Reviews

In this slightly sugary story, Harriet's grandmother sends her a special birthday gift: a bear dressed as a ballerina, holding tickets to a performance of The Sleeping Beauty. When Harriet bring the bear with her to the ballet, the other toys feel resentful, and challenge the bear to show them her dancing skills. Stalling for time, she audits Harriet's ballet class and secretly attempts some pliés before sobbing, "Why am I dressed like a ballerina if I can't dance?" When she can no longer put off performing for the other toys, the brave bear admits she is no ballerina-but offers to relay the story of the ballet she witnessed on stage. She does this with such flair that her audience proclaims her a "real ballerina bear." Winter's (A Baby Just Like Me) suitably soft, pastel-hued illustrations make graceful transitions between the narrative's two dissimilar fantasy-based settings, the domain of the talking dolls and the ballet stage. Though precious, the tale delivers a neat lesson on the rewards of self-acceptance. Ages 5-8. (Nov.)

K-Gr 3‘Anthropomorphizing toys is tricky business, and it doesn't quite come off in this picture book. Harriet is given a ballerina bear for her birthday, yet a magical relationship between it and the child is never established. Instead, the stuffed animal is caught up in a somewhat complicated plot involving ballet lessons, cruel dolls, the story of The Sleeping Beauty, and a party with her fellow toys. The bear is finally named at the end of the story by the toys she "lives" with, not by the girl. While the story does not quite gel, the watercolor illustrations are sweet and will appeal to ballet-crazed youngsters. The book could also be used as a lead-in to The Sleeping Beauty, the ballet or the fairy tale.‘Ann Cook, Winter Park Public Library, FL