“For all those who have ever dared to be different, ever dreamed of the impossible and who have ever done the extraordinary this story is for you! Malik is the spirit in everyone one us who want to express ourselves and celebrate life. Through his passion for dancing Malik shows the rest of his jungle friends that monkeys CAN dance and that monkeys can do ANYTHING they want to. Mali’s resilience is portrayed in bold colours and the striking illustrations are reminiscent of classic jungle stories many have grown to know and love. Enjoy dancing along and sharing this story of self expression!”
– ELIZABETH CUMMINGS (TEACHER, AUTHOR)
“Ballerina Monkey is a beautiful book. I was spellbound all the way through. The text matches the vivid illustrations perfectly and the whole story has an up-beat, joyful feeling to it, despite the teasing and name-calling that goes on. I think young children will relate to the little monkey who has the courage to learn to dance even although it is not something monkeys do. It has a strong message beautifully disguised in an exhilarating story that will have children saying, ‘Read it again, read it again please!'”
– ROBIN ADOLPHS (CHILDREN’S AUTHOR)
“…
Illustrator, Joe Ruiz, has created pictures rich in the colours of the jungle that will have children’s eyes focussed on each of the pages as the story is shared or read independently. Children will easily empathize with Malik’s emotions as they perceive his facial expressions as events occur in the story.
Ballerina Monkey is a wonderful story about never giving up and seeking your dreams, even when your friends don’t support you. It is also a story about the power of the bystander, who, in this story is the King of the Jungle. Just because he approves of Malik’s dancing, the other teasing monkeys then decide that they do too.
…”
– JULIEANN WALLACE (AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR)
I can’t wait for you to meet Malik, the little monkey who loves to dance … if only he knew how!
Inspired by my own three children and their diverse interests and personalities, Ballerina Monkey follow’s Malik’s journey, as he finds the courage to follow his dreams, despite the taunts of the monkey tribe. Filled with determination and heart, Malik soon discovers the joy of being true to yourself. I hope you enjoy reading his story as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Nicole Madigan
The second picture book by Nicole Madigan lets us travel into a colorful jungle, featuring Malik the monkey. Malik is different to the other monkeys as he doesn’t want to climb the trees but wishes to learn the ballet from the flamingos – he wants to become a ballerina…
A wonderful book for children aged 4-8 years which shows that sometimes you just need to follow your dreams, no matter what the others say.
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