Dancing is such a joyous form of self-expression and these illustrated dance books reflect that. Whether it’s salsa, hip-hop, ballet, tribal and ethnic dance, or tap dancing, there’s a book for everyone. If you’re looking for dance books for seniors, you can also check out my list of dance chapter books and middle grade books.
Best Picture Books About Dance
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You are reading: Picture books about dancing
bun heads
Published: September 29, 2020
From prima ballerina and new york times bestselling author misty copeland comes the story of a young misty, who discovers her love of dance through ballet coppélia, a story about a toymaker who devises an evil plan to bring a doll to life. Misty is so captivated by the story and her heroine, Swanilda, that she decides to audition for the part. but she has never danced ballet before; in fact, this is the first day of her first dance class! although misty is excited, she is also nervous. but as she learns from her peers, she makes wonderful friends who encourage her to do her best. Misty’s nerves quickly subside, and with a little teamwork, the bunheads put on a show to remember. Featuring stunning artwork from newcomer setor fiadzigbey, bunheads is an inspiring story for anyone seeking the courage to try something new.
forest dance
Published: September 28, 2021
the moose plays the cello. the deer, violin. And it’s one-two-three, one-two-three, time to start! Destined to be a read-aloud favorite, Forest Dance is a mystical, dancing story from beloved author and illustrator Sandra Boynton, and a magical book to share with a magical child. The forest animals hear the call of the fox’s bugle to join the forest dance in a moonlit glade, dancing the night away to the music of the forest dance trio. As the animals go to bed, the trio play one last piece to welcome the sun. a charming and lyrical way to end or start the day.
parker shines: another extraordinary moment
Published: November 2, 2021
parker curry loves being a big sister. she plays dress up with her little sister, ava de ella, and the piano with her little brother, cash. And Parker loves to dance, spin, jump, and spin for joy.
But when a dancer joins her class and needs her help, Parker wonders if she has what it takes to be not only a true dancer, but a true friend as well.
flora and the flamingo
Published: February 5, 2013
In this innovative wordless picture book with interactive flaps, Flora and her dashing Flemish friend explore the trials and joys of friendship through an elaborate synchronized dance. With a twist, a turn, and even a flop, these unlikely friends finally learn to dance together in perfect harmony. Full of humor and heart, this impressive performance (and a striking ending!) will have readers clapping for more of this hilarious flamingo story.
stomp, wiggle, clap and dance: my first dance book
Published: May 24, 2022
shake, rattle and roll with this fun dance book for toddlers
Toddlers are natural dancers and love to move! channel the energy of young children and help them develop balance, coordination and control with the help of this engaging option for dance books for toddlers. moving along with the story will help stimulate little brains and provide a fun and creative way to develop spatial awareness. Tons of colorful pictures give young children visual cues for moves, and rhyming words make reading aloud feel like music.
- Movement and Motor Skills: Little ones will begin isolating individual body parts, such as hands, hips, arms, and toes.
- Dancing Dynamics: Toddlers will use their imaginations to dance the rearing pony, flapping chicken, and spinning pinwheel.
- Keep the fun going: Explore a list of online dance videos and resources to help them keep moving forward and developing even when the book is finished.
Set the stage for an active childhood with this outstanding book for young children!
I will dance
Published: May 26, 2020
Like many young girls, Eva longs to dance. But unlike many aspiring dancers, Eva has cerebral palsy. she doesn’t know what dancing is like for someone who uses a wheelchair.
Eva then finds out about a place that has created a class for dancers of all levels. Her first moves in the studio are tentative, but with the support of her instructor and her peers, Eva gains more confidence. Ella Eva Ella knows that she has found a place where she belongs. her dream of dancing has finally come true.
guys let’s dance!
Published: September 22, 2020
Boys who love to dance take center stage in this lively, positive, rhyming book about boys who love to do pirouettes, jeté, and plié. Created in partnership with the American Ballet Theater and with input from her company’s male dancers, here’s a book that shows ballet is for everyone. Written by the acclaimed author of A Is For Audra – Subtly Seeks To Address Prejudice towards children and ballet by showing the skill, hard work, strength, and intelligence it takes to be a dancer. The fun and lively illustrations feature children of a variety of ages and ethnicities, making this the ideal book for any child who loves dance. An afterword with photos and interviews with some of ABT’s male dancers completes this picture book full of power and joy.
dancing with oti: the jive bird
Published: May 27, 2021
there are many children in oti’s dance class, and also many feelings. Meet fikile with her shiny new shoes and naira who is super excited to get started! Gan is a little worried about joining while Martin can’t wait to show his parents what she can do. but in the middle of his dance routine, an unexpected visitor interrupts the class. there is no need to fear, oti is here! they soon return to normal, preparing for the performance of their lives.
princess naomi helps a unicorn
Published: May 11, 2021
unicorns and horses and snakes, oh my god!
interactive movement wrapped in a charming story of sibling heartbreak, anger management, compassion and triumph. adults sit down; children move and practice the fundamentals of dance. Fed up with her annoying sister, Naomi runs out of the castle, only to discover a unicorn in need of help. With a sense of purpose, she quickly forgets her anger.
this is part of the dance! series, pandemic creations of an award-winning dance teacher and her dancer daughter. Dancer Konora is attached to each page with instructions and photos to help readers learn the dance steps.
how to be a real dancer
Published: October 29, 2020
There is a lot to learn about being a dancer. it’s hard work and can seem silly at times. But when you walk out on stage, it’s like magic and fireworks and Christmas tree lights in your belly. From the team behind the bestselling All the Factors of Why I Love Tractors comes a daring story about discovering the joy of dancing.
let’s dance!
Published: March 3, 2020
See Also: Formula 1: The 10 best books to read in 2020
Tap, turn, turn, turn! With a musical text that she rhymes, author Valerie Bolling highlights dances from around the world, while Maine Diaz’s energetic art showcases all the moves and the diversity of people who perform them. From Cuba’s Cha Cha to Ireland’s Stepping, kids will want to jump, dip, and slide along with the dances on the page!
feel the beat
Published: March 7, 2017
Singer Marilyn has created a vibrant collection of poems celebrating all forms of social dance, from samba and salsa to tango and hip-hop. the rhythm of each poem mimics the beat of the dance steps. Along with Kristi Valent’s dynamic illustrations, the poems create a window into all the ways dance enters our lives and exists in many cultures. This clever collection will inspire readers to get up and move!
the electric slide and kai
Published: March 2, 2021
kai is the only member of his family who can’t do the dance steps right up to the electric slide. But Kai is determined to step up in this fun and sweet celebration of black families. Kai’s aunt is getting married, and everyone in the Donovan family is excited about the wedding…except Kai. The highlight of every Donovan occasion is dancing the electric slide, a wonderful line dance with footwork that Kai can’t understand. more than anything, he wants to prove that he can dance with the rest of his family and earn a cool nickname from his grandpa. Can Kai break his nerve and break him on the dance floor? Told with humor and heart by author Kelly J. Baptist and animated illustrations by debuting picture book artist Darnell Johnson, the Power Slide and Kai is a funky celebration with all the right moves!
ready to fly: how sylvia townsend became the dancer in the moving book
Published: January 28, 2020
Although there aren’t many ballet schools that take a girl like Sylvia in the 1950s, your local mobile library offers another possibility. Sylvia is helped by a librarian to find a book on ballet, and the determined seven-year-old, with the help of her new books, begins to teach herself the basics of classical ballet.
Soon Sylvia learns to fly, dance and dare to dream.
john’s turn
Published: February 24, 2022
today is john’s big day at school: a gift-sharing performance. his backpack is carefully packed and ready, his classmates are ready and the curtain is waiting to open. John is nervous, looking at all the other kids who stare back at him. but he takes a deep breath and begins. Mac Barnett’s compassionate text and Kate Berube’s understated, expressive art tell the story of a young boy who finds the courage to show others his talent for dancing.
how do you dance?
Published: August 6, 2019
A fun picture book that urges readers to dance, jump and shake, from the award-winning author of Alfie and Fraidyzoo There are so many ways to dance! you can shake or move or stomp. you can bop or bounce or go completely crazy. you can dance in the market or at the bus stop, with your fingers or with your face. you can dance because you are happy or even because you are sad. but what is the best way to dance? exactly how you want! In How Do You Dance?, award-winning author and illustrator Thyra Heder explores dance in all its creativity, humor, and most of all, joy, in a picture book that celebrates self-expression and will inspire young and adult readers alike. get up and get moving.
the crab ballet
Published: March 8, 2022
When the tide goes out, the curtain rises on this witty tale of a seaside sunset show starring the dancing crab divas and their aquatic dance troupe. a fantastically rhyming text takes readers through one seafoam dream act after another, from a gentle pas de deux seahorse to dramatic dolphin leaps beyond the spray.welcome. get into. sit right there. in our best driftwood chair. enjoy our show by the sea at sunset: our dancers are second to none. and French ballet terms. more oui!
swan: the life and dance of anna pavlova
Published: August 18, 2015
one night young anna’s mother takes her to the ballet and everything changes. Thus begins the journey of a girl who will one day grow up to become the most famous prima ballerina of all time, inspiring legions of dancers after her: the brave, the generous, the gifted Anna Pavlova. Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova is a heartbreakingly beautiful picture book perfect for aspiring dancers of all ages.
dancing with daddy
Published: December 1, 2021
Elsie is excited to go to her first father-daughter dance. she picked out her perfect dress and has been practicing spinning and balancing in her wheelchair. Elsie’s heart does somersaults as she prepares for her special night. With gestures, smiles and words from a book full of pictures, she shares her emotion with her family. But when a winter storm rolls in, she wonders if she’ll get a chance to twirl and dance to make a dream come true.
brontorine
Published: February 12, 2013
brontorina knows, deep in her heart, that she is destined to be a dancer. James Howe’s lovable dinosaur is of a size surpassed only by her determination, and a talent surpassed only by her charm. Accompanied by Randy Cecil’s seductive illustrations, here’s a compelling story that proves no problem is too big when the heart and imagination know no bounds.
the dance of all the bunnies
Published: January 17, 2017
The bunnies dance, play, sing, and make a new friend in this charming picture book from the author of Follow Me!, which School Library Magazine called “an enchanting selection fit for story time.” no one is watching. now is the perfect opportunity ready bunny, steady bunny, all bunnies dance! So begins a whimsical celebration of movement that will have kids jumping out of their seats to dance, play and sing with these cheerful bunnies and a not-so-scary fox. invited to join in this joyous display of playful creativity.
devi dancing
Published: February 22, 2022
devi knows she’s a good dancer. in fact, she is one of the best bharatanatyam dancers in her dance school. she so she gets very upset when she finds out that she has lost the big dance competition. her mother is a perfect dancer and devi must be too. Ella Devi promises to practice her facial expressions and her footwork until her dance is flawless, but no matter how much she practices, she keeps making mistakes. She accompanies Devi as she learns that failure is an important part of learning and growing.
b is for ballet: a dance alphabet
Published: September 22, 2020
a is for arabesque, b is for baryshnikov, and c is for coppélia in this beautifully illustrated, rhyming, alphabetized picture book filled with ballet stars, dances, positions, and terminology. Written by the acclaimed author of A is for Audra: Broadway’s Leading Ladies from A to Z, the dazzlingly creative wordplay forms an elegant pas de deux with the graceful swooping lines and rich color of the sumptuous illustrations. In association with American Ballet Theatre, this is the perfect gift for any ballet aficionado, from children just beginning to dance to adults who avidly follow this graceful art form.
fire bird
Published: September 4, 2014
In her first picture book, Misty Copeland tells the story of a girl, one of all girls, whose confidence is fragile and who questions her own ability to reach the heights that Misty has. misty encourages this young woman’s faith in herself and shows her exactly how, through her hard work and dedication, she too can become a bird of fire. for aspiring dancers from all over the world.
pete the cat and cool boogie cat
Published: May 9, 2017
Put on your dancing shoes: Pete is ready to dance!
pete is learning a new dance: the cool cat boogie! when he hears a wonderful rhythm, he is full of happiness at his feet. but when grumpy toad tells him, “pete, you dance all wrong!” Pete is determined to become a better dancer.
See Also: Owen Laukkanen – Book Series In Order
With the help of his friends and a few words of wisdom from Owl, Pete discovers that he’s more fun when he’s himself. Includes step-by-step dance steps so readers can dance along with Pete!
zombelina
Published: July 9, 2013
zombelina loves to dance. she moonwalks with mummies and boogies with bats. she spins like a wraith and glides like a ghost and loves to dance for her family. When Zombelina signs up for a real girl ballet class, her dancing gives everyone the creeps! But when her first recital causes a case of stage fright, her zombie moans and ghoulish growls scare her audience away. only the cheers of her devoted family, in her special spooky way, help zombelina dance the ballet debut of her dreams.
a dance like starlight: the dreams of a ballerina
Published: January 2, 2014
A story of little ballerinas with big dreams.Little ballerinas have big dreams. dreams of pirouettes and big jets, dreams of attending the best ballet schools and dancing leading roles on stage. But in 1950s Harlem, dreams don’t always come true: they take hard work and a lot of hope. and sometimes hope is hard to come by. But the first black prima ballerina, janet collins, made her dreams come true. And those dreams inspired dancers everywhere, showing them that the color of her skin couldn’t keep her from becoming a star. In a lyrical tale as beautiful as a pointe dance, Kristy Dempsey and Floyd Cooper tell the story of a little ballerina who was inspired by Janet Collins to make her own dreams come true.
jazz baby
Published: November 1, 2007
With a simple clap, a little beboppin makes his whole family sing and dance. the sister’s hands snap. grandma sings scat. Uncle-soft shoes-and the baby keeps up. things start to wind down when mom and dad sing the blues so sweet. now a perfectly numb baby sleeps deep, deep, deep. lisa wheeler and r. Gregory Christie come together for a celebration of music, imagination and large families, but they know that even a jazz baby needs sleep. oh yes.
I’m a dancer!
Published: July 14, 2015
A little girl invites us to her ballet class and then performs onstage (gulp!) in her first recital. young readers will enjoy seeing what happens in a class, and young dancers will see themselves in this book.
drums on our feet
Published: October 30, 2006
“informative passages and lyrical verse explore the history and rhythmic qualities of traditional African dance as it was performed long ago and today. note on harlem-based batoto yetu african dance company, photos and map in background,” provided by the publisher. Informative passages and lyrical verse explore the history and rhythmic qualities of traditional African dance as it was performed long ago and today.
I got the groove
Published: June 3, 2014
On a simple trip to the park, the joy of music takes over a mother and her daughter. the girl hears a rhythm coming from the world around her: from butterflies, street performers and ice cream vendors, everything is musical! she sniffs, snaps and shakes her way into the heart of the beat, finally exploding into an impromptu dance, which all the kids join in on! Award-winning illustrator Frank Morrison and Connie Schofield-Morrison capture the rhythm of the street to create a fun read that will make any child want to dance.
brave dancer: the story of janet collins
Published: January 8, 2019
janet collins wanted to be a dancer in the 1930s and 1940s, a time when racial segregation was widespread in the united states. Ella Janet Ella pursued dance with a passion, despite being rejected from discriminatory dance schools. When she was accepted into the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo as a teenager on the condition that she paint her skin white for performances, Janet refused. she continued to pursue her dreams, not compromising her values along the way. From her earliest childhood lessons to the height of her success as the Metropolitan Opera’s first African-American prima ballerina, Brave Ballerina is the story of a remarkable trailblazer as told by Michelle Meadows, with stunning illustrations by Ebony Glenn. /p>
dancing on the wings
Published: September 1, 2000
sassy worries that her feet are too big, her legs are too long and even her big mouth is keeping her from fulfilling her dream of becoming a star dancer. she so she for now she is just dancing backstage, watching from behind the curtain and hoping one day it will be her turn to shine under the spotlight. When the director of a major dance festival shows up to audition for her class, Sassy’s first attempts to get her attention are, well, a little hesitant. but she sassy just knows, somehow, that this is her time to step out of those wings and make her mark on the world. Actress/choreographer debbie allen and kadir nelson collaborated on brothers of the knight, about which the school library journal > raved, “brothers who strut and take high steps are full of individuality, attitude, and movement.”
kitchen dance
Published: October 6, 2008
A girl wakes up in the night to mysterious and welcoming noises. she wakes her brother up, they sneak downstairs and peek into the kitchen. To her amazement and delight, her parents dance and sing: “How I love you! oh, how I love you!” —while cleaning and putting away the food. mom and dad discover the two boys and hug them at a family dance. slowly, the song changes to a lullaby. . . children close their eyes sleepily. . . then mom and dad put them back in bed.
history reads like poetry. the art transitions from subdued tones to warm tropical colors and vice versa. And as you turn the pages, you can almost hear the music, changing from a pop ballad to a hot tango to a cozy lullaby. All in all, it’s a perfect bedtime book, with a satisfying hugs and kisses ending.
dancing feet!
Published: February 16, 2011
click! click! long green feet! who’s dancing to that clickity beat? lizard is dancing with clickity feet. click! click! happy Feet! Introducing a book for young children on how to get up and dance, so catchy and rhythmic, you’ll almost want to sing along. , a sing-song rhythm, and a guessing element easy enough for preschoolers to anticipate. Marc Brown’s artwork is bright, textured and playful, a collage of simple shapes for children to find and name.
this is
Published: February 6, 2018
Daria Peoples-Riley’s first illustrated book is a celebration of individuality, self-expression and dance. Fans of Misty Copeland’s Firebird and Matt De La Peña’s Last Stop on Market Street will want to read it again and again.
When a young dancer is nervous about her upcoming auditions, her shadow comes to life and leads her on a joyous exploration of her city. Soon enough, the young woman finds confidence in her abilities, her body, and her ability to shine.
With energetic, rhythmic text that begs to be read aloud and striking, exuberant art, this is a love story of originality and the simple joy of movement.
The future is in your steps.
freedom is at your feet.
put one foot in front of the other,
and say hello to your destiny.
farm rhythm
Published: May 31, 2012
Author Lindsey Craig joins Arthur’s creator and best-selling artist Marc Brown in a farmyard dance-a-thon perfect for read-alouds for toddlers and preschoolers. as soon as the sun goes down, the animals get up! (“Sheep can’t sleep! Sheep can’t sleep! Sheep can’t sleep because they have that beat!”) Before long, there’s a giant dance party in the yard, complete with fun animal sounds. But what happens when all the fuss wakes up Farmer Sue? Here’s a colorful bedtime story that begs to be read aloud.
there they are: more than 30 illustrated books on dance. which of these have you read and loved? Which ones did I miss?
See Also: Robin McKinley – Book Series In Order
more picture book lists
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