Frankie’s Wish: A Wander in the Wonder
by Once Upon a Dance
October 28-31
Chapter book, 43 pages.
Once Upon a Dance donates all proceeds to charity.
A heartwarming story of gratitude.
An important reminder to enjoy the journey.
Travel to a mysterious island alongside Frankie to make a wish on a magic feather. The path to the hidden feather will only be revealed through patience, wits, and joy. But time is running out, and wishes are only granted on one special day.
Dance along with the creatures of the forest and a professional ballerina in this interactive story exploring movement and dance fundamentals with a powerful message about what’s important in life.
Frankie’s Wish is ideal for children 4-7. It features Frankie (no pronouns), Auntie Duke (she), a dinosaur, a gorilla, and an eagle. Major themes include gratitude, asking for help, friendship, self-affirmation, and believing in yourself. Dance-It-Out!s are above level (language-wise) as they’re intended to be initially enjoyed with a caregiver or teacher. (~700+Lexile)
Ballerina Konora joins the pages with photos and suggestions for movement exploration. Three books in one: readers can enjoy the story, act out the tale in their own way, or try Konora’s suggested activities, designed by an award-winning ballet teacher to develop body awareness and movement knowledge.
Concepts and Movements in this Story:
- Bridge Pose (*4-5s may need help with this movement)
- Twirling
- Squatting/Waddling
- Balancing on One Leg
- Jumping
- Stretching
- Reaching
- Swaying
- Upper Body/Head/Forearm/Shoulder Isolation
- Moving with Resistance
- Centering/Breath
- Small Motor Skills (Rotating, Writing, Counting, Closing into Fist, Opening Palm, etc)
- Quality of Movement (Calm/Wild, Powerful, Joyful, etc.)
- Showing Emotion (Surprise, Excitement, Fear, Interest, etc.)
- Shapes (Twisted, Wide, Tall, etc.)
- Concert of Left/Right
- Self Affirmation and Gratitude
This movement journey is ideal for dance, creative movement, physical education, homeschool, kindergarten, first-grade, or second-grade activities. The Dance-It-Out! series features diverse characters, and books make a great gift for boys or girls interested in dance, ballet, gymnastics, or yoga, or reluctant readers who enjoy getting up and moving.
"This is a delightful book for readers who appreciate both an uplifting story and the invitation to interact with it using both their bodies and their minds."
Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)
About the authors
Once Upon a Dance is an award-winning mother-daughter collaboration.
Ballerina Konora climbed the ballet ladder to pro, and she’s thrilled to be living her dreams dancing with Ballet Idaho. Along the way, she danced iconic roles such as Sugar Plum Fairy and Cinderella.
Teacher Terrel taught dance for decades and was honored by her City Council for “embodying the spirit of partnership and commitment to children in our community” for her work with young dancers. She’s breathed ballet from every angle and worked in early childhood education, for non-profits supporting kids, and as a university English teacher as a Peace Corps volunteer.
Once Upon a Dance 2021/2022 Awards: Mom’s Choice Gold Award, Family Choice Award, Royal Dragonfly First Place, PenCraft Award First Place, Firebird First Place, Pinnacle: Best Book Juvenile Fiction, Independent Press Award Winner, International Impact Book Award Winner, Outstanding Creator Awards Winner, Readers Favorite Certified Great Read, Indie’s Today 5-Star Recommended, The Wishing Shelf 5-Star, Literary Titan 5-Star Award.
My Review:
I am in love with this story and the idea behind it. The story itself is beautiful. The artwork is beautiful. The story is so inspirational. They then went to the next level. They made it even greater by including interactive dances the reader can do while reading the story. I wish that I had a job in the library reading just so I can watch this book come to life. I want to pick up copies for all my loved ones with children. Fully recommend!
Stars Books & Tea 