Eka and the Elephants is one of 20 books in the Dance-It-Out! collection of act-along stories, which was created by Once Upon a Dance

REDMOND, WA, USA, February 14, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — Eka and the Elephants is one of 20 books in the Dance-It-Out! collection of act-along stories, which was created by Once Upon a Dance — a Seattle-area mother and daughter team who share a passion for dance and storytelling.

Teacher Terrel and Ballerina Konora create books that inspire children to explore movement, breath, joy, connection and imagination through stories. Their catalog includes six series and 32 titles.

In Eka and the Elephants, readers are invited to dance along with Eka and Ballerina Konora in an interactive adventure story. Eka’s family creates a garden, but Eka worries animals may destroy all their hard work. When playful elephants visit, will Eka find a way to save the vegetables and flowers?

Eka and the Elephants shares a lot of knowledge with readers, from how pea pods grow, to bees’ waggle dances, to what elephants eat and how to plant a garden.

From moonlit forests to cloud-sculptured skies, all of Once Upon a Dance’s dance-inspired narratives celebrate creativity, resilience and the joy of movement. Packed with life lessons, kind characters, learning, and self-care advocacy, teachers love these beautiful books featuring opportunities for cross-curriculum extensions and highlighting diverse faces and families.

“I feel helpless with the weight of war, wildfires, gun violence, et cetera,” says Terrel, author and publisher of Once Upon a Dance. “I just wish to bring some happiness in the only way I know – dance. It’s a gift to the world, and I truly believe the things we offer — movement, breath and connection — are important.”

Once Upon a Dance was named a Top 10 Author of both 2022 and 2023 by the Outstanding Creator Awards, and they’ve been honored by over 50 book awards, more than 2,000 five-star reviews and a Kirkus Star. They’re also a sponsor of Story Monsters’ Little Green Libraries, which provide free books to children in Title 1 schools and elsewhere.

Truly a passion project, Terrel and her daughter, Ballerina Konora, donate all of their royalties to charities supporting the arts, animals, environment or people.

Ballerina Konora, which is a stage name, climbed the pre-professional ballet ladder up to Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Professional Division, and she was lucky to find a job after all the 2020 auditions were cancelled. She’s danced professionally with several companies and is thrilled to be living her ballerina dreams.

Teacher Terrel (Konora’s mother) is an award-winning dance teacher. While dance has been the biggest constant in her life, she’s also worked in early childhood education, for non-profits supporting kids, and as a university English and dance teacher during a Peace Corps stint in Africa.

Terrel is creating books she looked for and didn’t find when she was teaching, and many of the stories are based on stories she created for her students. She developed her dance curriculum based on early childhood development, BrainDance, and research about movement for developing bodies.

You can follow Once Upon a Dance’s journey on most platforms (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest) or visit www.OnceUponADance.com.

Linda F. Radke
Story Monsters LLC
+1 480-940-8182
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