Disclosure: A complimentary copy of this book was kindly provided to me for review purposes. All opinions stated here are my own.
When we received our copy of Dances of India, we were pleasantly surprised with how beautiful it was. From the box it came in, to the pages throughout, the book was so engaging with its bright colors and friendly characters. It is full of colorful images, which my kids love. The words have a rhythm to them which helps them read like music. This is perfect for a book about dance. The book not only teaches us about Indian dance and culture, but makes it fun for little ones to read. You can feel the music that they portray through the text. Their own website says it best “this is no ordinary board book. It’s an experience” and they aren’t kidding.(http://ourlittleloka.com/about/)
Maya and Leela are two sisters exploring all the world has to offer. I love this because I have two sons and they love pretending to have their own adventures as well. Seeing two siblings in the book makes it more relatable to them. Dances of India is the first in the series and my kids and I can’t wait to see where else their adventures take them. I love the idea of introducing the young people to the beauty of the world through dance. (My vote is for one that includes Ballet Folklorico.)
Not only does this book help my children learn about the world around them, but the website creates awareness for important issues felt in the community the book talks about. A great thing about this book is what the authors stand for. They believe in supporting social change. To help with that, a portion of the profits will help fund projects by very special social entrepreneurs. This year, they are supporting two projects funded by two amazing individuals in Mumbai. The first is Sumeet Gade of the Pragati Holistic Development Trust, which creates activities for children in hospitals to “help them feel safe, more at home, and forget their pain at least temporarily, in an often depressing and intimidating environment.” The second is Aarti Naik of Sakhi for Girls Education which was established to help young girls improve their basic literacy and numeracy skills while building their confidence.
I love that they are giving back while teaching kids about the world. I can’t wait to join in their adventures for years to come.
Bilinguazo 