Dancing Bear

Somu the bear is unusual. He can dance! But Somu wants to be free and unchained. Can his friend Altaf understand that? This poignant story is about friendship between a young boy and an animal and the boy’s unique understanding of what the animal truly wants. This story describes the true predicament of dancing bears in India. “…Dancing Bear has a heart-warming moral and teaches valuable lessons to youngsters while providing interesting cultural insights.” (San Francisco Book Review) “Indian author Manasi Subramaniam has written a poignant story about the terrible plight of bears that are being held in captivity and forced to dance despite the fact that it is illegal in India. The tale highlights the work of the rescue centres as well as the unusual friendship that develops between a young boy and an animal he comes to understand is not happy and needs to be set free. The illustrations by Korean illustrators Gwangjo and Jung-a Park gently convey Somu’s despair through their haunting images.” (Outside In World) “The book is simple and lucid and can be easily read by young readers… we can sense and feel the joy and pain of Altaf and Somu. The title says ‘Dancing Bear’ but the painting shows a bear in distress. This contradiction draws the reader to this book.” (Topsy Turvy Life) “This book is an interesting look at this culture and lifestyle. The watercolor illustrations are what first drew me to this book. They are beautiful. I love the wet-on-wet effect the artists used. They help tell the story with emotion and understanding.”