Children's Book Review: Sophie's Dance Class by Ruth Tilden

Sophie's Dance class is an interactive book written and illustrated by Ruth Tilden. It was first published in 1996.

Sophie is a little girl who loves to go to her dance class every week. As the reader opens the first page, she can pull a little tab and help Sophie put on her little pink tutu. The reader learns dance terms such as plies, kicks, jumps, and arabesques, pirouettes, and curtsies. With each turn of the page, the reader pulls a tab to help Sophie practice each of her dance moves.

With just a few words on each page, the young reader also learns to recognize words. After a few times, she might even be able to read the book all by herself. Interactive books such as Sophie's Dance Class encourages a love for reading at an early age. The young reader will want to read this book over and over again. Who knows? She might even decide to become a famous ballerina.

Organize a dance show. Since readers of Sophie's Dance Class are most likely between the ages of three and seven, I would not recommend a competition. Invite individual children or groups of children to perform a dance. It can be a dance they learned in a dance class or they can make one up. Allow them to be creative.

Invite a dance teacher to come to your classroom or home and teach a few simple dance moves. It doesn't have to be ballet. If fact, have them teach several different types of dance moves.

Girls might enjoy making tutus. Obtain netting, ribbon, and fabric glue. Allow them to attach beads, sequins, and buttons. The tutus don't have to be perfect. It's just for fun.

Make a dance collage. Instruct the children to cover a sheet of white construction paper or card stock with magazine photos of famous dancers. Another option is to do this as a class and cover a large sheet of poster board with magazine photos and clippings.