The Dance

by Richard Paul Evans, Jonathan Linton (Illustrator)

A tender story about a daughter who, all her life, loved to dance and her father who, even after his dying day, loved to watch her dance. By the author of The Christmas Candle. 150,000 first printing.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Family, Kids, Religion, Inspirational

32 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1999

About the author

When Richard Paul Evans wrote the #1 best-seller, The Christmas Box, he never intended on becoming an internationally known author. His quiet story of parental love and the true meaning of Christmas made history when it became simultaneously the #1 hardcover and paperback book in the nation. Since then, more than eight million copies of The Christmas Box have been printed. He has since written eleven consecutive New York Times bestsellers. He is one the few authors in history to have hit both the fiction and non-fiction bestseller lists. He has won several awards for his books including the 1998 American Mothers Book Award, two first place Storytelling World Awards, and the 2005 Romantic Times Best Women Novel of the Year Award. His books have been translated into more than 22 languages and several have been international best sellers.

Reviews

['Nathan Burgoine · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, are you feeling weepy? Are you feeling like your day could only be improved by blubbering, full on ugly-cry-mode complete with nose bubbles and choking noises? Need to be blotchy and incoherent with sheer sadness?

Have I got the book for you.

Now, I'm not a sucker for family stories. At all. In fact, they generally leave me cold (and a bit frustrated for those of us who didn't have anything of the sort), but this story doesn't project an "all dads are like this" nor an "all daughters are like this" but rather "here is a story of a father and his daughter." It's cute at the start, and there's a wee bit of overprotectiveness and typical borderline-girls-need-to-be-protected-from-all-boys dadishness in the teen years, but as the story progressed, I went from, "Huh, this is really beautifully illustrated," to "Okay, this is cute," to "Oh wow," to "Oh no," to "They wouldn't do this in a children's book..." to the above aforementioned public ugly-cry in the middle of the children's section at work.

[Katie Tatton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inside my hope chest, tucked way in the back next to my wedding album and my children's baby books is perhaps the most beautiful children's book ever written (certainly the illustrations are breath-taking!). I keep it in my hope chest because I cannot read The Dance without crying, and I don't want to lose that. Written by Richard Paul Evans and illustrated by Jonathan Linton, The Dance is the story of a father who watches his daughter dance her way through the stages of life, and while she cannot see him watching her, he is always close by, just out of sight, yearning for her to succeed and smiling with the radiant joy that her dancing brings to him.

I read this book when I miss my own father.

[Erica Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cry almost every time I read this book to my children. My step-father tried to read it to my child and about halfway through I came into the room and with tears in his eyes, he handed me the book, too choked up to finish reading. Very touching book.

[Diana Robey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this with my 7-year-old daughter and I was thinking of her 8-year-old cousin whose father passed away when she was only 3 months old. My niece loves to dance and frolick in the foliage around her home. I know my brother is watching and smiling even though my niece can not see him.

[Kawliga Robey · Rating 5 out of 5]

So beautiful

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful story about a father and daughter relationship. The tells of the times he has watched his daughter growing up, of when she married and moved away, and not being able to watch her dance anymore. The ending brought years to my eyes, years pass so quickly....make sure you enjoy the time you have with your loved ones.

[Wenzel Roessler]

For what it is, this is a sweet book. Beautiful illustrations but don't think you'll be reading this for more than 5 minutes then you're done. This is what I call a bookshelf book more for its Prestige than for its content.

[Susan Mackowiak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short story. Beautiful message. ❤️

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is short but to the point. About a father who loves to watch his daughter dance from when she first learned until after he past away. A true love of a father and daughter.

[Chappyfamily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story

[Emily Love Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

A childhood favorite of mine. I cry every time I read it.

[Linda Griffin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good children's book

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful read.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful ❤️

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short, sweet, sentimental. Pretty illustrations. Apparently, there is a song and also a statue connected to the story.

[Allie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dang, this sweet little book hit hard. This was my mom's all-time favorite author. I've dancer since I was 5 (at least) and I'm a dance teacher now. I lost my momma when I was 18, so it just really hit home. Definitely forever a favorite.

[Little Champs]

Big 43

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dancing marks the rites of passage in a daughter's life and that of the father who loves her. From her first carefree twirling in the flower-dotted yard, to her first solo performance in The Nutcracker, to the waltz of her wedding night, her father is there watching, silent and unobserved. And he smiles.

This tender story of the bond between a father and a daughter, told straight from the heart by the best-selling author of The Christmas Candle and illustrated with exquisite, lush paintings, evokes that bond with powerful poignancy. The Dance will forever resonate with parents and children everywhere.

[Luann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a tear-jerker! It may be one of those picture books that mostly adults love, but I don't think most children would dislike it. They just wouldn't quite understand the depth of the story. I could see this as a wonderful book for fathers to read to their daughters since it portrays such a loving father-daughter relationship. I particularly loved the illustrations. My favorite is the first picture with the little girl wearing a flowered hat and beads and dressing up her cat in a pink frilly dress.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful book with wonderful illustrations. It was such a sweet story and my voice broke several times while trying to read it to McKenna. I'm thinking that Richard Paul Evans' children's books are written more for adults than for kids. McKenna liked the book mostly because it talked about a little girl dancing, but I think the main significance of the story was lost on her. But in my own opinion, five minutes well spent.

[Jannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The sentimental side of me that loves the song "Butterfly Kisses" by Bob Carlisle and the book "I Love You Forever" by Robert Munsch really liked this book.
The side of me that lost its innocence when people commented on how creepy and stalkerish ILYF was, was equally creeped out by this book.
I understand the idea of a hands-off but supervising father seeing his daughter grow up, but the way each section ends with a comment on her dad just passively watching her felt weird. :\

[Judith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great pictures as it is a children's book. I didn't have much contact with my father growing up so at first this was hard to accept. Then I realized I'm not guilty he was. It's amazing how personal we take books and that's the purpose of Richard Paul Evan's books to begin with. In the end I loved the book.

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I personally found this book to be quite moving, and quite honestly have to admit that I choked up reading the story. At first I was not quite sure how my lil one would feel about it for I thought that it was "too old" of a story line, but she was soooo in tuned to this very touching story that she told me over and over how much she loved it.

[Roseanne Wilkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful picture book, especially when you know the front cover is a painting of a girl who died not long after the picture the painting was based on was taken. It's a book about the ties between a father and his daughter. My husband rarely cries, but he couldn't stop the tears when he read this book.

[Tiff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richard told this story one night as we traveled in the dark on the bus in Italy. It was so wonderful to hear the cadence of his voice, with his interpretation of what he intended when he wrote this story, along with the the background explanation of why he wrote the book. Very emotional experience.

[Ashleigh · Rating 2 out of 5]

A child's book...wasn't prepared for that. Pretty predictable and a little cheesy. The best part about the book was the explanation of the picture on the cover.

Shenn bought it for me for Christmas thinking it was a regular book. Oh well I guess I'll keep it.

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book presents a consistent and loving father who's joy is to watch his daughter dance. It has gorgeous pictures and teaches of life after death and hints at the eternal nature of families. The paintings are gorgeous. I would definitely read this to a daughter who loved to dance.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The pictures are beautiful, the story is sweet, but I did not read this book to my children because of theological problems with it. Decide what you want to teach your children about their life purpose and the roll of dead people in it before you read this book to them.

[Bat713 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cry every time I read it. The paintings and art are for the ballet lovers. The story is for those who love their fathers dearly. Today I am parting with it and hope it falls into the hands of another who will cherish it. *

[Ashlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can not read this book without crying!