Joey Finds His Jump!

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 A simple little story about a baby kangaroo trying to find his jump as well as introducing us to some fun things to do along the way. 

What an ingenious little story this is. To combine the story of an animal and in the process teach children some basic movement, it creative and fun. Bravo to the author and I hope to see many more. It is a new way to think about incorporating two very different fields of creativity. It's fun and interactive and has interesting characters in it. The illustrations are clear and there is never a doubt on what will happen next.

This is a very simple book of a kangaroo that tries to find his jump. On his quest he meets some animals and does some moves which then gets changed into movement exercises for children. It is simple yet ingenuous. To have such a different and creative way to combine the art of ballet or movement with writing is creative and original. The illustrations and movement explanations are clear and wonderfully done. It is easy to follow the instructions and one never wonders what or how to do them because there are small illustrations for these too. From the onset to the end, each page is filled with colorful drawings and little adventures that happen. It both sweet and innovative.

The book is geared towards young children. It is perfect for those that are not going to formal school yet, so the age range is about 4-7 years old. It is written simply and combines some movement for children to do. I highly recommend this book to every parent that want to get their child involved in movement in a fun and interesting way. It is easy to follow the instructions and dare I say - the parents can try them too. The author hit a sweet spot with this book and it is going to be great to follow the next books in the series. Highly recommended for anyone with young children and those young at heart too.

—Reedsy (Hanlie Robbertse)

A ballerina leads young dancers in movements that complement a tale about a kangaroo who loses his jump in this picture book.

Joey the Kangaroo is friends with everyone at Funville Zoo, but something makes him sad: He can’t remember how to jump. He tries many things, but he just can’t figure it out. Finally, on a quest to remember how jumping works, he peeks into the windows of a theater where dancers practice jumps. Joey finally finds his jump and discovers a fellow jumper—a frog named Juniper—who becomes his pal. Joey’s story stands alone, especially accompanied by Tkachenko’s beautiful, realistic colored-pencil drawings. But the tale is further enhanced by small callout boxes on each page in the voice of White ballerina Konora (her stage name), who guides children in movements that match this story by Once Upon a Dance. She encourages youngsters to act out the emotions, poses, or actions in a scene, using conversational language to engage readers: “Imagine you’re Joey and don’t know how to jump. How would you figure out which body parts to use?” The author’s photographs of Konora’s poses are clear and easy to imitate, even for beginners. Her stretches, positions, and—of course—jumps are well enough contained for an indoor activity. Movers should pair this book with Dancing Shapes (2020), which also features Konora, to help them practice using their bodies to tell tales.

An innovative use of dance and storytelling for a fun, child-focused activity. 

—Kirkus Reviews

One of the Best Children's Books I've ever read! 

I loved this book! I used to be a professional dancer when I was younger, but now my body is sick and I cannot dance in the manner I used to. By following the words and illustrations in this book, I could dance again in my mind! This brought me great joy! Thank you!

This book is so unique in many ways. I loved how a dancer can teach children the way to make different jumping and dancing movements by comparing it to movements made by various animals. I’d never thought of learning or describing dance moves in this way, it is quite ingenious.

The story about Joey learning to jump is adorable and teaches children not to give up if something seems difficult. It also teaches them that movement and exercise can be a lot of fun! These are great learning lessons for persons of all ages. I can also imagine that such stories could also be helpful in physical therapy and rehabilitation.

Additionally, the illustrations are beautiful and inspiring.

Thank you for sharing your story with me. Its one of the best

Children’s books I’ve ever read or reviewed. I received this ARC from Book Sirens and the author, and I leave this review voluntarily. 

—Book Sirens via Amazon