ballet book

Picture Book Review: Ready for the Spotlight!

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Ready for the Spotlight! by Jaime Kim

Ready for the Spotlight!
by Jaime Kim

5 out of 5 stars

Tessie is jealous that her big sister Maya always steals the spotlight in their ballet class. Maya is older and has more training with dance, so she gets to wear a crown in the ballet recital. Tessie is so sick of always being overlooked! Until one day in class they have freestyle dancing, and Tessie gets a chance to show her amazing dance skills.

I loved this cute book! It’s so sweet how the sisters navigate some tough emotions of jealousy and inadequacy, and they learn to help and appreciate each other. I love the positive messages in this story as the girls learn to share the spotlight together.

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Picture Book Review: Sarah’s Solo

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Sarah's Solo by Tracy Brown

Sarah’s Solo
by Tracy Brown (Goodreads Author), Paula Wegman (Illustrator)
4 out of 5 stars
Sarah wishes that she could go to her ballet dance recital instead of attending her cousin’s wedding. When she hears the music at the wedding reception, she is swept into a dance with the bride and discovers that there is beauty in all types of music and dance, not just ballet.

This book teaches young readers about Jewish wedding traditions and the song Hava Nagila. The wedding guests dance the Hora, and the steps are outlined in the story. I love the rich culture and expressive traditions in this book!

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Board Book Review: Little Fingers Ballet

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Little Fingers Ballet by Ashley Marie Mireles
Little Fingers Ballet
by Ashley Marie Mireles, Olga Skomorokhova 

5 out of 5 stars

This board book features finger holes where the reader can make leg movements for the ballerinas in the illustrations. There are even little “finger tights” that you can wear like little ballet slippers to match the costumes of the dancers!

I can’t stop playing with this book! It’s so adorable!
The ballet scenes are taken from famous ballets and includes characters like Romeo and Juliet, the Snow Queen, Coppelia, and Cinderella. The text also includes ballet terminology like “plies, grande battements, grand jete, pirouettes, chasse steps”, and more that I didn’t understand but would be fun to learn about! Continue reading →