
After Ms. Kittina captured hearts in other Once Upon a Dance series, she needed an origin story. Follow Kit as she finds her way through hard work, learning, perseverance, plus a swirl of magic. Along the way, young readers discover that growth comes from curiosity, practice, and heart.
Four more stories in the works!

Kittina Ballerina twirls into the spotlight in her dazzling debut!
A whimsical tale of dance and kitty-cat charm for tiny twirlers.




Kittina is a wonderful teacher, but even she has days when her dance steps go wonky and ballet feels like a struggle. When her students catch her tripping over her own paws, they realize mastery is a mystery that takes practice, patience, and a whole lot of heart.






...Written and visual cues are included to help guide readers to imitate and expand upon Ballerina Konora’s movements as they engage with the story themselves. Uplifting and inspirational, this is a quality addition to library collections for young readers with the desire to move and dance.
—Mary Lanni, Librarian Reviewer
...A Tail of Twirls tells the origin story of the cute, charismatic, and cat-tastic dance teacher, Kittina (known as "Kit" in her younger years), previously featured in Ready Set Dance. Both books exist in the whimsical universe of Once Upon a Dance, which advocates for and celebrates the performing arts, particularly ballet and dance!
...
It's beautiful! You can really feel that this is how the authors (a mother-daughter team) feel about dance as well. It's a gift to give the world! It's something that changed their lives for the better, and they want to share it with others!
...she became knowledgeable, skillful, and experienced through practice, dedication, hard work, and a willingness to learn.
That's really special!...
—Outstanding Creator
Once Upon a Dance’s captivating children’s picture book A Tail of Twirls: Kittina and the Starlight Ballerina follows an inquisitive cat as she makes a mysterious discovery.
...
The story effectively mixes mystery and humor, and its vibrant illustrations and photo images will hold any child’s interest throughout the entire book.
Kids learn to help both themselves and their communities from Kit’s example. This is a novel that will spark lively discussions on sharing, resilience, supporting others, and pursuing one’s dreams.
—Chanticleer Book Reviews
Visit www.speechandsmile.com for Once Upon a Dance story trinkets.
🐛 Caterpillar Bites
Grapes or cucumber slices arranged like a caterpillar.
🐾Pawprint or Ice Cats
Drinks with ice-shaped kitties or pawprints (www.amazon.com//dp/B0CT8LXSS7)
🍓 Moonlight Sparkle Smoothie
Blend frozen bananas, blueberries, then add edible glitter or sprinkles for a treat inspired by Kit’s nighttime twirls.
🐾 Silent Paws Game
Play freeze dance — but instead of freezing, move silently like Kit in the studio. Pretend the mirror said hello when it’s freeze-time.
🪞 Mirror Echo Warmup
Face a partner or group and echo their gentle dance movements — like Kit watching the magical mirror ballerina.
Shapes Movement Cards
Make ballet movement cards like those on Kit’s studio wall — plié, relevé, passé, etc. Or use Konora’s Shapes (www.amazon.com//dp/1736353608).

🌟 Starlight Paintbrush Craft
Give kids a magic paintbrush (actual paintbrush with ribbons) and have them draw twirls and stars in the air.
🔑 My Magical Key Collage
Cut out or color a key shape and decorate it with wishes.
🥰 Gratitude Circle
: Take turns saying something you’re thankful for. Magic Name Game: What would your magical ballerina name be? Give kids new name tags.
🪄 Magic Name Game
What would your magical ballerina name be? Give kids new name tags.
🔑 How Do We Balance?
Talk about how our inner ear helps us balance, and test one-legged poses like passé with eyes open vs. closed.
🦝Night Animal Explorer
Research what other animals are active at night. How do they move, tiptoe, or listen carefully?

Our friends at Girl Power Sport will soon have Kittina dancewear.