A Dancer’s Tale: The Story of Phyllis Spira – An inspiring tale about the life of Phyllis Spira, renowned South African dancer, who dedicated her later life to free dance programs for underprivileged children. Another great Creative Commons book from Bookdash.
By: Samantha Cutler, Thea Nicole de Klerk
Text and Images from A Dancer’s Tale: The Story of Phyllis Spira
Once upon a time,
in Joburg’s Orange Grove,
a little girl called Phyllis
was born into the world.
Two people in love,
hugged their sweet little babe.
No-one knew then,
what a dancer they’d made.
By the time she was four, she had learned very quick.
She impressed all her teachers, with her ducky feet flicks!
Before school and after, she danced everyday.
Nothing pleased Phyllis, more than ballet.
When the world was ready
for Phyllis at fifteen,
She arrived in big, old London,
ready to live her dream.
She said goodbye to all her friends.
She was ready to start fresh.
Watch out Royal Ballet School!
Phyllis is here to impress
When Phyllis danced Swan Lake, it was fit to show the Queen!
After years of pirouetting, she was ready to be seen.
Dancing for the audience, she turned and twirled about.
Look! Everyone is smiling! See how they clap and shout!
<end of sample>
You can also read along with the video below
About Book Dash
Book Dash gathers professional creatives – writers, illustrators, designers, editors – who volunteer to create high-quality children’s books that anyone can freely download, translate, print and distribute. Most of the work is done
on a Book Dash day, when small teams work for over twelve straight hours, each producing a new book.
Why Book Dash?
Books purchased from publishers cost too much. In order to distribute more books for South African children, Book Dash participants work as publishers in a single day, having a book with no publishers mean the book will be a lot cheaper the only cost will be printing the books. With these, anyone can run sponsored prints and the finished books can be handed to children.
Every child should have a hundred books when they reach the age of five. that means handing down 600 million free books to South African children who probably could not afford to buy them, More children grow up not learning how to read and write well, and every day we lose more of these children. Let us not neglect these children and help them overcome poverty by first teaching them how to read and to enjoy the worlds that a book can open up.
About Creative Commons
Content under Creative Commons licenses can be downloaded, translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐ provided you give appropriate credit, and indicate if changes were made. To know more about this, and the full terms of use and attribution, please visit the following.
See more Inspirational books below
4 Creative Play Ideas to Spark Imagination and Sensory Growth - Creative play is important for children. It promotes imagination, cognitive development, and sensory growth. Engaging in imaginative activities allows kids to express themselves, work through emotions, and develop problem-solving skills. Through playful exploration, children discover their surroundings, interact with peers, and learn effective communication. Nature-Inspired Art Projects Encouraging children to create art using natural materials ...
Convert a photo to Paint-by-Numbers: A Friendly Guide for Parents and Teachers - Imagine a quiet afternoon with your child immersed in a creative project that sharpens their focus without a screen in sight. Paint-by-number activities have long been a staple in homes and classrooms, providing a gentle introduction to artistic expression and skill building. For young learners, these structured yet imaginative tasks develop fine motor skills through ...
A Cat, a Mouse, a Lizard, and an Owl – Tales from the Sanskrit - Continuing on the Tales from the Sanskrit, this is a lovely story about nature and nurture. The story explores how, when the cat is trapped in a snare and asks for help, the mouse helps her, the owl waits to catch the mouse, and the cat kills the lizard, ultimately demonstrating how self-interest and opportunism can determine the fate of others, and that nature is hard to overcome.
Duolingo English Test 2025 Made Easy: Practice, Prepare, and Succeed with Proven Strategies - Ace the Duolingo English Test 2025 with ease! Discover proven practice strategies, preparation tips, and expert guidance to boost your score and succeed confidently.
The Monster – A simple story about depression for young children - The Monster is a simple book about a boy Sam who has depression, told by his younger sister. This is not only a lovely story but a great way to explain depression to children suffering, their friends and family, or to help all children become sensitised about mental health issues.
Why Some Certificates Deliver More Career Growth Than Others - Earning certificates has become one of the most accessible ways to gain new skills and stand out from the crowd. Not all certificates hold the same weight when it comes to career growth. Some can open doors to higher-paying jobs, promotions, and new opportunities, while others may provide little more than a line on your ...
Why a Good Night’s Sleep Matters for Infant Learning - Sleep is one of the most critical factors in a baby’s development. While it might seem that infants are simply resting when they sleep, their brains and bodies are actually working hard to grow, organize, and strengthen key functions. For parents eager to support healthy learning and cognitive growth, understanding the role of sleep is ...
How to Thrive in Life – An Essential Guide for Gen Z’ers - An interactive look at thriving in life with lessons and tips aimed at Gen Z readers.
The Eyes-Wide-Open series aims to guide Gen Z readers through the essential steps of self-discovery and personal growth, starting with understanding their identity and the world around them. It then helps readers define their goals and dreams, equips them with practical life skills, and emphasises the importance of consistency, perseverance, and resilience in overcoming challenges. The book encourages living with purpose and integrity, highlights the value of holistic well-being, and inspires a mindset of lifelong learning and curiosity, ultimately empowering young people to navigate life’s journey with confidence and adaptability.
Personalizing Math Education: Discussing how personalized math education can help to motivate children to learn - It is quite difficult to unleash the potential of each student in the class because each of them is a unique person. Children have different degrees of perception of new information, so each needs a special approach. The usual school curriculum has a standard method of presenting the material and not all students receive a ...
Binti Knows Her Mind - Binti is full of energy and knows what she wants. But today is a special day for another reason. Find out more in this charming story for early grades. Sample Page from Binti Knows Her Mind <Page 7 of 16> Author: Richa Jha Illustrator: Kalyani Naravane Brought to us by Pratham Books see more by ...See more books by BookDash below
How to Tame a Monster - Lwando’s sister Oyiso is sometimes very cute, but sometimes she is a monster! Can Lwando tame the monster? Find out in this beautifully illustrated book from BookDash. Sample Page from How to Tame a Monster <End of Page 2 of 24> Download or read online the full free children’s ebook by selecting one of the ...
Joanna’s Grannies - Joanna has two grannies, each with their own special habits and talents. A cute short story about diversity. Sample Page from Joanna’s Grannies <End of page 2 of 24> Download or read online the full book of Joanna’s Grannies by selecting one of the green buttons below the post. See more books here from BookDash ...
Why Owl Only Comes Out at Night - Why Owl Only Comes Out at Night Fable, Children's Picture Book Free Download and Read Online.
How Do You Sleep? - A beautifully illustrated fun book about animals sleeping. Also suitable as an early reader with repetition and imagery to help children develop their reading and decoding skills. Sample Page from How Do You Sleep? More books are available from BookDash on FKB Or see more at https://www.bookdash.org Spread the love
Lefa’s Bath – Wordless book - Lefa wants to take a bath but someone keeps stealing the water. A cute wordless book fun for toddlers and kindergarteners, older children can also enjoy making up some words. Sample Page Illustrated by Ellen Heydenrych Written by Marion Drew Designed by Tyra Peter Edited by Kelly Norwood-Young With the help of the Book Dash ...
Dance Khuzwayo, Dance! - Khuzwayo is picked to be the village’s next Ingoma dancer, to celebrate the first crops of the year, but will he have the courage to dance? \ Illustrated by Jess Jardim-Wedepohl Written by Fiske Serah Nyirongo Designed by Job Mubinya Another amazing story from www.bookdash.org, aiming ...
A Trip to the Tap – Upcycling - Oluhle is excited to go to the tap and fetch water, she will see her friends there, but what happens when she can’t find her bucket? Illustrated by Phumle April Written by Sindeka Mandoyi Designed by Nadene Kriel Sample Page from A Trip to the Tap Download the full book by selecting one of ...
Unathi and the Dirty, Smelly Beast – fun early reader - Unathi and the Dirty, Smelly Beast – A mysterious dirty smelly beast is following Unathi home, or is it really a dirty smelly beast? Find out in this fun creative commons picture book from BookDash. This picture book is perfect for young children who want to start reading and understand common words with help. The ...
The Memory Tree – Dealing with a Death in the Family - Thembi and Thulani’s Grandpa is very sick. They are sad. Then Mommy and Daddy tell them Grandpa won’t be coming home anymore. They miss Grandpa Nathi. Daddy and Mommy find a special way to remember Grandpa Nathi. Illustrated by Agrippa Mncedisi Hlophe Written by Savnola Goldridge Designed by Jason Gien Edited by Mariam Mahomed Brought ...
Catch that Cat! - The Cat has stolen a sock and then ran off, but is there a reason why she stole the sock? Find out more in Catch that Cat from BookDash. Sample Text from Catch that Cat! Hurry. Hurry! Help me, catch that cat! She stole my sock and ran off … snatch her. Grab her. Catch ...Sponsored Links:
Note – if you sign up through these links, it doesn’t cost you any extra, but FKB receives a small donation, which helps us with our project to buy more FREE Hardcopies for kids who need them
All our posts are checked by Grammarly, the FREE online grammar checker (We still receive a donation even if you only sign up for the free account :-):
I liked it because it was heartwarming and awesome 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👍👍👍👍
I like inspiring stories
it is an interesting biography of a ballerina’s travels around the world.
I like it because i also love to dance.
I like this book because its about dance
I like this book because it was a interesting and happy
giselle writes:
Beautiful story.
Marianne Jackson writes:
Very cute!
lee writes:
what a nice book..
Nadine writes:
beautiful book! my daughter and I enjoyed it!
Kamalini Hastak writes:
A beautifully written book with lovely illustrations. Children would love to read this biography and want to know more about Phyllis and ballet.
Wan Tong writes:
I like this book because its teaching you try hard,never give up.
ella writes:
enjoyed very much
swastika writes:
it is a very nice book
Isabella writes:
i like the book because i also love to dance and i traveled to France and Mexico I’m almost like but it was worth the try i have 10 times and then I’m visiting Puerto Rico Yay!
Mansur writes:
i like this book