BEA AT BALLET

It’s a delightful day at ballet class for preschooler Bea and her dance mates.

Isadora decorates Bea’s ponytails with pink ribbons and then introduces readers to the special clothing that boys and girls wear, the steps they practice and the studio where they dance. Readers can see the five basic positions, how feet point and flex and what fun leaping and landing “like a cat” can be. The narrative steps along smartly with just one or two sentences per page and speech bubbles for conversation. The children are outlined in black against white space, and their diversity shows through hair styles and facial features. A colorful array of leotards and dance shoes adds just the right touch of pizzazz. In one double-page spread, the boys and girls sit in a circle and clap hands as they listen to music, an activity that the nursery-school crowd will certainly recognize. Veteran author and illustrator Isadora has produced many wonderful stories of the ballet for young readers, including the Lili at Ballet series, and this one is as lovely and accomplished. Endowing the dancers with chubby legs and an occasional stumble just raises the irresistibility factor.

Enjoy and dance along.