Theresa Heine

I like this book for the illustrations and perceptive of a different culture. The book was beautifully illustrated and could grab a reader and encourage them to read about things they might not normally want to read on their own. The story can show the importance of sibling relationships as the sisters search for their light. This little light can be a way to represent cultural difference. In America we are used to having access to electricity all the time but in Nepal electricity isn't show more something that all families have access to. Things like this can be used to teach children about different nations as they are reading. Even in fictional books like this. show less

Elephant Dance is a superb and simple look into India's customs and landscapes for children! Ravi, a young boy living in America, learns about this far away land from his visiting grandfather. I loved how grandfather described everything in India. His descriptions provide the perfect opportunity to teach children about similies!

The end of the book has pages with more information about India, about the animals in the book, and about the spices and foods that are mentioned. I was enamored with show more the fact that there was so much information about India packed into a children's book! Although the writing itself is simple enough for young children, this is definitely a book that you could use with older children as well.

My class simply adored the pictures. Each page is so bright and detailed, it's extremely difficult not to be interested in the story. I was able to read the entire 40 pages without a single second grade child fidgeting. That in itself is an amazing recommendation! show less

Elephant Dance is a superb and simple look into India's customs and landscapes for children! Ravi, a young boy living in America, learns about this far away land from his visiting grandfather. I loved how grandfather described everything in India. His descriptions provide the perfect opportunity to teach children about similies!

The end of the book has pages with more information about India, about the animals in the book, and about the spices and foods that are mentioned. I was enamored with show more the fact that there was so much information about India packed into a children's book! Although the writing itself is simple enough for young children, this is definitely a book that you could use with older children as well.

My class simply adored the pictures. Each page is so bright and detailed, it's extremely difficult not to be interested in the story. I was able to read the entire 40 pages without a single second grade child fidgeting. That in itself is an amazing recommendation! show less

I bought this book because I loved the cover, then enjoyed the contents, too. The illustrations are quirky and vibrant, and I could have done with more of the ghostly classical figures. The mix of planets with stars and other phenomena was a bit disconcerting initially, but the back pages provide more detailed explanations which clarify the differences. A lovely way to introduce the planets and space to young readers.