Miss Merida Brown lives on a farm with several other cats. She is friendly with all of her feline companions, but Merida is timid when it comes to climbing and participating in the obstacle courses everyone else loves so much. With a crooked tail and small stature, she is so afraid of falling that she has never really given climbing a try. When her friend Ziggy offers to teach Merida how to climb, though, she bravely accepts, learning that her only limits were the ones she placed upon herself.
This lovely story fits right in with the others in the Creative Movement series by Once Upon a Dance. True to form, this book begins with a message from Ballerina Konora and incorporates illustrations, text, and movement suggestions on each page. The design differs slightly in this addition, specifically in the presentation of the text explaining the movement. Placed in a separate box, it is tipped at an angle and reflects the crookedness of Merida’s tail.
Though each book in this series utilizes movements that enhance readers’ gross motor skills, this one takes it a step further and introduces a game. Just as Merida goes through an obstacle course in the barn, so too can readers create their own obstacle courses in their homes. Practicing balance, vertical levels, and teamwork, young readers will build their own strength and tenacity while having fun. Perseverance is a major theme in this story, and Merida’s model of picking herself back up and trying again is one that readers will be compelled to emulate.
Colored pencil-style illustrations delightfully encapsulate the textures and sights inherent to farm life. Deep reds adorn the farmhouse itself, the grass is filled with myriad greens and yellows, and each of the cats is a different, unique combination of hues. Realistic in its approach, cat lovers will recognize the many antics depicted in the appearance of these felines. At the end of the book, readers are introduced to many of Konora’s real-life kitties, of whom Miss Merida Brown is an amalgam. This inclusion forms an additional layer of connection between readers and Ballerina Konora.
Not only is this an excellent addition to the Creative Movement series, but this book engages readers in movements that are not always directly linked to dance, thereby increasing the accessibility of these stories. This is an excellent addition to movement curricula for preschool and elementary school-aged children.
