabet, plus what Angela describes as "quirky felt animal structures" as illustrations. A great book to accompany animal poses!


The "OMazing" Angela also shares an updated list of 222 picture books she thinks would be good choices to use in children's yoga classes. Wow! Plus, she reports that she is working on a separate list of children's books designed specifically to teach yoga and mindfulness. Can't wait to see it!


Amy at Picture-Book-a-Day is reviewing a different picture book every day this year. Lucky for us, she reviewed two dance-related books in July! The first is Bea at Ballet by Rachel Isadora. "If your child is starting ballet class soon, this is the perfect book to introduce them to the format and conventions of class," says Amy.


The second book Amy reviews is This Jazz Man by Karen Ehrhardt and R.G. Roth. Written to the tune of the classic children's song "This Old Man," the book celebrates the lives and music of 10 jazz legends. One of those legends -- who made music with his feet! -- is tap dancer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. In her post, Amy also recommends some activities and other books to go along with this fun and jazzy book!


Deanna at Little Namaste Yoga posts about All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon and Marla Frazee. In one of her favorite lessons to teach, Deanna uses the book to find new "places" for her students to explore. As the scenes in the book change, Deanna uses yoga, songs, and other sensory activities to enhance the experiences of her young students. 

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92. What Do Ninjas and Dancers Have in Common?
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By: Kerry Aradhya, on 8/5/2012
Blog: Picture Books & Pirouettes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Corey Rosen Schwartz, Wink, Dan Santat, The Three Ninja Pigs, Ninja Picture Books, Ninja Game for Dancers, J.C. Phillipps, The Ninja Who Wanted to Be Noticed, The Ninja Who Wanted to Nap, Add a tag

My five-year-old and seven-year-old daughters just finished a week of dance camp, where they spent five days taking ballet, tap and jazz classes, making crafts, and playing dance-related games. To my surprise, they came home one day and told me they had just played a ninja game. Well, that didn't sound like a dance game to me!

Little did I know, the ninja game they played at camp was fabulous for teaching balance, isolating body parts, and practicing movements at different levels within a space. It also required the kids to take turns and encouraged them to focus. Boy did I take notice of that game!


Speaking of taking notice...before I tell you how to play the awesome ninja game, I'm going to tell you about a picture book that the game brought to mind. At a recent trip to the local public library, I discovered Wink: The Ninja Who Wanted to Be Noticed by J. C. Phillipps. It's the first ninja book I've ever read, and my kids and I both loved it!

Every day Wink has trouble being stealthy and silent like the other ninjas in the Summer Moon School for Young Ninjas. So every day his teacher, Master Zutsu, sends him home. Wink's grandmother tries several times to cheer him up, but it becomes clear that Wink doesn't really want cheering up. He wants to figure out, on his own, how he can get Master Zutsu to notice him. After all, he does want to be the greatest ninja in all the world!

Grandmother poured him barley tea. 
"Wink-chan, you look so serious." 
Wink sat down and sighed. 
"Sometimes a worry must rest," she said. 
"Let us go to the circus. The acrobats will cheer you."

"Ninjas have no use for cheer," Wink replied. 
He drank his tea and left the room. 
The next day, he would try harder.

I won't give away the end of the story, but it is a sweet one. I will tell you, though, that Wink eventually finds his way in the world, using many of the skills he learned from Master Zutzu but applying them in a way that suits him better. And he definitely ends up being noticed!


More Ninja Picture Books

The ninja game I'm about to tell you about would be a great activity to try after reading this book, or after reading the sequel Wink: The Ninja Who Wanted to Nap. Another ninja picture book -- The Three Ninja Pigs by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Dan Santat -- is also coming out this fall. It looks really fun, too! You can check out the book trailer here.

Ok...so now I'm really going to tell you about the awesome ninja game. I promise! I'm adapting it a little to make it easier to explain, and I encourage you to adapt it a little bit more if you need to. I'm going to explain how to play the game with a partner, but it could probably also be played with a very small group of children positioned in a circle. Enjoy!


Awesome Ninja Game

  • The object of the game is to use your ninja moves to come in contact with each of your partner's arms and legs (one at a time). It is a bit of a "contact" game, but children should be reminded that aggression is not part of the game. If a child does come in contact with his partner, it should not hurt. 
  • To start, each child strikes a "ninja" pose. Child 1, who is the first to go, should lunge at Child 2 into a new ninja pose, trying at the same time to come in contact with one of Child 2's arms or legs. 
  • Child 2 responds by moving into another ninja pose to try to avoid being touched. Both children should freeze in their new poses. 
  • If Child 1 is in contact with Child 2's arm or leg, then Child 2 cannot use that arm or leg for the rest of the game. If Child 2's arm is hit, he can put it behind his back for the rest of the game. If his leg is hit, he can lift that leg up and balance on the other leg for the rest of the game. Super hard, right? (Later in the game, if a child loses use of both legs, he will need to kneel for the remainder of the game and use only his upper body for the poses.)
  • Child 1 and Child 2 take turns until one of the children loses use of all four limbs. The other child is the winner!

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93. Guest Post by Liz Vacco: Silly Sally
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By: Kerry Aradhya, on 7/31/2012
Blog: Picture Books & Pirouettes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Audrey Wood, Guest Posts, Picture Books for Dance Class, Liz Vacco, Silly Sally, Petite Feet, Add a tag

I have a special treat for you today! Choreographer and performer Liz Vacco is here from sunny California to share how she incorporates a very special -- and very silly! -- picture book into the classes she teaches for young dancers. Incorporating books and other forms of storytelling into her lessons is one of many strategies Liz uses to make dance fun. She has even created an original dance video called Petite Feet that uses storytelling to teach young children the fundamentals of ballet. We have another post in the works about that, so stay tuned! And in the meantime, enjoy getting to know Liz and her "silly" ideas. Thanks for joining us, Liz!

In my experience teaching classes to young children, the word “silly” is a magic word.  If a lesson plan is not quite playing out as successfully as planned, I find a way to make it silly -- or just call it silly, for that matter -- and chances are I have my students’ rapt attention once again. The teaching and learning can still happen, simply disguised in a silly way.

Therefore, it’s no surprise that a book that employs this magic word in its title is a perfect activity for a kids’ dance class. The book to which I’m referring is SillySally by Audrey Wood. The fact that Sally is silly means that she does everything backwards and upside down -- dancing, leaping, singing, you name it! 


When using this book in class, I like to establish a movement or movement phrase with the dancers in a forward direction first. Once they’ve had a chance to try the movement in a forward direction, I challenge them to try it backwards. I encourage the students to explore the backwards movement on their own before offering my own interpretation for them to try, if they so choose. 

Then, in a similar fashion, we proceed to turn the movement upside down. Of course, whatever the young dancers do is valid -- and often extremely inspiring, as they may surprise me with interpretations I have never considered. After the upside down dancing, we combine the two, moving both backwards and upside down -- carefully -- so that we don’t dan

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94. Stomp, Dinosaur, Stomp!
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By: Kerry Aradhya, on 7/25/2012
Blog: Picture Books & Pirouettes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Dinosaurs, Stomp, Creative Movement, Maria's Movers, Creative Dance, Maria Hanley, Picture Books for Dance Class, Margaret Mayo, Alex Ayliffe, Stomp Dinosaur Stomp, Add a tag

Read It. Move It. Share It. 
Today's post is part of my ongoing collaboration with dance educator Maria Hanley from Maria's Movers. Each month I recommend a book for Maria to use in her creative movement classes, and then we both share out experiences with the book. This month we're exploring Stomp, Dinosaur, Stomp! by Margaret Mayo and Alex Ayliffe.


Look at the Tyrannosaurus on that cover! A little scary, don't you think? But don't worry...once you open the book, he's not that scary anymore. In fact, he's pretty harmless, even in the presence of other dinosaurs. Mostly, this Tyrannosaurus just wants to stomp!

Mighty Tyrranosaurus
loved stomp, stomp, stomping, 
gigantic legs striding, enormous jaws opening, 
jagged teeth waiting for guzzle, guzzling!
So stomp, Tyrannosaurus stomp!

As the book continues, we meet an immense Diplodocus, a crested Pteranodon, a fierce Velociraptor, and seven other prehistoric creatures. Like the Tyrranosaurus, each of the creatures has a signature move -- the Diplodocus a swish, the Pteranodon a glide, the Velociraptor a hunt -- plus additional moves that would hopefully inspire young children to come up with some moves of their own.

Although the Tyrranosaurus is mostly absent when we meet these other creatures, he does appear on the page devoted to a tough Ankylosaurus. The signature move of the Ankylosaurus is a whack, and poor Tyrannosaurus is the recipient of one of those whacks! He doesn't look like he minds, though, and this action adds a splash of humor to the already upbeat book. We then see the Tyrannosaurus one more time -- at the end of the book -- when, still stomping, he leads the whole pack of creatures in a dinosaur parade.

Girls and boys -- especially those who love to move -- will appreciate the many movement words in the text. I bet they'll also enjoy the bright illustrations, which take up every corner of every page and, in doing so, exaggerate the exuberance that the text already portrays. Let's see if Maria agrees! You can check out her post here.

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95. Join the July Read & Romp Roundup!
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By: Kerry Aradhya, on 7/20/2012
Blog: Picture Books & Pirouettes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Dance, Children's Poetry, Yoga, Movement, Read and Romp Roundup, Add a tag


Is it really the middle of July already? Time is flying by! I had so many ideas for posting this month, and I haven't gotten around to any of them yet! But... I at least can't let my monthly roundup pass by.

This is the official call for submissions for the July Read & Romp Roundup. If you have a recent (or even not so recent) blog post that involves picture books or children's poetry AND dance, yoga, or another form of movement, leave your link in a comment on this post.

Maybe you read a picture book about yoga that you'd like to share. Or maybe you read a poem that made your students want to get up and dance. All ideas are welcome! I'll round up all the links and post about them together in a few weeks. Can't wait to hear from you!

Submissions are open until Monday, July 30, 2012. 

1 Comments on Join the July Read & Romp Roundup!, last added: 7/23/2012
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96. Read & Romp Roundup -- June 2012
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By: Kerry Aradhya, on 7/11/2012
Blog: Picture Books & Pirouettes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Welcome to the June Read & Romp Roundup, and thanks for your patience while I put it together. We have a great line-up this month. A little bit of poetry, lots of animals, and plenty of dancing and yoga -- all in the form of some wonderful books. Enjoy!

Jacqui at Access Dance for Life reviews the rhyming picture book Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees. (It's one of my favorites!) Jacqui also describes how she combined the book with different types of music to help a group of young boys find their own dancing styles -- just like Gerald the giraffe does in this book!


Maria from Maria's Movers shares three ideas for incorporating the classic picture book The Very Hungry Caterpillar into movement classes for children ages 2 and up. Her ideas could easily be used for story time at a library, school, or home as well!


At Little Namaste Yoga, Deanna shares her thoughts about Twist -- a book of children's yoga poems written by Janet S. Wong with illustrations by Julie Paschkis. Deanna not only lists the titles of all 15 poems in the book but also describes the movements she used with the poems during a yoga class for kids!

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97. Get Ready to Ride the Subway!
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By: Kerry Aradhya, on 6/29/2012
Blog: Picture Books & Pirouettes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Maria's Movers, Maria Hanley, Picture Book for Dance Class, Anastasia Suen, Karen Katz, Subway, Add a tag

Read It. Move It. Share It. 
Each month dance educator Maria Hanley and I explore a different picture book for our "Read It. Move It. Share It" collaboration. I recommend a book, Maria incorporates it into her creative movement classes, and we both share our experiences. This month I'm recommending the picture book Subway.


I've traveled on the "BART" in San Francisco,  the "Tube" in London, the "Metro" in Paris, the "Metro" in Washington, DC, and the "Subway" in New York City. Now that I think about it, I've been on quite a few underground railways... and I really like them!

Sometimes I like the bustle of people in the subway station, like on a busy weekday morning or on a Saturday afternoon when the station is bursting with tourists. Other times I enjoy a quiet station, like in the late evenings, when just a few people are milling around. And I always love the whirrr of the train as it finally approaches the station and I know that I am one step closer to my destination.

Washington DC Metro -- near me!


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98. Poetry Friday: A Dance Poem by Kenn Nesbitt
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By: Kerry Aradhya, on 6/22/2012
Blog: Picture Books & Pirouettes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  When Daniel Went Dancing, Poetry Friday, Poetry for Kids, Dance Poem, Kenn Nesbitt, Add a tag


I don't know about you, but the beginning of summer has been pretty busy at our house, especially getting our two daughters into their new summer camp routines and dealing with the heat. Work has been busy for me, too, so I'm thankful that the end of the week is finally here. I'm definitely ready for a break--a poetry break!

Here's a fun children's poem by Kenn Nesbitt, who graciously shares so many of his poems on his interactive website Poetry4kids.com. I'm sharing it as part of Poetry Friday, which is being hosted today by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater from The Poem Farm. Enjoy...


When Daniel Went Dancing

When Daniel went dancing that night at the fair
he leapt on the stage with his arms in the air.

He ran back and forth at a neck-breaking pace,
then back-flipped and cartwheeled all over the place.

He jumped like a jumping bean, bounced like a ball,
careened off the ceiling, and ran down the wall.

He flew through the room with an ear-splitting scream
til, shaking and sobbing, he ran out of steam.

The witnesses watching could see at a glance
that Dan had invented some new kind of dance.

They cheered and applauded. They gave him First Prize.
The cried, "You're a genius in all of our eyes!"

So now, just like Daniel, from Finland to France,
they sit on a cactus to start every dance. 


Copyright © 2012 Kenn Nesbitt
All Rights Reserved



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99. Join the June Read & Romp Roundup!
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By: Kerry Aradhya, on 6/10/2012
Blog: Picture Books & Pirouettes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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It's a busy time of year for everyone, with lots of end-of-school activities, graduation ceremonies, dance recitals, and more. But I hope you will still have time to join the June Read & Romp Roundup! 

If you have a recent (or even not so recent) blog post that involves picture books or children's poetry AND dance, yoga, or another form of movement, leave your link in a comment on this post. I'll round up all the links and post about them together on my blog in a few weeks. 

If you're new here or aren't familiar with the roundup, you can read some of the old roundups here. Looking forward to hearing your new ideas this month!

Submissions are open until Friday, June 29, 2012.

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100. Perfect Picture Book Friday: ZooZical!
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By: Kerry Aradhya, on 6/8/2012
Blog: Picture Books & Pirouettes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Perfect Picture Book Friday, Activity Kit, Zoozical, Marc Brown, Judy Sierra, Add a tag

For several months I've been meaning to blog about the book ZooZical for Perfect Picture Book Friday, which is a day each week when bloggers come together to celebrate and share the picture books they love. Everyone posts using the same general format, and then children's author Susanna Leonard Hill (who came up with the idea) archives all the posts on her blog. 

The archive, which is mostly organized by theme, has become a fabulous resource for teachers and parents looking for "perfect" books to integrate into their lesson plans and story times. You can access the full archive here.

When I was looking through the archive to make sure ZooZical hadn't been featured yet, I did come across a post about another book by the same dynamic duo who created ZooZical. That book, called Wild About Books, is a prequel of sorts to ZooZical. You can check out the Perfect Picture Book Friday post about it here.

And finally, I am very grateful to Random House Children's Books for sending me a review copy of  ZooZical. Thanks so much for letting me experience this joyous book!

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    15 Comments on Perfect Picture Book Friday: ZooZical!, last added: 6/11/2012
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