Review:
Reviewed by Rosie Malezer for Readers' Favorite
The Dancing Darlings is a children's picture book by Dr. Angela Kyparissis. Two young children from Darling Village love to dance. When they find an advertisement for an upcoming dance at the Darling Village Community Centre, the children excitedly run home to ask their parents' permission to go. The parents agree, but only on the condition that they come home straight after the dance. Both children fall in love with the music and they dance non-stop until the dance is over. Before their long walk home, the children decide to briefly sit and rest their feet but fall asleep instead. Back at home, their parents imagine worst-case scenarios and begin looking for their children...
I found both the story and the moral behind it to be most valuable, especially in this day and age. Not only does the author easily pull the young reader into the story, understanding that the well-being of the children is of utmost importance, but she also gives a brilliant portrayal of children who would never actually break their word to their parents intentionally. Dancing is such a wonderful way for people, both young and old, to keep in shape. To have two young people who not only loved to dance but also would never defy their parents painted the picture of the perfect family circle. I was able to relate to the children's horror when they realized that they had fallen asleep and had not gone home immediately after the dance as promised. I recommend The Dancing Darlings by Dr. Angela Kyparissis to young readers aged five years and over so that they learn at a young age the importance of keeping their word to the people at home who love them and want to keep them safe.