Dance Books

Hilariously melodramatic monologue, generous, engaging narrative and classic Sendak illustrations make this theatrical romp a favourite of adults and children alike.

If wolves went to ballet, they wouldn't go to Swan Lake, they would go to Swine Lake! We think 4th and 5th graders would like this book because it is more challenging. You should read it a couple times to really understand it and have fun reading it. It's a very good book. It has action in it. We thought it would be rated 4.

I bought this book for my three year old daughter for Christmas. Although she has nearly a hundred books, she has requested this one every night for three months. She knows most of it verbatim. I think the book's okay, but for her it is something truly special and charming. She enjoys the dilema of the wolf, the grumpy landlady and the diverse characters of the pigs. This is a great story for kids with budding imaginations.

Swine lake, was absolutely wonderful, and it brought back memories of my childhood years. I reccomend it to those who are young at heart. I found it a very tasteful, and enjoyable piece of literature. So read it i say...thankyou

Swine Lake is a wonderfully creative story. It takes a twist that my daughter (age 7) nor I expected. The art of Maurice Sendak is as wonderful as ever. Great fun to read.

I have SEEN the Kent family talent shows. I am delighted to see they have finally shared their talent with others. This book will help people accomplish success in this field.

"This book is excellent. Every school, church, everyone interested in theatre production NEEDS one."

Talent Shows the Kent way is an amazing book. Directing a talent show is an incredibly daunting task, and this book pulled together an amazing amount of theatrical wisdom from the authors backgrounds and put it into an easy to follow format. The authors even broke down what order to put the acts in, lighting, etc. and I couldn't believe it could all be done from audition to performance in such a short time! The best part is the confidence the children receive from this method! I would recommend this book to anyone, even seasoned directors.

"Talent Shows the Kent Way" is a fantastic guide to putting on a talent show. I have seen talent shows in the past and previously thought the project would be overwhelming. The book walks you through step by step and even has a checklist to make the process even easier. It teaches you theatrical terms, so that when you are using the method with your performers, you can sound like a professional.

I was amazed at the quality of the performances I had using the method. Even though I had never directed a talent show before, the performances were polished and details I would never have thought of were covered in the method and used in our shows. Everyone involved enjoyed being a part of it. It has been a wonderful experience and "Talent Shows the Kent Way" made it happen!

"Talent Shows The Kent Way" is a delightfully written and thorough guide to talent shows of all kinds. It has amazing depth, providing in great detail the esesential elements that make a talent show run smoothly and profesionally. The book is packed with wisdom based on the authors' extensive experience in the field. Simultaneously, the writers demonstrate that doing a talent show "The Kent Way" is fun. Let them entertain you!

My kids always love me to read this to them. It really catches their attention and I never tire of this story.

Like other reviewers, I bought this book for my daughter Tessa. We have read it many times over the years, and she's practically memorized it. I love the alliterative writing, the way you simply cannot help singing and bopping while reading this aloud. Cute illustrations that appeal to kids round out this wonderful read aloud story book. Kids will relate to the difficulty Tessa and the cat have in restraining their urge to move/sing.

I bought this book for my daughter, Tessa. We found it at the library and then hunted it down on Amazon. It is full of spunk and is very fun to read to kids. You can really add lib when the cat starts singing. My kids love this book.

THE MOUSE IS DANCING, THE CAT IS SINGING & NEITHER CAN STOP. VERY CUTE ILLUSTRATIONS.

I love this book Beautiful illustrations My name just happens to be tessa

What I like most about this book is that it takes a few months from 1957 on a film location and tells how it feels to be there. The movie was not great, and it was forgotten soon enough. Yet, the atmosphere of film making and the camaraderie of the crew and cast is just a wonderful experience. Yes, they had some terrible times, with ego clashing and scandals covered up, but it is such a nostalgic little story, reading like a novel. All the people in the story, Audie Murphy and Michael Redgrave, mostly are fascinating, and how nice to have a special look at them. I truly enjoyed this armchair escape to another time and another place. Thanks!

This really is a marvelous book--full of all the details and asides that you don't get to read elsewhere. I found it amusing as well as informative. The author, Dr. Russo, clearly knows his subject--and shares his knowledge in a very entertaining way.

I have an interest in war, Japanese and Asian affairs. Amazon recommended The Quiet American with Michael Caine. Somewhat a Caine fan, I ordered it and liked it for what it implied about early US involvement in Vietnam. Amazon then recommended the dvd version with Audie Murphy and Michael Redgrave which I tried. That was different. What was going on? What had Graham Greene really written? Ordered and read new Penguin edition. Both film versions took liberties. Why? Amazon suggested A Thinker's Damn by Willima Russo, which finally sorted out for me why the Murphy/Redgrave version differed from the Greene book. Russo also filled in a huge number of additional details and insights about this first film version. The two dvds and the two books provide a very good look at book to film adaptations, and three people's impressions about US policy in early Vietnam. I wonder if Russo has written about the Michael Caine version; it is the one I prefer, even though I am a fan of Michael Redgrave who portrays Fowler in the early film. A good number of photographs illustrate this book.

This book has info about Audie that is not anywhere else. The author interviewed people close to Audie who never have talked about him before for publication. The movie The Quiet American was a special project for him, according to his best friend Willard Willingham. He soon hated doing it because Vietnam, even in 1957, was not a pleasant place before the war. This book reads like a novel but is all true. If you really want insights into Audie Murphy, you must read this book. Despite all that happened, he knew what he had to do. He was not just an actor. He was a hero--and in the Quiet American, he played the part to perfection. There is another remake of the movie now filmed, but nothing can top the original.

What I like most about this book is that it takes a few months from 1957 on a film location and tells how it feels to be there. The movie was not great, and it was forgotten soon enough. Yet, the atmosphere of film making and the camaraderie of the crew and cast is just a wonderful experience. Yes, they had some terrible times, with ego clashing and scandals covered up, but it is such a nostalgic little story, reading like a novel. All the people in the story, Audie Murphy and Michael Redgrave, mostly are fascinating, and how nice to have a special look at them. I truly enjoyed this armchair escape to another time and another place. Thanks!

Even my 5 year old daughter who was given the Barbie movie by the same title prefers me to read this book to her over watching the dvd. The illustrations are lovely; the text is interesting, yet clear enough for my little one to understand. A wonderful book for any little girl who enjoys beautiful dresses and magical places.

Having enjoyed looking at children's book since childhood this illustrated book is absolutely amazing. Each page is beautifully illustrated in Oil based paint, such exquisite artistry in a book made for children. The detail of each painting serves to tell the tale without words.

Having enjoyed looking at children's book since childhood this illustrated book is absolutely amazing. Each page is beautifully illustrated in Oil based paint, such exquisite artistry in a book made for children. The detail of each painting serves to tell the tale without words.

I've said it in another review and I'll say it again: every home should have at least one Ruth Sanderson book in their children's bookshelves, and her retelling of 'The Twelve Dancing Princesses' would be a pretty good choice.

The king of a prosperous kingdom has twelve beautiful daughters, but is confused at the state of their shoes each morning - each pair is worn through, although the door to their bedroom is locked. Where are the princesses going and how are they getting out? Many men are sent to guard the princesses with the promise that if they solve the mystery they may gain one of their hands in marriage, but all the young princes disappear by morning. But one day Michael comes to the castle as a helper to the gardener with the magical gift of an invisibility cloak given to him by an old woman on the road. Instantly smitten with the youngest princess Lina, Michael hides in the girls' bedroom under his cloak and watches them creep through a secret trapdoor, through glittering woods and across a vast lake to a castle... but how is a mere commoner supposed to inform the king of this and secure the love of his youngest daughter?

Ruth Sanderson once again brings to life a beautiful fairytale with her glorious oil paintings, making this a must for any bookshelf, or lovers of fairytales or fine art. Despite the fact there are twelve princesses, the illustrations are never cluttered, and Sanderson captures water, material, hair and even glances between one figure to another realistically, yet with a whimsical and fantasy touch. If there is one slight flaw, her colours are less bright than in other books - they are mostly pale yellows, blues or greens that give them a slightly washed out look when compared to the vividness of her other books such as 'The Golden Mare, the Firebird and the Magic Ring' and 'The Crystal Mountain', but this is most definitely one of her best narrative retellings. 'The Enchanted Wood' in my opinion still contains her best illustrations, but the story is rather weak. 'The Twelve Dancing Princesses' is the best choice for a melding of both art and storytelling skills.

Basically, girls will adore this, parents will love reading it, and if you take the time to persuade boys that is isn't a 'girly' book, then I'm certain they'll be intrigued enough by the mysterious midnight travels through the woods and the cunning of Michael to enjoy it too!

Ruth Sanderson's 'Twelve Dancing Princesses' is a fresh, deftly written take on the original fairy tale. The characters come alive, and the writing captures the childlike innocence of a fairy-tale world without being saccharine. However, what really makes this book stand out are the gorgeous illustrations. Sanderson's sumptuous oil paintings enrich the tale, and are works of art in their own right. Even without words, she knows how to create an atmosphere of mystery and of magic.

I received this book as a Christmas gift around 1980, I believe. I cannot tell you how much this book meant to me as a girl. I must have read it about 200 times. My mother recently moved and was going through all our childhood things and found the book packed away. She gave it to me. I was so delighted because I thought I'd lost the book years ago. I sat down immediately and read it again. And yep...its still as good as it ever was.

I am a ballet dancer. I have been dancing for 15 years now, and this is still one of my favorite books. I was introduced to it when I was about 5 and it facinated me. The whole story seemed true to what I knew about ballet and Stephanie, the main character, lived my biggest dreams! For years, I only borrowed it from the library, and soon it was one of the most worn in their collection! Finally, we moved away and the next library didn't have it, but Mom found it at a used book store and bought it for me. I ended up meeting David Richards, a teacher in the book, at a ballet competition and he signed it for me. He told me that Stephanie doesn't dance any more, and I don't think she ever made it into New York City Ballet company or any other ballet company. Like I said earlier, I've been dancing 15 years and this book, to me, is even more a true embodiment of what the every-day life of a ballet dancer is! I've known this book so long that I can quote it forwards and backwards, and almest every sentence is or has been true for me! I just finished a run of Nutcracker and, "I tore a little pink ribbon off the pantaloons that I wore in the party scene to keep for a souvenir."-to quote page 118. I am positive that current dancers, former dancers, future dancers, and sancers in their dreams will absolutly love this book, especially because it is so true to what they feel!

While Jill Krementz is a talented photographer, what my daughter and I really loved about this series was the very detailed text. She was fascinated to learn that each level at the School of American Ballet wears a different color leotard. She sympathized with the dancer who wants a new role in The Nutcracker, but gets the same casting. She learned the difference between a class, a rehearsal, and a performance - all opportunities to dance, but each with a specific purpose.
The original Jill Krementz books, like this one, were printed in black and white. A few later books ("A Very Young Skier") are in full color. But while the color photos look more contemporary and appealing, the later books are "dumbed down" - the text is very short, more like picture captions than narrative.
For the wonderful sense of detail you need the classic titles like "A Very Young Dancer." They make a dancer's life so real, a young reader can easily picture herself (or himself) doing the same. And that's the real power of this series: instead of being a passive spectator, the young reader becomes a participant. My daughter is now dancing in The Nutcracker for her ninth (and last) year. I think "A Very Young Dancer" was a big help along the way.

I am very partial to this book because it was one of my favorites when I was a little girl. I do believe this book is an absolute must-have for any young girl who takes part in the performing arts, particularly ballet. A VERY YOUNG DANCER is about a beautiful little girl named Stephanie who is a student at the prestigious American School of Ballet. We see her learning technique with her fellow students under the direction of David Howard. Eventually, we see her live the dream of many little would-ballerinas as Stephanie is chosen for the part of Mary (or Clara in many versions) in the New York City Ballet's production of the Nutcracker. I think the most important aspect of this book is the message--hard work, determination, and a good attitude are essential for making dreams come true.

Researchers constantly find that reading to children is valuable in a variety of ways, not least of which are instilling a love of reading and improved reading skills. With better parent-child bonding from reading, your child will also be more emotionally secure and able to relate better to others. Intellectual performance will expand as well. Spending time together watching television fails as a substitute.

To help other parents apply this advice, as a parent of four I consulted an expert, our youngest child, and asked her to share with me her favorite books that were read to her as a young child. A Very Young Dancer was one of her picks.

This is a story of a girl, Stephanie, who has the starring girl's role in The Nutcracker at age 10. The book is full of wonderful photographs that show ballet as it is experienced by the dancers. The story is written as though by Stephanie, so you see the world from her perspective.

My daughter loved this story so much, that she would beg me to keep reading. I would keep going until my voice was so hoarse I could not continue. And I loved the story, too.

Almost all little girls become interested in ballet at some point. This book is a wonderful way to encourage and expand on that interest while your child is too young to actually begin training. The material in this book can help sustain an interest in ballet later on, either as a dancer or as a fan. It will certainly encourage everyone who reads it to see The Nutcracker performed again this holiday season.

Although the story is focused on Stephanie, she also dances with eleven year old Stephen in The Nutcracker. Other male figures include Shaun O'Brien who plays Drosselmeyer and Stephanie's teacher, David Richardson. So boys who are interested in ballet will also find role models here.

Overcome your misconceptions that being a child star is bad for children with this heart-warming book about learning, growing up, beauty, and sharing with others.

Inspiration can sometimes be difficult to find. If it is, look in quiet places. The brave are not always found in the spotlight, nor are they typical. They're the ones that see the cup as half full.

It is all, perhaps "one art" - mastering loss, mastering grief, self-mastery. Cheng has a familiarity with loss. She is blind and physically disabled, the obstacles she's had to endure enormous. Through years of physical pain during her childhood, she never lost her zest for life. The largest threat to her happiness was a system that wanted to separate a child from her mother. Juliet Cheng lost custody twice in America because she disagreed with the doctor's recommended treatments. "This would have ended my young life," Shirley says(52 Cheng). "They took me out of her loving arms and trapped me inside their gloomy hospital rooms in order to force the unwanted, harmful treatments on me" (52 Cheng).

Shirley Cheng cone again gives rise to and quickens reader's thoughts. Waking Spirit, Prose & Poems the Spirit Sings' combines her story with empowering poetry. This book matters because it reminds us to pay attention to the simple gifts of life. All we need is a little inspiration from the brave who've endured extraordinary hurdles, and then whisper the secret to how they did it. That is what readers will find in this book. Warm, luminous, and an easy pleasure.

Shirley received Honorable Mention in the poetry category of the New York Festival Competition. She has also been a finalist in the national Indie Excellence 2007 Book Awards.

If you enjoy reading the thoughts of someone who has confronted her own mortality, pain, and flawed body at a young age to emerge as a spiritual champion who "sees" the beauty around her, you'll love this book. One of Shirley Cheng's inspirations is that there are always those who have more problems than she does. If you draw from that lesson, you'll be counting your blessings all day long . . . and seeing the spiritual beauty of life, as well.

In the essays in Waking Spirit, Ms. Cheng recounts her spiritual journey in a way that would move a boulder to dance.

Her happiness is so pervasive that you may at first not be able to tune into it. Through a combination of essays, aphorisms, poems and haikus, you'll find yourself moving up in spiritual blessedness from this uplifting volume.

Here's one of my favorite inspirational aphorisms:

"Don't live each day as though it is your last; live each day as though it is your first."

Here's one of the haikus I found lightened my mood:

"Upon white bellies
Into waters penguins slide
Dressed in tuxedos"

Some of the proceeds from the book go to Christian Blind Mission International and Be the Star You Are!

So do yourself and those charities a favor by buying and being buoyed by this delightful book.

Shirley will grab your heart with the first pages of this wonderful book and keep you involved with the way she has with words. She is one of those angels that tip toes up behind you and just says "hello." You will not be sorry you picked up this book, you will be purchasing it for gifts for your friends and family. Inspiration is what makes the world go round and she has plenty to share with everyone. Thank you Shirley for sharing your gifts with all of us.

WAKING SPIRIT is a winner of the prestigious AVATAR AWARD for EXCELLENCE IN SPIRITUAL LITERATURE! As a member of the award committee I had the pleasure of reviewing Shirley's book. Shirley is a shining star in a world in need of light. Her writing is straight forward,inspirational and uplifting. To read Shirley's writing is to dance with life. For her, there is truly no mountain high enough. Rejoice in her poetry, essays and insights for her writing is a gift from whatever you call the Universal Spirit of Love.

Waking Spirit: Prose & Poems the Spirit Sings is an emotional journey into the heart of a young woman who has faced seemingly insurmountable obstacles, yet has risen far above them in courage and perseverance. A combination of thoughtful, emotional prose, sweet poetry and spirited haiku, this book can't help but make the reader feel powerful.

Waking Spirit begins with a foreword by Cynthia Brian, a New York Times bestselling author who met Shirley during a radio interview. It then takes you through a delightful concoction of stories and poetry, interspersed with "A Moment with Shirley"--an inspirational message for the reader.

I was drawn to the stories most of all, to that rare insight into the mind of an author who "dances" with joy in her heart. The stories of her relationship with her mother are compelling, although I know that they suffered many tragedies together and were separated for lengths of time by government policy. But they have conquered all! And that is what this book is really about. Conquering disease and not allowing it to hold you back. Overcoming obstacles of every shape and form so that one can reach his or her dreams.

Certainly each of us could learn from Shirley Cheng, a young woman who is blind and suffers from severe juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. She may be confined to a wheelchair in body, but her spirit soars far above, free and unhindered by negativity or pain. I have had the honor of calling her a friend for a number of years, and although we have never met in person, she has truly touched my life by her old-soul wisdom, which is far beyond her years. Shirley Cheng has delivered another work that is sure to inspire all ages, nationalities, whether abled, disabled or ultra-abled. I recommend Waking Spirit for anyone who needs a boost of encouragement or hope.

~ Cheryl Kaye Tardif is a freelance journalist, book reviewer and the author of three mystery novels set in Canada--Divine Intervention, The River and the bestselling novel Whale Song.

Wonderful read for the whole family. This is a book we look forward to reading to our little one, over and over. The art work is fantastic, the words are entertaining and has a section at the end of the book to educate about all the cycles of water. Do not hesitate to add this to your library!

Thomas Locker's beautiful oil paintings make "Water Dance" a work of art and a wonderful way for kids to learn about the water cycle.I decided to see what's out there for kids about water and began with "Water Dance," "Where the River Begins," and "Cloud Dance," all by Locker. I fell in love with his art and . . . also bought "Sky Tree" and several others.
I just published a review of approximately 20 kids water books titled "Teaching Children about the Hydrologic Cycle." To read, go to www.ndwc.wvu.edu and click on the current issue of "On Tap," a magazine about drinking water in small communities.

This is probably one of the most useful books I have come across in recent years. It is a delight to the ear and the eye. The author teaches us the story of water, or more specifically, the water cycle. He does this with simple, lyrical prose and combines this with some wonderful, original art. The paintings in this book are breath taking. This is a wonderful way to teach children about rain, water, streams, lakes and nature. It can be read to the class and then discussed page by page (it is amazing to hear the comments of the children)and at the same time each painting can be admired and discussed. I have watched our art teachers use this one in class as well as the reading teachers. But just as importantly, I have observed quite a number of children just setting along, reading and carefully studying the pictures. (I must admit to picking up this one my self, quite often, and just gazing at the wonderful art). This is a pretty good indorsement for any children's book. This is certainly one that should be added to any children's library, either at home or at school. Highly recommend this one.

I bought this book as a gift for my friend's son. He wanted to read over and over again for days (and it looks like this will continue for some time!) The pictures are absolutely beautiful, the poetry soothing, inspiring and educational, and this 3-year-old insists on reading the scientific explanations at the end of the book every time. I can't imagine a child (or an adult!) who wouldn't enjoy it!

This review is by way of one of my 3rd grade students, who said that "this book is so beautiful that it make my heart hurt." After looking at the pictures and reading the wonderful descriptive phrases, I had to agree with her. It has become a favorite book to read when I need to quiet my classes down--and invariably, at least one student asks for the name and author so that they, too, can own it.

Roy G. Williams and Terrence E. Deal are an incredible duo to describe the intricacies of effective management and leadership in all organizations. Their insight and experience is particularly helpful in the leadership realm of public education. "Discovering your opposite" is a unique perception to reflect on one's own view of leadership. As a public school administrator, we seldom take the time to reflect on our lenses of leadership. The need to identify a balance in our manager/leader role is essential as pointed through their examples of current leaders among us: Rudy Giuliani, Donald Burr and Hillary Clinton. Their case studies were not only interesting, but relevant to the four leadership styles of a Rationalist, Politicist, Humanist and Culturist. What a wonderfully positive way to imagine the flow of effective school leadership! Williams and Deal allow me to define my current leadership tendencies and discover where I wish to develop into my "dance of school leadership".

In over 40 years of leadership and management covering manufacturing, textiles, furniture, municipalities and hospitals, this book is the clearest, most effective management/leadership book ever. Takes Dr. Deals' book to new and exciting directions. Predict great things for this effort. What is next?

This book should be mandatory reading for every MBA candidate. Boards of directors across the country are wondering why their best and brightest can't get the job done. The answer, in many cases, is that there are too many managers and not enough leaders. Dr. Williams and Dr. Deal provide an interesting and insightful examination of that issue.

Expert educators Roy Williams (Adjunct Professor of Leadership, Vanderbilt's Peabody College) and Terrence Deal (University of Southern California) combine their considerable expertise and experience in When Opposites Dance: Balancing The Manager And The Leader Within, to knowledgeably examine the four natural styles of managing and leading (rational, political, humanist, and culturist) and explore how to balance managerial tendencies against the needs of workers within the context of current and volatile situations for optimum productivity. An exceptionally well written, personality examining, and goal-oriented self-help aid, When Opposites Dance is very highly recommended reading for corporate managers and executive policy makers.

The path to the publisher's door is crowded with authors anxious to reveal "the way" to develop strong leaders and effective managers. Most offer guides that are unreadable beyond page 50 because they reveal nothing more than a reshuffled list of the habits of successful CEO's or a new George Patton story. A generic title could be: "I Am Publishing This So I Won't Perish".

Professors Williams and Deal have broken out of the pack with "When Opposites Dance". What is new is the combination of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and Deal's "Cognitive Frames" - with a bit of Jungian psychology - to explain the importance of a manager achieving a balance between the Adam and Eve in his life. The clear logic of the premise will allow the most combat-hardened military leader to begin to look for his feminine side without cringing.

What really sets this book apart is its readability. The use of twelve well-known Americans as illustrative examples (college freshmen will recognize most of the names) will hold the reader's interest. If you are seeking to develop your own management/leadership style, and particularly if you are training others in the art, buy this book.

Military Leadership Instructor

I just finished this book and am amazed at how it touched my spirit!! This book is a book that should be read more than once because it is so soul enriching! I would love to see this as a movie- and I cannot wait for its sequel!

This book was given to me as a gift. At first, I was bit apprehensive and was reluctant to read the book. Once I picked it up I could not put it down. It made me laugh, it made me cry and it made me think about all of the possibilities of my own existence. I will read it again in about a month because I want to catch everything I missed. It moved my spirit.

I finished the book in record time and I must say I was enjoying it so much that I was sorry when it ended. Nekesa Sepiwe is truly a gifted writer! What a great story and what beautiful use of language! Romance, intrigue, spirituality, cultural diversity... she covered it all!

It is seldom that I am so engrossed in a book that I even read it before going to work in the morning. This book had me reading every waking moment that I could spare. Given the way it ended I suspect that there will be a sequel about the four Sisters. I can hardly wait!

Thanks for a wonderful experience! I look forward to having this author at our next Book Club Meeting.

This book is a page turner, a mystical roller coaster ride filled with drama, well developed characters and humor. A rich journey woven into the cultural tapestry of other worldly adventure that pulls you in for keeps. Nekesa Sepiwe's story telling is magnetic. I can't wait for her next book.

Martine L. Hubbard-Helwig, a book lover, and artist, March 20, 2006,
A wonderful journey of the soul...
When Rivers Dance Like Promises is a must read for those who are looking for a wonderful story filled with metaphors for lifes' lessons, while exploring some of the mysticism of African culture the connection of the soul's need to discover purpose and the power of love to heal generations in an instant! It is a wonderful story that had me on the edge of my seat at times, meditative at times, emotional at times thinking of my own personal journey as I journey with the characters portrayed in the story. The metaphors are clever and thought provoking, sometimes mini parables...adding a richness that can be applied to one's own life. Worth the read.