Mira Monkey’s Magic Mirror Adventure: A Dance-It-Out Creative Movement Story for Young Movers by Once Upon a Dance - Reviewed by Mary Lanni

Loved it! 😍

A unique and imaginative creative movement story for active young readers and their families.

Synopsis

Each Dance-It-Out! story is an independent kids’ dance performance ready for the imagination stage.

In this volume, Mira the monkey enjoys carnival day until crazy things start happening. Could fairies be causing the mischief? Will Mira make it home? Will she ever be the same?

Ballerina Konora appears on each page encouraging kids to act and dance the story along with Mira. Mira Monkey’s Magic Mirror Adventure is book one of three in the Mira Monkey Trilogy (books two and three expected late 2021) and the seventh Dance-It-Out series release.

Today is carnival day, and Mira Monkey is ready to play. Emerging from her jungle home, she first relishes the feeling of the sand between her toes, wiggling and turning them to get the full effect. Then, she plays games, paints, and eats delicious food while enjoying the warm sunshine. Later in the day, Mira finds a mirror on the ground, and when she looks into it, Mira is suddenly and inexplicably transformed into a bug. Frantically struggling to turn back into her true self, Mira experiences several frightening moments before an unexpected turn of events helps set things right once more.

This latest in the Dance It Out series by Once Upon a Dance incorporates imagination and whimsy into an unusual and playful story. Though the primary plot focuses on Mira Monkey, nearly every picture includes cheeky fairies posing and dancing nearby. The text briefly introduces the fairies and the antics they might be involved with, but they are more of a physical presence than a textual one. Colored pencil-style illustrations fill the left side of each spread, utilizing shading and color to give nearly tangible texture to Mira’s world.

On the right side of each spread, readers will find both the narrative and movement suggestions in vertical columns, breaking from the pattern of previous stories in this series. The narrative is direct and easy to connect with, and questions for the reader appear throughout the book, encouraging them to consider the story and the movements it inspires more carefully. Accessible to a wide range of ages, readers will appreciate the clever and unexpected storytelling as they naturally engage with the book on a variety of levels.

Fans of the Once Upon a Dance canon will love this newest addition as they consider what might have really happened to Mira Monkey on carnival day. Though Mira is the only monkey in the story and the carnival is not pictured in its entirety, the images and text work well together to depict this playful story. A letter from Ballerina Konora is included at the beginning, inviting all readers to participate at whatever level is most comfortable for them. This inclusive and engaging tale is a great fit for imaginative children who like to move.

Reviewed by

I review books for kids, tweens, and teens and blog about them on my website. To date, I have over 500 published reviews. Sign up for my monthly newsletter at www.maryrlanni.com to get recommendations straight to your inbox! I primarily write reviews, but will create video reviews upon request.

Synopsis

Each Dance-It-Out! story is an independent kids’ dance performance ready for the imagination stage.

In this volume, Mira the monkey enjoys carnival day until crazy things start happening. Could fairies be causing the mischief? Will Mira make it home? Will she ever be the same?

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Mira Monkey’s Magic Mirror Adventure: A Dance-It-Out Creative Movement Story for Young Movers

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