The day Dancer flew: inspired by a true story

In this beautiful picture book inspired by real events, a young girl works to rescue her horse after a devastating flood.

Dancer is a gentle and loving horse. He got his name because of how he moves his hooves—happily, like he's dancing. Every day when the girl rides on his back, it feels like she is flying—until the rain descends and won't let up. Everything floods and the girl and her family flee...leaving Dancer behind. But while sheltering at the community center, the girl can't stop worrying about Dancer. She knows there must be a way to save him too. With the help of an agriculture officer, a horse expert and a helicopter pilot, a plan comes together to save the stranded horse.

Inspired by real events during the flooding near Spences Bridge, British Columbia, in 2021, this gorgeously illustrated book tells the tale of a girl's love for her horse and the power of a community coming together to help humans (and animals) during a natural disaster.

Key Selling Points

• When a rainstorm brings flooding, a child has to leave her horse, Dancer, behind on the family farm, but she is determined to save him and rallies help from the community to get him airlifted to safety.
• This story deals with the love and trust between horse and human, and what you'd do to save your animal companion's life. It also shows how frightening natural disasters can be, as well as the hope and strength in a community rallying together and helping each other out in dire times.
• This is a fictionalized version of a true story that happened near Spences Bridge, BC, in November 2021; flooding cut off road access to a farm and the family's horse was airlifted to safety.
• Unfortunately, weather-related emergencies are more and more prevalent in these times of climate change, leading to a demand for children's fiction centered on these types of events.