In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the true story of ballet dancer Anna Pavlova. Little Anna fell in love with ballet after watching a performance with her mother. At the age of just nine-years-old, she auditioned for the famous Imperial Ballet! But... she was rejected. The set-back didn't stop Anna - she auditioned again a year later and was accepted into the company. Although ballet was her passion, it didn't always come easily to her, and she worked fiercely to become the best. After her training was complete, she performed across Russia and later formed her own company with which she toured the world. The story of Anna Pavlova, one of the greatest dancers to have ever lived, teaches us that with hard work, our talents can take us wherever we want to go. This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the star's life. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Boxed gift sets allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Matching games and other fun learning tools provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children. Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

The pirates Adam, Amy and Ali are tired of their quiet life on Cutlass Island and wish that they could go and live in the exciting, big city. So when they spot a ship, they climb on board and hide in a hamper filled with costumes... and tutus! Soon they're on an adventure filled with sea monsters, ballet dancers and a swindling pirate. Will they ever make it ashore?

This swashbuckling, adventure-filled tale from bestselling author Saviour Pirotta is perfect for children who are learning to read by themselves and for Key Stage 1. It features engaging illustrations from Erica Salcedo and quirky characters young readers will find hard to resist.

Bloomsbury Young Readers are the perfect way to get children reading, with book-banded stories by brilliant authors like Julia Donaldson. They are packed with gorgeous colour illustrations and include inside cover notes to help adults reading with children, as well as ideas for activities related to the stories.

Book Band: Purple
Ideal for ages 6+

Dress the fairies for dancing with elegant swans, waltzing with swirling snowflakes and having their wishes granted by their fairy godmother in this magical addition to the best-selling Sticker Dolly Dressing series.

From the The Story Orchestra series, a beautifully illustrated first piano sound book! Press the keys to learn 8 famous classical tunes from the story books. While other books in the series play famous pieces of classical music, in this new Story Orchestra title, young readers can now play the tunes themselves! Color and shape codes correspond to the 14 keys, so kids can learn easy 8-bar, one-finger melodies, so even the youngest child can learn to play music with this simple method. For best results, playing readers the original piece first is recommended so children can familiarise themselves with the pacing of the tune. Each song includes an enchanting illustration and description of the part of the story that the music is telling along with playing tips. All the favourite characters from the series are there to encourage young musicians as they play their first notes with the sound of a piano. I Can Play: The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy - The Nutcracker (Tchaikovsky) The Dance of the Reed Flutes - The Nutcracker (Tchaikovsky) Flight of the Swans - Swan Lake (Tchaikovsky) Dance of the Cygnets - Swan Lake (Tchaikovsky) Royal March of the Lions - The Carnival of the Animals (Saint-Saens) The Elephant - The Carnival of the Animals (Saint-Saens) The Swan - The Carnival of the Animals (Saint-Saens) Spring Dawn Chorus - The Four Seasons (Vivaldi) Readers should press firmly on the pages to activate the keys, encouraging them to explore the possibilities of making music!

The Times Children's Book of the Week

Aya is eleven years old and has just arrived in Britain with her mum and baby brother, seeking asylum from war in Syria. When Aya stumbles across a local ballet class, the formidable dance teacher spots her exceptional talent and believes that Aya has the potential to earn a prestigious ballet scholarship. But at the same time, Aya and her family must fight to be allowed to remain in the country, to make a home for themselves and to find Aya's father - separated from the rest of the family during the journey from Syria. With beautiful, captivating writing, wonderfully authentic ballet detail, and an important message championing the rights of refugees, this is classic storytelling - filled with warmth, hope and humanity.

The national dancers of Uzbekistan are almost always female. In a society that has been Muslim for nearly seven hundred years, why and how did unveiled female dancers become a beloved national icon during the Soviet period? Also, why has their popularity continued after the Uzbek republic became independent? The author argues that dancers, as symbolic girls or unmarried females in the Uzbek kinship system, are effective mediators between extended kin groups, and the Uzbek nation-state. The female dancing body became a tabula rasa upon which the state inscribed, and reinscribed, constructions of Uzbek nationalism.

Doi describes the politics of gender in households as well as the dominant kinship idioms in Uzbek society. She traces the rise of national dance as a profession for women during the Soviet period, prior to which women wore veils and kept purdah. The final chapter examines emerging notions of Uzbek, as regional and national groups contest the notion through debates about what constitutes authentic Uzbek dance. Doi concludes with a comparative discussion of the power of marginality, which enabled Uzbeks to maintain a domain where Uzbek culture and history could be honored, within the Russocentric hegemony of the Soviet state.