Tallulah's Tutu (Tallulah)

Tallulah starts her lessons at the barre with visions of a much-coveted tutu dancing in her head. But when class after class goes by and all her teacher has to offer is, "Good job," Tallulah finally loses it. "That's not fair!" she cries, stamping her feet. "A ballerina needs a tutu, and she needs it now!" Gradually, Tallulah learns two important lessons: ballet is in her blood ("She always did a plie when she patted the neighbor's dog"), and not everything in life is about instant gratification. Singer (Mirror, Mirror) and Boiger (The Monster Princess) offer a story that is ostensibly as light on its feet as a sugar plum fairy. But without preaching, they score some important points about the value of patience, persistence, and the pursuit of perfection. And while Boiger's watercolors feel a bit too sunny and rose-hued at first--Tallulah and her classmates are standard-issue cute, with big, eager eyes--she captures the budding poise and grace of a young ballerina as well as the transformative power of discovering a true calling. Ages 4-8. (Mar.)

PreS-Gr 2—Tallulah loves to dance and desperately wants a tutu, so when she begins her ballet class, she is disappointed to find that she must wear a leotard. Each time, she waits full of expectation and confidence, hoping this will be the session when she receives her tutu. Her teacher explains that she must be patient and work hard to earn it. After a temper tantrum, Tallulah decides she no longer wants to work so hard and gives up ballet. Then one day, she hears familiar music in the supermarket and cannot stop herself from dancing. Tallulah decides she wants to dance whether or not she has a tutu. This endearing story teaches children the value of earning something and that the joy of the journey can be just as sweet as the reward. The book is full of rich vocabulary as young readers learn about plies, releves, and tendus. The muted, rosy illustrations create a soft mood and complement the tone of the story beautifully. Fans of Jane O'Connor's "Fancy Nancy" series (HarperCollins) will love Tallulah's tenacity and vivaciousness.—Kris Hickey, Columbus Metropolitan Library, OH