Children’s Books
Recommendations from Ms. Linda of Unreasonable Joy
KEY:
| ☼ = Especially attractive pictures |
| Ẅ = Especially fun words |
| ± = Appeals to multiple age groups |
| ♫ = Includes a CD |
Dance Picture Books for the Youngest Dancers (Ages 1-4)
- Boynton, Sandra. Barnyard Dance! 1993. Ẅ UJoy POST
- Carle, Eric. From Head to Toe. 1999. UJoy POST
- Cronin, Doreen. Wiggle. Illus. Scott Mechin. 2005.
- Falwell, Cathryn. Shape Space. 1992.
- Geras, Adèle. Time for Ballet. Illus. Shelagh McNicholas. 2003.
- Graves, Keith. Frank was a Monster Who Wanted to Dance. 2006. Ẅ UJoy POST
- Gauch, Patricia Lee. Dance, Tanya. Illus. Satomi Ichikawa. 1989. ☼
- Helldorfer, M.C. Got to Dance. Illus. Hiroe Nakata. 2004. Ẅ ☼ UJoy POST
- Mahy, Margaret. The Man from the Land of Fandango. Illus. Polly Dunbar. 2012. Ẅ ☼ ±
- Manning, Maurie J. Kitchen Dance. 2008. ☼
- Pilobolus. The Human Alphabet. Photos. John Kane. 2005. ☼ UJoy POST
- Schaefer, Carole Lexa. Dragon Dancing. Illus. Pierr Morgan. 2007. ±
- Shannon, George. Dance Away. Illus. Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey. 1991. Ẅ ±
- Sís, Peter. Ballerina! 2001. Ẅ
Dance Picture Books for Lower Grade School Dancers (Ages 5-8)
- Asch, Frank and Devin Asch. Like a Windy Day. 2002. Ẅ ☼
- Baryshnikov, Mikhail. Because… . Illus. Vladimir Radunsky. 2007. Ẅ
- Bonwill, Ann. Naughty Toes. Illus. Teresa Murfin. 2011.
- Boynton, Sandra. Philadelphia Chickens: A Too-Illogical Zooilogical Musical Revue.
2002. Ẅ ± ♫
- Dillon, Leo & Diane. Rap a Tap Tap: Here’s Bojangles–Think of That! 2002. Ẅ ☼ ± UJoy POST
- Durango, Julia. Cha-Cha Chimps. Illus. Eleanor Taylor. 2006. Ẅ UJoy POST
- Gauch, Patricia Lee. Bravo, Tanya. Illus. Satomi Ichikawa. 1992. ☼
- Tanya and Emily in a Dance for Two. 1994. ☼
- Tanya Steps Out. 1996. ☼
- Tanya and the Magic Wardrobe. 1997. ☼
- Presenting Tanya, the Ugly Duckling. 1999. ☼
- Tanya and the Red Shoes. 2002. ☼
- Gruska, Denise. The Only Boy in Ballet Class. 2007.
- Kinerk, Robert. Clorinda. Illus. Steven Kellogg. 2003. Ẅ ☼
- King, Stephen Michael. Milli, Jack, and the Dancing Cat. 2003.
- Isadora, Rachel. Lili at Ballet. 1993. ☼
- Lili on Stage. 1995. ☼
- Lili Backstage. 1997. ☼
- My Ballet Class. 1980. ☼
- On Your Toes: A Ballet ABC. 2003. ☼
- Jones, Bill T. and Susan Kuklin. Dance! With Bill T. Jones. Photos. Susan Kuklin. 1998. Ẅ ±
- Maccarone, Grace. Miss Lina’s Ballerinas. Illus. Christine Davenier. 2010. Ẅ
- Miss Lina’s Ballerinas and the Prince. 2011. Ẅ
- Miss Lina’s Ballerinas and the Wicked Wish. 2012.
- Roberts, Brenda C. Jazzy Miz Mozetta. Illus. Frank Morrison. 2004.
- Singer, Marilyn. Tallulah’s Tutu. Illus. Alexander Boiger. 2011. Ẅ ☼
- Tallulah’s Solo. 2012. Ẅ ☼
- Tallulah’s Toe Shoes. 2013. Ẅ ☼
- Tallulah’s Nutcracker. 2013. Ẅ ☼
- Stringer, Lauren. When Stravinsky Met Nijinsky: Two artists, their ballet,
and one extraordinary riot. 2013. Ẅ ☼ ±
Picture Books of Famous Ballets
- Ellison, Nancy. Swan Lake. Photos Nancy Ellison : Text Amy Ephron. 2000.
- Fonteyn, Margot. Coppélia. Illus. Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. 1998.
- Hoffmann, E.T.A. Nutcracker. Illus. Maurice Sendak. Trans. Ralph Manheim. 1984.
- Hollyer, Belinda. Stories from the Classical Ballet. Intro. & Performance Notes: Irina Baronova.
Illus. Sophy Williams. 1995.
- Isadora, Rachel. Swan Lake. 1991. ☼
- Jeffers, Susan. The Nutcracker. 2007. ☼ UJoy POST
- Newman, Barbara. The Illustrated Book of Ballet Stories. Illus. Gill Tomblin. 1997. ♫
Picture Book Biographies or Books Featuring Famous Dancers, Choreographers & Companies
- Dempsey, Kristy. A Dance Like Starlight. Illus. Flloyd Cooper. 2014. Ẅ ☼
- Dillon, Leo & Diane. Rap a Tap Tap: Here’s Bojangles–Think of That! 2002. Ẅ ☼ ± UJoy POST
- Greenberg, Jan, and Sandra Jordan. Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring.
Illus. Brian Floca. 2010. UJoy POST
- Jones, Bill T. and Susan Kuklin. Dance! With Bill T. Jones. Photos. Susan Kuklin. 1998. Ẅ
- Keeler, Patricia A. and Júlio T. Leitão. Drumbeat in our Feet. Illus. Patricia A. Keeler. 2006.
- Orgill, Roxane. Footwork: The Story of Fred and Adele Astaire. Illus. Stéphane Jorisch. 2007.
- Pilobolus. The Human Alphabet. Photos. John Kane. 2005. ☼ UJoy POST
- Pinkney, Andrea Davis. Alvin Ailey. Illus. Brian Pinkney. 1995. ☼ UJoy POST
- Powell, Patricia Hruby. Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker.
Illus. Christian Robinson. 2014.
- Reich, Susanna. José! Born to Dance: The Story of José Limón. Illus. Raul Colón. 2005. ☼
- Schubert, Leda. Ballet of the Elephants. Illus. Robert Andrew Parker. 2006. ☼
- Stringer, Lauren. When Stravinsky Met Nijinsky: Two artists, their ballet,
and one extraordinary riot. 2013. Ẅ ☼ ±
- Winter, Jonah. Jazz Age Josephine. Illus. Marjorie Priceman. 2012. Ẅ ☼
Non-Fiction “Behind-the-Scenes” Books with Photographs ±
- Bussell, Darcey. The Young Dancer. 1994.
- Dowd, Olympia. A Young Dancer’s Apprenticeship: On Tour with the Moscow City Ballet. 2003.
- Gladstone, Valerie. A Young Dancer: The Life of an AILEY Student. Photos. José Ivey. 2009.
- Krementz, Jill. A Very Young Dancer. 1976.
- McMahon, Patricia. Dancing Wheels. Photos. John Godt. 2000.
- Spatt, Leslie E. Behind the Scenes at the Ballet: Rehearsing and Performing
The Sleeping Beauty. 1995.
- Varriale, Jim. Kids Dance: The Students of Ballet Tech. 1999.
Quality Non-Fiction / Reference Books on Dance and Related Subjects
- Johnson, Anne Akers and Robin Stoneking. Braids and Bows. Klutz Press, 1992.
- Johnson, Anne Akers. Hair: A Book of Braiding and Styles.
Photos: Peter Fox and Thomas Heinser. Klutz Press, 1995.
- Klutz Press. Face Painting. 2002 or 2012. Spiral Book with Face Paints.
- Mack, Lorrie. Dance: From ballet to breakin’–step into the dazzling world of dance. 2012.
Even More Dance-Inspired Books for a Home Library
- Brisson, Pat. Tap Dance Fever. Illus. Nancy Cole. 2005.
- Carrier, Lisa and Lenore Hart. T.Rex at Swan Lake. Illus. Chris Demarest. 2004.
- Shulman, Lisa. Over the Meadow at the Big Ballet. Illus. Sarah Massini. 2007.
- Smith Jr., Charles R. Dance with Me. Illus. Noah Z. Jones. 2008. UJoy POST
- Warner, Sunny. Madison Finds a Line. 1999. Ẅ
- Winter, Ginny Linville. The Ballet Book: This is the way We learn ballet. 1971.
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