James the Dancing Dog

Ellie Contursi is a children’s librarian at the London Public Library.

James is a dedicated little pooch whose “parents” (owners) dance
ballet. Every day he accompanies them to work. Determined to be just
like them, he practises pliés and jumps alongside the other dancers. As
James grows older, he’s given other duties like helping teach class,
aiding the dancers in perfecting lifts, and, most important, making sure
they stay in shape and don’t eat too much. This translates into
begging for scraps. Every night James watches the performances and
dreams of performing himself.

Then the unimaginable happens. The ballet company is going to dance the
ballet Giselle, which has a part for a hunting dog. James is positive
that he will be chosen for the part, but on the first morning of
rehearsal a wolfhound appears in the studio ready to play it. Naturally,
James is devastated. Unable to keep himself from watching practices
James sees that the wolfhound is not a dancer at all. On opening night,
the wolfhound develops a case of stage fright and scrambles offstage.
James comes to the rescue: he performs like a true dancer and dazzles
the audience.

This picture book is based on a real dog who was a member of the
National Ballet of Canada between 1961 and 1972. James is a lovable
character who immediately wins the heart of the reader. Cartoonlike
coloured-pencil drawings perfectly capture his personality. This great
tale for both dog and dance lovers is highly recommended.