Sophie is a passionate 8-year-old and talented dancer who finds inspiration and music to fuel her dream everywhere she goes. She is working hard in ballet classes preparing for an audition but technique is not all that matters. She must discover the magic of dance & Mother Nature holds the key.

Children's,Family

The story opens with Sophie oversleeping in her little house at the top of the hill overlooking the spring forest. We meet each of the forest characters as one by one, they try to wake Sophie up early for her extra ballet practice with Madame Ziss in the big city.

During a dance performance for the animals and Pechanga the ancient oak in the heart of the forest, Sophie discovers the magic of dance - the spark that will open the door to becoming a great dancer with Mother Nature and the elements of earth, water, air and fire as her newfound inspiration.

a forest, a big city

No

Other

Happy Ending,Meaningful Message

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Name: Sophie

Age: 8

Gender: Female

Role: Protagonist

Key Traits: Aspiring,Confident,Gracious,Skillful,Empathetic

Name: Papa, Sophie's father

Age: 40

Gender: Male

Role: Mentor

Key Traits: Confident,Empathetic,Aspiring,Masculine,Funny,Skillful,Visionary,Strong Moral Code

Name: Pavlova the Monarch Butterfly

Age: 8

Gender: Female

Role: logical

Key Traits: Adventurous,Aspiring,Faithful,Empathetic,Flexible,Gracious,Heroic,Funny,Selfless

Name: Pechanga the ancient oak tree

Age: 1000 years

Gender: Male

Role: mentor

Key Traits: Confident,Complex,Decisive,Honorable,Leader,Masculine,Visionary,Strong Moral Code

Sophie & the Magic of Dance is a fear-free story for middle readers providing a safe, peaceful playground for young imaginations. There are no villains, scary characters or violent scenes. Key messages about daring to dream, the power of positive thinking, nature appreciation and living passionately from the heart are modeled through the main character’s dedication to dance and her friendship with delightful characters in the natural world. Sophie is a passionate 8-year-old and exceptionally talented dancer who finds inspiration and music to fuel her dream everywhere she goes but ultimately discovers the magic of dance in Mother Nature herself.The emphasis in the story upon movement and rhythm - in ballet classes, the big city streets or the forest naturally rich in song and dance make this tale beautifully adaptable for film or TV. Sophie’s Papa, an artist who carries his sketchbook wherever he goes, capturing the likeness of Sophie as she dances and the forest creatures, adds a further and unique opportunity for film or TV adaptation. Rich, playful characters are easily brought to life on the screen including the beavers, canaries, chipmunks, her best friend Pavlova the Monarch Butterfly and wise Pechanga, the oldest tree in all the woodlands. Sophie’s story is an invitation to a beautiful, uplifting world offering readers and viewers what the world needs now - a much needed holiday away from fear and daily stress.

Shelley Richardson, M.Ed, is a publisher, author and educator. She has over 25 years experience as a college professor, curriculum designer and Montessori teacher. She is an advocate for ‘fear free’ literature for children to nourish healthy, young imaginations. As author of Sophie & the Magic of Dance for middle readers, she draws on her experience as a professional young student at Canada’s National Ballet School and her love of nature. She is also the author of River: We are Ever the Masterpiece and Discovering Universality with Montessori and the Natural World for adults and educators.

Age: 7-12

Target Gender: Female Leaning,Universal

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Status: Yes: self-published

Publisher: Eddy Press

Year Published: 2011

No

978-0-9876867-2-5