Dance Little Boat

Dance Little Boat Parent & Teacher Guide

Um Sisi is the name of a fictional character inspired by the folk traditions of the Maghreb (Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco). In our story, she is a cheerful, adventurous woman who goes to the river one day carrying her laundry basket. There, she finds a large walnut shell. Um Sisi decides to turn the shell into a tiny boat, hops in, and begins to sing joyfully: “Dance, dance, little boat…”

As she journeys down the river, she meets various animals playing well-known Arabic instruments: the camel with the tabla, the gazelle with the rababa, the rooster with the oud, and the mouse with the mizmar. Each time an animal appears, Um Sisi invites it to board the boat. Every animal worries whether there’s enough room, and Um Sisi assures them there is. The musical crew continues sailing until the goldfinch arrives—he is the last to join. At first, Um Sisi refuses to let him aboard, but feeling sorry for him, she agrees.

The moment the goldfinch lands on the camel’s hump, the walnut shell cracks, and everyone falls into the water in a humorous, playful scene—while the goldfinch soars into the sky singing.

Main Themes:

Absurdity and illogic: The story strengthens children’s sense of realism and logic while adding humor and whimsical scenes that make it enjoyable for both young readers and adults.

Creativity and thinking outside the box: Um Sisi’s use of a walnut shell as a boat serves as an example of creative thinking and the ability to transform simple objects into useful, delightful tools.

Music and Arabic instruments: The story introduces children to Arabic instruments such as the tabla, rababa, oud, and mizmar.

Counting: Children can practice counting as they discover how many animals the little boat can hold each time.

Questions for Discussion

1. Um Sisi thought of several things she could make from the coconut shell, such as a bowl or a cup. If you were in her place, what would you have done with the shell?
2. Um Sisi wears traditional Moroccan dress. Do you know what the traditional dress of your country is?
3. You encountered different animals in this musical trip, which musical instrument did you recognize? And what is your favorite musical instrument?
4. All throughout the story, Um Sisi and the animals sang songs. Do you have a favorite song or tune that you sing and repeat?
5. Look at objects around you, can you turn any objects you find into a means of transport or a tool to use? Draw how the object changed and what it is going to be used for.