Brielle

Review Excerpts

This whimsical tale of discovery is so full of joy and wonder. It also opens a door to dance in the most charming and accessible way. Readers of all ages will have a ball with Brielle and her friends.

—Peter Boal, Artistic Director, Pacific Northwest Ballet

... A story filled with delight and birthday fun, I think that this would be a brilliant book for any child that doesn’t want to sit still when listening to a story, or just loves to move and dance. It could also be read without the movements for a pleasant birthday-themed bedtime story!

—LoveReading4Kids

... In effect, Brielle's Birthday Ball is a bilingual presentation presented in two languages: that of a traditional story, and its counterpart in movement and exercise.

Adults who work with the very young to read Brielle's discovery and adventure will find the link between dance and life experience to be unusual, accessible, and fun.

Brielle's Birthday Ball is a great way of introducing kids to the world of dance while couching these movements into a broader journey of magic, dreams, and movement responses.

Written by a mother/daughter team, Brielle's Birthday Ball is based on a grandmother's story and celebrates ballet by making young readers "dance partners" in the celebration of life. It is very highly recommended for anyone seeking to introduce ballet concepts at an earlier age, and more accessibly, than most picture books offer.

— D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

Activity Ideas / Curriculum Extension

🥄 Snack-tastic

💙 Blue Moon Punch Fun

colorful drinks the kids can mix like potions

🧁 Cupcake Decorating Station

Let kids build their moon-party cupcake.

🌕 Moon Ball Treats
rice krispie balls (edible glitter for extra flair)

⭐ Star Sandwich Cutouts
sandwiches shaped with star cookie cutters

📚 Book Basket (Birthdays, Dreams, Imagination)

📚 Dream Animals by Emily Winfield Martin
A whimsical tale full of dreamy creatures and magical journeys.

📚 Happy Birthday, Moon by Frank Asch
A gentle story about friendship and birthday magic.

📚 On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman
A lyrical, heartfelt tribute to the magic of being born.

(references religious themes)

🩰 Boogie, Beats & Ballet

🪥 Toothbrush Song Choreography
Turn the brushing rhyme into a silly dance sequence!

😊 Happy Twirl Dance

Begin with Brielle’s excited spin dance—let campers express how their body reacts to joy. 🎶 Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy – Tchaikovsky

🔵Birthday Ball Bounce Dance
Practice rolls, bounces, and curls on the floor—move like the magic birthday ball!

🌥️Cloud Flop Practice
Explore safe falling technique on mats: squat-flop-bounce.

🎨 Creative Corner

🎩 Glitter Moon Hat Craft

Create birthday ball-inspired hats with sparkle and stars.

☁️ Cloud Bounce

Glue cotton balls onto blue construction paper. Invite kids to make clouds or silly cloud shapes.

📓 Decorate a Dream Journal

Let kids draw their dreams and decorate their own journal.

STEM Exploration

🌕 Phases of the Moon with Oreos or Paper Plates
Learn about waxing, waning, and full moons like Brielle’s nighttime sky.

💡 Make a Glowing Birthday Ball
Use glow sticks or light-up balloons.

🏀 Bouncy Ball Physics
Test different bounce heights.

Language Lounge

STEM Exploration

💭 Write Your Dream Adventure
Encourage children to write their own magical nighttime journey. Where would they go, and who would they meet. What would they eat, drink, do?

🎭 Create Extended Dialogue
What questions might Brielle ask when meeting the man in the moon?

🥳 Word Wall

What words can kids brainstorm around parties and celebration

BReille's Birthday Ball

A birthday celebration like no other!

Balance, monkey jump, donkey kick, tiptoe, Roll, fall..

Illustrated by Stella Mongodi (Scotland)

Review Excerpts

Activity Ideas / Curriculum Extension

🥄 Snack-tastic

📚 Book Basket (Birthdays, Dreams, Imagination)

🩰 Boogie, Beats & Ballet

🎨 Creative Corner

STEM Exploration

STEM Exploration

STEM Exploration

Language Lounge

STEM Exploration

STEM Exploration