The Cat with the Crooked Tail

by Once Upon a Dance

Sit back and give a child the imagination stage!

Miss Merida Brown thinks her tail hinders her abilities, but with help from a friend, she proves herself wrong. This charming story of persistence and self-acceptance highlights the value of practice, friendship, and a good attitude.

Ballerina Konora offers movement motivation and photo ideas to express the story. Three books in one: readers can enjoy the story, act out the story in their own way, or follow Konora’s suggested moves, designed by an award-winning dance instructor to improve body coordination and teach dance fundamentals.

Book five in the Dance-It-Out! series is ideal for kids 5-7 or those who have had success with earlier volumes.

Paperback

Published June 16, 2021

About the author

Terrel is a dance educator and storyteller who believes in the transformative power of movement. Through her passion project, Once Upon a Dance, she’s published 42 interactive children’s books that weave whimsical stories with joyful movement.

With her daughter—a former Pacific Northwest Ballet Professional Division student—as the featured ballerina, Terrel brings movement into storytime, encouraging creativity, confidence, and self-expression in young readers.

Each book invites kids to stretch, twirl, leap, and imagine alongside positive characters—from dancing cats to ballerina zombies. Whether reading with a caregiver or moving along in the classroom, children are gently guided to explore feelings, movement, and connection through play.

Once Upon a Dance was named a Top 10 Author by the Outstanding Creator Awards for three consecutive years (2022–2024). The books have earned over 60 book awards—including 14 first-place honors, more than 3,000 five-star reviews, a BEST IN SHOW, and a coveted Kirkus Reviews Starred Review.

Discover the collection at www.OnceUponADance.com or follow their journey on social media.

Reviews

[Billy Buttons · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE WISHING SHELF BOOK AWARDS
3rd September 2021
TITLE: The Cat with the Crooked Tail
AUTHOR: One Upon a Dance, ill. by Olha Tkachenko
Star Rating: 4

To Sum Up
‘A charming animal story with a strong ‘keep on trying’ message. Highly recommended to 5 – 7 year olds.’ The Wishing Shelf

REVIEW
There are so many aspects to this book that I enjoyed. But, best of all, is the fact it's very, very different! It's not just a sweet story for young children, it’s also got a strong ‘keep on trying’ message and - it's a dance book! The author, working with the illustrator, has designed a book in which dance movements and stretching is cleverly integrated into the telling of the story. And that is very much its strength.
Now, to the plot. The story follows a very sweet cat that has a crooked tail. At first, it's all very embarrassing for her and she sort of keeps herself to herself. But, as she grows up, and with a little help from her cat pals, she’s soon trying to do all the fun things the other cats do; climbing and jumping, twisting and turning – you, know, cat stuff! And, to her surprise and delight, she discovers she's just as good and just as bad as the other cats.
I must say, this is a charming story helped along by the wonderful artwork of the illustrator, Olha Tkachenko. In terms of the writing style and vocabulary, I suspect it would work well with the target readership of 5 to 7 year olds. Parents will also find it delightful, particularly the story’s message of never giving up and being supportive of others. And, of course, if you happen to be interested in dance or want to find new ways of stretching and working out, this book is perfect.
With the animal story spot on, and superbly supported by the colorful drawings, I’m happy to recommend this to any parent looking for a fun way of introducing dance to a child. I suspect a school library would also love to have it on the bookshelf.
Enjoy!

A Wishing Shelf Review
www.thewsa.co.uk

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a little cat with a crooked tail and patches of missing fur. She doesn't play with the other cats when they are romping and running the obstacle course because she is self-conscious and afraid that she will fall because of her tail. Her friend finally convinces her to try and she learns that she will fail sometimes but so will the cats with long tails. All one has to do is practice. The book contains dance moves that correspond to the movements of the cat that a child can do while reading the book. I am giving this book to a four-year old who loves to dance.

[Eve Costarelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is both a teaching aide as well as a beautifully illustrated picture book. I love this creative take on storytelling. The dancer is lovely and just exudes kindness and grace, plus the accompanying illustrations are just endearing with a sense of realism and movement pouncing right off the page. The story is about good friends and learning to love who you are while at the same time never being afraid to try something new and to work hard to get results. Very cute addition to this wonderful series.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miss Merida Brown lives on a farm with several other cats. She is friendly with all of her feline companions, but Merida is timid when it comes to climbing and participating in the obstacle courses everyone else loves so much. With a crooked tail and small stature, she is so afraid of falling that she has never really given climbing a try. When her friend Ziggy offers to teach Merida how to climb, though, she bravely accepts, learning that her only limits were the ones she placed upon herself.

This lovely story fits right in with the others in the Creative Movement series by Once Upon a Dance. True to form, this book begins with a message from Ballerina Konora and incorporates illustrations, text, and movement suggestions on each page. The design differs slightly in this addition, specifically in the presentation of the text explaining the movement. Placed in a separate box, it is tipped at an angle and reflects the crookedness of Merida’s tail.

Though each book in this series utilizes movements that enhance readers’ gross motor skills, this one takes it a step further and introduces a game. Just as Merida goes through an obstacle course in the barn, so too can readers create their own obstacle courses in their homes. Practicing balance, vertical levels, and teamwork, young readers will build their own strength and tenacity while having fun. Perseverance is a major theme in this story, and Merida’s model of picking herself back up and trying again is one that readers will be compelled to emulate.

Colored pencil-style illustrations delightfully encapsulate the textures and sights inherent to farm life. Deep reds adorn the farmhouse itself, the grass is filled with myriad greens and yellows, and each of the cats is a different, unique combination of hues. Realistic in its approach, cat lovers will recognize the many antics depicted in the appearance of these felines. At the end of the book, readers are introduced to many of Konora’s real-life kitties, of whom Miss Merida Brown is an amalgam. This inclusion forms an additional layer of connection between readers and Ballerina Konora.

Not only is this an excellent addition to the Creative Movement series, but this book engages readers in movements that are not always directly linked to dance, thereby increasing the accessibility of these stories. This is an excellent addition to movement curricula for preschool and elementary school-aged children.

I received a copy of this book from the author and I chose to leave this review.

[Fred Fanning · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great children's book teaches a child to read or learn basic dance steps. I like it because it gets the child moving. The book uses art to match the story and photos to teach the dance steps.

[gj indieBRAG · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are proud to announce that THE CAT WITH THE CROOKED TAIL by Once Upon a Dance has been honored with the B.R.A.G.Medallion (Book Readers Appreciation Group). It now joins the very select award-winning, reader-recommended books at indieBRAG.