Brielle's Birthday Ball: A Dance-It-Out Creative Movement Story for Young Movers

by Once Upon A Dance, Stella Mongodi (Illustrator)

Overview

A delightful birthday adventure packed with movement concepts and subtle life lessons.

Each book in the Dance-It-Out! series is an independent story, and Brielle's Birthday Ball is the perfect series introduction, ideal for kids 4-7.

Ballerina Konora inspires kids to get up and moving on the imagination stage. Kids can bring out their own inner storyteller or follow Konora's suggested moves, designed by an award-winning dance instructor to develop body coordination, focus the breath, and explore dance fundamentals.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781955555005
Publisher:	Once Upon a Dance
Publication date:	08/14/2021
Series:	Dance-It-Out! Creative Movement Stories for Young Movers , #6
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.10(d)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Once Upon a Dance's mission is to provide kids movement, joy, and imagination through stories. Their catalog offers three main series: - Dance-It-Out Creative Movement Stories for Young Movers, for ages 4-7, offers the imagination 'stage' alongside whimsical characters in quirky stories with Ballerina Konora as an optional movement guide. - Dancing Shapes: Ballet and Body Awareness for Young Dancers, for ages 6-9, provides a glimpse into Ballerina Konora's journey, a warm-up, mini-ballet lesson, and an exploration of detail and form. - Ballet Inspiration and Choreography Concepts for Young Dancers, for ages 8+, looks at basic ballet technique, imparts dance wisdom, and discusses performance and choreographic aspects of dance. (coming 2022)The books are designed by a mother-daughter duo. Mom taught creative movement and ballet for decades and was recognized by her city council for "embodying the spirit of partnership and commitment to children in our community" for her work with young dancers. Daughter is professional ballerina.

Editorial Reviews

This whimsical tale of discovery is so full of joy and wonder. It also opens a door to dance in the most charming and accessible way. Readers of all ages will have a ball with Brielle and her friends. -Peter Boal, Pacific Northwest Ballet Artistic Director

Another wonderful journey into the imagination with Ballerina Konora, perfect for young dancers everywhere! -Reedsy

Families, educators, and dance teachers will love the myriad possibilities of this and the others in the canon of stories by Once Upon a Dance. These are excellent additions to library collections for elementary school-aged readers with a love of movement-based storytelling. -Mary Lanni, Independent Librarian/Reviewer

The illustrations are beautifully done and fit perfectly with the storyline. I thought Once Upon A Dance and Stella Mongodi have done an excellent job with this book, and I look forward to checking out their other books. -Readers' Favorite

From the Publisher

2021-07-21
A girl gets a magical birthday surprise in the newest movement-centered picture book from Once Upon a Dance.

Brielle is so excited for her birthday that she plans to get up early to have the longest day possible. A noise outside her bedroom door wakes her at 2 a.m., and she finds a mysterious gift: a magical birthday ball that transports her to a dance party on the moon. There, the Man in the Moon and his family serve delicious cupcakes and blue water, dancing with Brielle until she decides to go back home. When she wakes, she wonders if it was all a dream. It’s a whimsical adventure with no real conflict or message, but each page includes fun ideas for acting out the story, as ballerina Konora encourages readers to act out scenes using body movements. Sometimes these imitate the characters; others represent objects, such as the ball or fountain. Mongodi’s watercolor illustrations are eye-catching, and the small photos of movement positions are accompanied by text that’s slightly smaller than the story’s. Some positions aren’t pictured as clearly as readers might wish; the “monkey jump” is particularly hard to visualize. However, Konora’s encouraging tone stands out, showing kids that any movement can be part of a dance.

Another fun tale to act out in this series for youngsters.

Kirkus Reviews