Books About Dance and Ballet

Ballet Kids is a lovely story written by Holly Sterling. As a parent of a child who attends ballet lessons, each page really resonated, and I know my daughter will also love this story.

The book introduces us to Thomas as the main character as well as a range of his friends who go to the same ballet school. Technical dance vocabulary is introduced in a child-friendly way and images on both the front and back pages reinforce the ballet terminology with images. The story builds up to a performance of The Nutcracker by all the children with each page describing the dance moves and outfits needed for their final show.

It is a very inclusive story that breaks down gender stereotypes and the perfect story for any young child who loves to dance.

This is a popular picture book with a message about the right to follow individual choices even when it means opting to be different from others. Biff is not like ordinary dogs. Instead of chasing sticks and scratching his fleas, Biff likes moonlight, music and walking on tiptoes. Biff does not see himself as a dog but as a ballerina. Can he follow his dreams despite the way others see him? Dogs Don’t Do Ballet is an important story about allowing ourselves and others the freedom to express individual liberty.

‘The Bear Who Wanted to Dance’ is a beautifully crafted picture book that delivers a powerful message about self-acceptance, determination and celebrating individuality. At the heart of the story is Rita, a big bear with an even bigger dream – to become a ballerina. Talented, passionate and hardworking, Rita excels in her class – yet self-doubt creeps in when she compares her body to her peers and the dancers she sees in magazines.

Stansbie’s expressive and sensitive text addresses themes of body image and confidence with great care. Importantly, Rita’s success is not effortless; she practises diligently and earns her achievements, reinforcing a healthy message about perseverance and resilience. Wendy Warren’s debut illustrations are soft and full of movement.

The ballet details, including positions on the endpapers, add charm and interest. This uplifting story highlights the importance of friendship and encouragement, showing how supportive peers can help us find confidence in ourselves. Perfect for fans of ‘Giraffes Can’t Dance’, ‘Dogs Don’t Do Ballet’ and ‘Julian Is a Mermaid’, this picture book is an inspiring and comforting book that should be shared with all young readers (and some older ones too) – a joyful celebration of dancing to your own rhythm.

The Twirly Wiggly Dance invites the reader to share in the traditions associated with a Muslim wedding through the eyes of a small child called Intisar. She has been asked to be a part of a big group dance at the Walima, the final part of the wedding ceremony, a celebration party!

Intisar worries about getting the dance right, and this thread runs through the story as Intisar learns about each aspect of the celebration until the evening of the Walima, where Intisar has to decide whether to perform or watch the dance.

The story beautifully describes Muslim wedding traditions, and there is a short chapter at the end of the story which explains a little more about each tradition, relating it to the story itself.

The book would be perfect as part of a PSHE or RE topic around special times. It would also be a great resource to open up conversations around feeling worried or nervous about doing something new; Intisar overcomes her worries and inspires others to dance as a result!

Born to Dance, a story by Jean Ure, is part of a series of three books known as the Dance Trilogy. For fans of dance or ballet, this is an ideal book. It also explores themes of friendship and aspirations.

The story is based on the main character, Maddy, and her developing friendship with a new girl at her school – Caitlyn. Maddy is convinced that Caitlyn is a ballet dancer too but Caitlyn denies it. The story then follows Maddy as she discovers Caitlyn is a dancer and how their friendship develops as a result of it.

The characters in the book are relatable and children will enjoy reading this tale and seeing how the friendship between the two characters is formed over a common bond.

Star for a Day is a heartwarming dance-themed story for independent readers in Key Stage 2. Following two contrasting sisters auditioning for a TV talent show, it explores themes of jealousy and relationships while imparting an important lesson about staying true to oneself. The book is accessible, with a straightforward narrative that effortlessly engages young readers. Through well-developed characters, children will empathise with the sisters’ journey and the challenges they face.

This is a great introduction to short chapter books, particularly for children with an interest in magic, gymnastics and dance.

This fast-paced, illustrated chapter book is the first book in the Autumn Moonbeam series. It is a magical tale about a young witch who dreams of being part of the Sparkledale Dance Academy. She learns that Magical dance is not just about the moves, but about creating magical images, sounds and feelings to embellish each step. Autumn sees the world in a unique way and readers will be charmed by her from the start of the series.

The narrative is full of humour and is set in an adorably witchy world. The illustrations are enchanting and full of detail, helping young readers to enjoy the story and world further. A recommended must-read for any young child who enjoys fun, witches, magic, dance and humour.

For keen readers, another Autumn book called ‘Spooky Sleepover’ is also available.

Ballet Besties: Yara’s Chance to Dance is a delightful tale of friendship, determination, and the love of ballet. Yara is thrilled to join a new ballet class, finally learning in person rather than from videos. Her excitement is palpable as she makes new friends who share her passion. However, the story takes a dramatic turn when the formidable Mrs. C threatens to close down the beloved Shimmer and Shine Ballet School. Yara and her friends’ quest to save their ballet school is both heartwarming and inspiring, showing young readers the power of standing up for what they love. A book that younger readers won’t want to put down.

One of the greatest books of all time. I reread the story of Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil taking to the stage regularly. I love escaping into the warm, gentle world of these characters, the way you get to really enjoy backstage life, and how it celebrates young women with talent and ambition.

This theatrical classic, published nearly 90 years ago, tells the story of the three Fossil sisters, Paulina, Petrova and Posy. Each sister has their own talent – Pauline dreams of acting, Posy of dancing, and Petrova, anything to do with cars, planes and engines. When the sisters win places at Madame Fidelia’s Academy of Dancing and Stage Training, you’d think everything would be plain sailing. But no. All sorts of pitfalls await them. This is a wonderful book that is still inspiring authors and budding performers everywhere.

This first book by two members of the Diversity dance collective is about a group of high school students who dance and whose priority is to rehearse for an end-of-year talent show and win it.

However, challenges face them including fractions in the group and school staff who want to jeopardise them. The youngest member of the group, Jax, a year 7 (and smaller brother to the group’s leader, Trey) also faces the problem of being the least respected and the most ignored, even when he is sure that a green beam of light that flashed down from the school was not ‘just’ a drone. Jax undertakes some research and finds that similar incidences have occurred around the world, but still no one takes notice of him. At school, things start to seem a little odd, especially when the dinners are served frozen and one of the teachers starts to act strangely by writing on the walls.

Jax notices the presence of green vending machines, serving free coffee. He also knows that there are strange weather patterns, and that green hail will soon fall on their school. But still it seems to be nonsense to everyone else, who are still preoccupied by securing rehearsal space. And so the story builds as more teachers, parents and pupils start to act strangely. It is not until Jax disappears, that the gang have to come together to find their youngest dance member, save their friends, families, the school, and ultimately the world. Their athletic and dance skills are exactly what they need as they battle an enemy bigger than themselves.

Full of action, twists and turns, readers of the Crater Lake series by Jennifer Killick or Shiver Point by Gabriel Dylan will enjoy this book.

A superb read. This is a gripping and thought-provoking story exploring the experience of an eleven-year-old girl fleeing conflict in Syria. Aya’s tale is told with such compassion that takes the reader on a real empathy journey. No Ballet Shoes in Syria is an important story that is beautifully told with warmth and compassion.

A beautiful tale of love, determination and hope. Follow the adventures of Lizzie, her grandfather, Wai Gong, and her friends as they are determined to make it to the Tower Ballroom for afternoon tea – a gift from Lizzie’s late grandmother.

The characters represent a diverse community in Scotland all of whom are overcoming their own struggles and it soon becomes evident that Wai Gong needs more support than twelve-year-old Lizzie can provide.

This is an enjoyable and heart-warming read for Years 5 and 6. At times humourous and at others, deeply emotional, this dance-themed tale will warm your heart as you delve into the relationships between the different characters and discover how powerful kindness and a good support network can be.

Leo wants to talk, but he can’t. He has all the words, but fear means they won’t come out. When Risha moves in next door, he’s worried that when his new friend finds out his secret, he’ll be left alone again. But when he learns her secret, he hopes to help her and make her a permanent friend,

This book sensitively explains selective mutism for young (and older) readers. Told beautifully over a hot summer, we are let into the world of a young KS2 boy who is often treated as though he’s not there. He wants to participate in school activities and make friends, but anxiety stops him. As the story progresses, we’re taken on a journey as Leo takes steps to achieve his future dream of dancing in The Lion King. However, if his selective mutism stops him from dancing in the summer dance show how can he ever dance on the West End Stage?

As a teacher, this was an excellent read, giving an insight into how pupils with selective mutism might navigate the world around them and giving tips on how you might support a child in your class to give them the same opportunities as others. It would be great for use in PSHE lessons exploring empathy.

The Very Young Person’s guide to Ballet Music is an informative book created by Classic FM. The book, written by Tim Lihoreau and Phillip Noyce, introduces a story that explains what ballet is at the same time as describing different music and stories that ballet accompanies.

Throughout the book, key vocabulary is explained and additional fact boxes provide extra detail about each piece of music. Each page explains the story and classic music featured, these include The Nutcracker, The Firebird and Swan Lake.

All the pages have a range of details all beautifully illustrated by Sally Agar that complement the story. The most special feature of this book is that on each page is a button you can press so you can hear the music that is being described. This is a unique aspect that makes it stand out from other books about dance.

There are also additional pages at the back that detail ballet positions and give information about composters, legendary choreographers and performers, plus a mouse (named Matilda) hidden within the pages for children to find for fun.

This book is informative, engaging and fun and would be perfect for anyone learning about classical music or ballet as a dance form.

Welcome to the Arts: Dance is a beautifully presented large format, dip-in, dip-out non-fiction book about the world of dance.

The book takes the reader on a guided tour of dance; from choreography, set design and costumes to different ‘stages’ of dance, including theatre, folk, social and movie dances.

Each section gives a well-researched description of the element of dance, describing its history or technical elements – such as the five positions in ballet. Each page includes beautiful ‘Now Showing’ images, often taken from famous photographs of dancers performing such as Darcey Bussell in The Nutcracker or The Nicholas Brothers (famous tap dancers) in Sun Valley Serenade.

While the most well-known dance styles are covered – ballet, ballroom and Latin, it is the lesser-known dances that most capture the imagination. Morris dancing, Khon (a traditional Thai dance), Adumu (the Maasai jumping dance) all feature, as well as a range of modern, popular dances such as disco and hip-hop.

The reader can learn about famous dancers around the world from the past and present, from Rudolf Nureyev (ballet) to Martha Graham (contemporary), from Antonio Gades (flamenco) to Fred Astaire (popular dance), learning how they became famous, what they were known for and their impact on the world of dance.

The book is a loving tribute to the world of dance, curated by Sir Alistair Spalding and Jason Rush through the Sadler’s Wells Theatre. It would be a welcome addition to any KS2 library and I think there is many a dance-loving child who would pour over the pages time and time again.