Bharatanatyam in Ballet Shoes

K-Gr 3--Everyone has experienced the familiar mix of excitement and fear about a new experience. From the very first page, readers will identify with Paro, a young dancer who's both eager and worried about ballet lessons: "What if I'm terrible?" Paro's mother tries to reassure her that she can dance ballet, but as Paro watches from the door of the ballet, she is unsure. Paro befriends Marco and Dana, two more experienced ballet dancers. She tries to share her traditional South Asian dance, Bharatanatyam, with them, but they are unfamiliar and mistakenly think she is simply walking. Paro decides to abandon the traditional dance, but her mother steps in, and Paro's friends grow to love it. The vibrant colors and playful illustrations support the tightly told story and highlight movement. VERDICT A worthy addition to any library, and a necessary tool for helping children understand and develop cultural competency and compassion early on.--Maegen Rose