My favourite children’s book (at the moment!)
‘The Dancing Tiger’ by Malachy Doyle and paintings by Steven Johnson and Lou Fancher.
I thought now was a good time (long weekend) to tell you all about my favourite children’s book and hopefully remind you all of the importance of reading to your child. The media often harp about this every three months….I won’t over do it!!! My daughter is 7 so “The Dancing Tiger’ is purely an enjoyable read about fantasy, dreams, and magical times. Often when I choose this book my daughter does make a little sound of ‘do we have to’, however, I think deep down she loves it too!!! It is a short poetic text about a little girl who shares a secret with a tiger when the world is dreaming still:
There’s a quiet, gentle tiger
in the woods below the hill,
And he dances on his tiptoes,
When the world is dreaming, still.
Sometimes I read the whole book or we read a line each, my daughter reads the last line of every page or my daughter reads the whole page. However we do it…it is enjoyable on so many levels.
Image from: http://openlibrary.org/works/OL1937869W/The_Dancing_Tiger
Derrick D says
I initially came across ‘The Dancing Tiger’ in a children’s poetry book entitled ‘See You Later Escalator’ that was put together by John Foster. The narrative was organised into 4 verses. As soon as I read the first couple of lines to myself I could hear the rhythm. I work for the Birmingham Library services and visit schools to conduct stories and assembles. In the assemblies I get 200-300 children to participate in a humming chorus that I have added. They enjoy it. I’ve been told by teachers that the children have been humming it for days-on-end.
This is by far one of the best poems that I have encountered, truly magical. So much so, that I have performed it with adult audiences in venues since I am also radio presenter and performance poet with a band. However, the band don’t accompany with instruments it’s just purely the magic of voices as we praise the beauty of your narrative.
We are called ‘Derrick D & The Backbones’, and formed in 2011.
Thanks
Derrick D
P.s The words in the book are slightly different to the organised poem version. Did you ever have music in mind when you wrote this?
Shaz says
Thanks Derrick, I will definitely look that up. I can imagine the humming being so contagious…it is such a magical concept.
Malachy Doyle says
Hi Derrick – yes, the words changed slightly when it went from a poem to an actual book – hopefully for the better.
I’d love to see you reading it to / with children – I’m intrigued by the humming chorus!
No, I didn’t write it with music in mind, but I do sometimes sing it in performance, though the tune seems to change each time I do it!
I was working on a series of animal poems. The Dancing Tiger popped into my head while I was out riding my bike. I hopped over a fence into a field and wrote it down before I lost it!
It’s been out of print for a couple of years, sadly, but I get SO many people contacting me about it. I forward them all to my publisher, as I did this blog, and they’ve now agreed to re-publish it. I’m delighted, as it’s one of my all-time favourites of my books.
So thank you, Shaz, and everyone else who commented. It’s helped to get the book back out there.
Shaz says
That is the best news and great that the comments helped. Thanks everyone for your comments. There are so many children’s books out there, but finding the truly special ones is a hard task and once we do we need to get the word out. Thanks Malachy for taking the time to comment and for letting us know we have helped. Shaz.
Malachy Doyle says
Hi Shaz – it’s lovely to see that my Dancing Tiger is still weaving his magic out there; It was never a movie or cartoon, but there’s a new e-reader edition just out. Thanks for giving it a mention, and for encouraging reading to and with children.
Shaz says
Hi Malachy, so lovely of you to reply. This blogging is very new to me and it is exciting to think I can chat to the author of my favourite children’s book. Your book is just a treasure of mine. I love the idea it suggests….to be free like the time in the woods and be whatever you wish and have your time regularly and dream the most amazing dream. What a beautiful idea. Can I ask how you came up with your idea for the story? I would love to know…..Shaz.
Francine Rothhammer says
what do I need to do to fix when it says waiting for moderation?
Shaz says
Hi Francine,
Thankyou for all your lovely comments. We have to approve every comment due to all the spam we get.
Shaz
Tania Warren says
What a lovely children’s book this is,recalling my own memories of this book being read to my sons by myself,years ago.Just reading your feelings and experience of this book with your 7 year old daughter rekindled fond memories.Yes the importance of reading to one’s children seems to often to be overlooked in todays computerized world. One idea that I now share with my 2 sons as they are grown in their 20s,the importance of reading to their children.Even if it be a story for children taken off the internet ,then read to them.This is an Art that need to be kept alive and shared as one of the greatest gifts we can give our children and grandchildren.
Francine Rothhammer says
Its very important to read to kids, I think I could have read more and more to my own, I just wonder if they made a cartoon movie out of this book?
Francine Rothhammer says
I never gotten to read this book or watch the movie at it yet? Sounds like a very good book.
Phil La Duke says
Welcome to the world of blogging. Nice site. I love the theme. I started my two blogs (www.philladuke.wordpress.com and http://www.rockfordgreeneinternational.wordpress.com) almost two years ago and I have to tell you, posting 1,000 words to each can be daunting but at least for me it’s worth it.
Good luck and happy dreaming.
Doc says
A truelly wonderous work of art. It was actually originally composed as a poem but was brought fantistically to life by some gifted artists who have captured the image of the dancing tiger to absolute perfection. Interestingly, Malachy did not begin writing until he was forty! He was working as a care assistant in a special school and took a creative writing course. His teacher liked his first work so he decided then and there to become a writer! This poem was written when he was 44. Thankyou Shaz, oh what a terrific story you have shared – I have now been encouraged to purchase this children’s literary masterpiece for my adorable little niece. I shall very much enjoy being the first to introduce her to its fantasy and wonderment 🙂