Eight brilliant books about music and dance

My two children’s books, I Am Nefertiti and Dance Just Like So!, illustrated by Natelle Quek, both celebrate dance, music and rhythm, through characters of all ages, as ways to express ourselves, celebrate our uniqueness, and come together in community, working and playing. Here are some of my favourite children’s books celebrating dance and music.

It’s great to see children’s books that celebrate dance from different cultural points of view. The Twirly Wiggly Dance by Farrah Riaz and Navya Raju is set around a Muslim wedding, so readers can learn about the associated customs whilst enjoying this warm story about a little girl, Intisar, who is feeling the pressure to perfect her role in the group dance being performed as part of the celebrations. Intisar just can’t get one of the moves right, but with the support of her family she realises that being herself and having fun is more important than being perfect. 

Ballet with Heart is a beautiful tale from Emily Joof and Sawyer Cloud, which centres two siblings who start ballet classes together. Ella is shy but her brother Louis thrives in this new setting, to the dismay of onlookers. The class has a rich diverse mix of children and teachers who work together to rehearse and perform The Nutcracker. The children learn that despite nerves and shyness, doing your best and enjoying yourself is what counts most. The back of the book also includes different ballet positions and biographies of ballet dancers of colour to inspire young dancers. 

Dogs Don’t Do Ballet is a classic from Anna Kemp and Sara Ogilvie, which went on to become a theatrical puppet show, in this story we meet Biff, a dog who dares to be different. Despite the constant refrain, ​“dogs don’t do ballet,” Biff perseveres with his dream to accompany his owner to dance class and become a ballerina, and proves everybody wrong in the end. Inspiring and uplifting, with gorgeous illustrations. 

Kitchen Disco is a bright, zany, feel-good celebration of throwing off our inhibitions and just getting in the groove! Readers are invited into the secret world of the fruit bowl at night, as the apples and pears strut their stuff and show off their dance moves while the humans are sleeping. Followed by the equally brilliant Bathroom Boogie! Both stories have a catchy chorus readers can join in with, and they’re great for reading aloud any time of the day… or night! 

Luna Loves Dance by Joseph Coelho and Fiona Lumbers. Luna is a girl after my own heart. When she dances, she’s taken to her happy place; transported to a bright, sparkling world full of joy! But then she takes her dance exam and makes a mistake, which plants a seed of self-doubt that grows and threatens to overcome the joy she gets from dancing. She’ll need the help of her supportive family to rediscover her love for dance.

Celebrating many cultures and styles of dance, this is an uplifting story from the popular Luna Loves series, showing just how universal our connection with the joy of dance is. The illustrations are so vibrant – I especially love the fold-out carnival page! 

Another story about losing ourselves in the joy of the dance rather than focussing too much on doing it ​‘right’, is Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andrae, a staple on children’s book shelves for an incredible 25 years!

Gerald the giraffe really wants to go to the Jungle Dance with all the other animals, but he just gets in a tangle when he tries to tango. However, when Gerald lets go and just tunes in to his own rhythm, he finds he can dance in his own unique, perfect way. A celebration of being yourself and being swept up in the joy of dancing. 

A Dancer’s Dream by Katherine Woodfine and Lizzy Stewart is a gorgeously illustrated tale based on the true story behind the classic Nutcracker ballet. Full of sparkling snow and magic, this story of shy, sensitive Stana facing her nerves and dealing with the pressure of being in the spotlight whilst following her dreams is the perfect story to cosy up with on a chilly autumn evening. 

And for older readers, One Chance Dance by Efua Traore is a compelling adventure story of friendship, perseverance and dance set in Nigeria.

Jomi has become estranged from his mother, who left when he was young to make a new life for them in Lagos. He hasn’t seen her since and something inside him is aching for them to be reunited. He sees his opportunity to reach out to her via a TV dance competition that he knows his mum loves to watch. Things are not going well until Jomi meets a group of kids who just might be able to help him, if they can work together.

Hugely engaging, and packed with peril, humour, hope and emotion, rich in African culture and colour, this is a vivid and unputdownable novel.