The Dancing Bear

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In The Simpsons episode “ Marge on the Lam,” Homer Simpson and Lenny Leonard both misremember ballet as “the bear in the little car.” This book is wonderful to read as it’s written from someone else’s point of view looking on at Roxanne and Bruno’s relationship. It would be great to read with a Key Stage 2 class, the story is short, captivating and has a grown up edge with serious subject matters. It is easy to read and has beautiful charcoal illustrations which capture the story wonderfully.

And the thing is, I loved many of Michael Morpurgo's other books - especially Kaspar Prince of Cats. His writing was simple enough to understand and follow, and the animals in these books were not vilified or used simply for comedic purposes. I liked that about them.None of them received a satisfying conclusion. Granted, not everyone gets to go away peacefully within their sleep and whatnot; that's just the depressing reality of life, but come on, this is a children's book! Let them see at least one satisfying conclusion to a character's story. This is fiction! It doesn't have to mirror reality, just make sense within the context of its own universe and what it's set up. So this was the group reading book chosen for our class at school. We have gotten about 1/2 way through and the children are making predictions that there will be a happy ending! However, where most of Michael Murpurgo's books are bittersweet, and especially Kaspar, there was still that sweetness. This sense of a satisfying conclusion that was to be expected, however sad it might have been. Kaspar had gone through so much, knew so much, and he was simply ready to retire. But the bear? And every other character in "The Dancing Bear?" The narrator was a character in the story (the headteacher/headmaster).The bear leaped at her while Roxanne (who was the main character and an orphan) was minding her own business. She showed it to her grandfather and the head kept convincing him to say yes and he did in the end. They were happy together...

Forced to work from home during the pandemic, missing an outlet for social opportunities and some escapism; realising that time is indeed finite, the product manager who was involved in one of Australia's most successful startups decided to take a huge risk, get out from behind his desk and shake up the small suburb of Wentworth Point and create that local. This book is narrated through the eyes of the villages local teacher. He explains how a small bear came down from the mountains and changed things forever. the bear can dance, but when the director meets Roxanne he asks her if she would like to act and sing with him. Roxanne decides to go, so she gets a trusted villager to look after the bear she leaves This book was amazing, and I could not stop reading it. It was about a community in a village participating in a film. One of the main characters, who was my favorite, was the dancing bear and he played a huge role in the film. However, there were a few situations in the story where it would turn out to be dull. Nevertheless, I would recommend this book. I LOVE Michael Morpurgo stories. As a kid, I used to read so many of his books. I took part in a handwriting competition at primary school and ended up winning a signed book by him 🙂

Dancing bears are a form of entertainment in the world of A Song of Ice and Fire, and the subject of a popular folksong, 'The Bear and the Maiden Fair'. Findeizen, Nikolai (2008). History of Music in Russia from Antiquity to 1800, Vol. 1: From Antiquity to the Beginning of the Eighteenth Century. Indiana University Press. p.201. ISBN 978-0-253-02637-8. A tame bear, often called a dancing bear, is a wild bear captured when young, or born and bred in captivity, and used to entertain people in streets or taverns. Dancing bears were commonplace throughout Europe and Asia from the Middle Ages to the 19th century, and can still be found in the 21st century in some countries.