Our Dance

Age 3-7 | Paperback | 32 pages | 210 x 210mm

Publication June 2025 | Hardback

ISBN 9781917467469

A young girl loves to dance, especially when Daddy and Mummy dance with her, but these dances don’t last long.

One evening Daddy leaves home and Mummy explains that they are separating and the family won’t be dancing together anymore. During the week the young girl lives with Mummy and on Saturdays she visits Daddy at a contact centre. The family now have two new dances, each one different but both as valuable as the other.

A book about separation and those places that enable parent and child to connect and come together. Written in collaboration with the National Association of Child Contact Centres.

Our Dance is the first UK picture book to introduce child contact centres. It aims to raise awareness and reassure young readers that they are not alone - that resilience and hope can thrive, even in life's storms.

Graffeg acquired the worldwide rights to Our Dance from author Circle Yuen, whose personal experiences drove the creation of this story.

Matthew Howard, Publishing Director of Graffeg, adds, ‘A mesmeric weaving of illustration and text, Circle’s manuscript haunted us from the minute she sent it in. She treats a difficult subject with compassion and sensitivity, opening the reader up to experiences that are both raw and personal. This is a dance between book covers, and we’re delighted to be the ones chosen to publish it.’

The Author

Circle Yuen is a recent graduate from Cambridge School of Art having gained an MA in Children’s Book Illustration.Her work has previously been chosen for the dPictus Unpublished Picturebooks Showcase and has been longlisted for the Illustrators Exhibition at Bologna Children’s Book Fair in 2024.

Circle Yuen says, ‘Collaborating with Graffeg Publishing on Our Dance has been an incredibly meaningful experience. I believe Graffeg is the ideal home for this book, given their expertise in socially engaged projects and their experience with picture books that address sensitive topics.’

Our Dance has been written in collaboration with the National Association of Child Contact Centres.

NACCC CEO, Elizabeth Coe says, “It has been a pleasure to work with Circle Yuen on Our Dance – Living Apart, Time Together.

This beautifully illustrated book offers a moving and insightful perspective on a young child’s experience of parental separation. It highlights the vital role that accredited child contact centres play in helping children maintain meaningful relationships with parents and family members they no longer live with after separation.

We are incredibly proud to collaborate on this unique and heartfelt project, which raises awareness of the importance of providing safe, supportive, and welcoming environments for children navigating family change. We hope it brings comfort, understanding, and reassurance to families going through similar experiences.”

The National Association of Child Contact Centres (NACCC)

Foreword: ‘A delightful and unique book.’ This beautifully illustrated book sensitively captures the perspective of a young child navigating the challenges and uncertainties of parental separation. It highlights the essential role that child contact centres play in providing a safe and nurturing environment where children can build and maintain meaningful relationships with a parent or family members they no longer live with after separation.

Elizabeth Coe, CEO National Association of Child Contact Centres National Association of Child Contact Centres:

"Family breakdown can profoundly impact children and young people, often bringing trauma, heartbreak, and a deep sense of loss. During these challenging times, their emotional and developmental needs can be overlooked. In the UK, over a million children lose contact with one of their parents following separation."

The National Association of Child Contact Centres (NACCC) is the only UK charity dedicated to solving this problem by ensuring the provision of safe, supportive and nurturing spaces where children and young people can maintain vital relationships with non-resident parents, and other family members, they might otherwise lose contact with.

A registered charity and an umbrella organisation, NACCC oversees approximately 300 child contact centres across the UK, offering ongoing support and training to its members. It has an accreditation process which each child contact centre must meet, setting out rigorous National standards to ensure the safety and wellbeing of families who rely on these services. Its centres are staffed by a dedicated team of 3,000 trained volunteers and co-ordinators who provide welcoming, well-equipped and neutral environments where separated families can reconnect and enjoy family time sessions in a safe and supportive setting.

Every year, NACCC accredited child contact centres facilitate essential family connections for over 21,000 children and young people, helping them maintain essential family bonds. Upholding National standards, NACCC plays a pivotal role in safeguarding children and young people and supporting their emotional needs during times of family transition.

Click here for more information on NACCC