Kightley recasts Emily’s Ice Dancing Show (2010) as a ballet school triumph—changing her main character’s hair color but keeping the sparkles on the cover and most of the movable effects.
In the perfunctory plotline, little Sophie Pavlova comes away from her first day of ballet school knowing so much that the next day she receives an invitation to star in a production of Sleeping Beauty. Other stubby-limbed, button-eyed girls demonstrate (labeled) pliés, jetés and pirouettes in the pastel pink and blue scenes as, with pulls on tabs, Sophie demonstrates each of the five positions and also makes “an amazing leap!” Turning a pair of wheels allows viewers to “help” Sophie try on a succession of costumes, and the final spread opens a grand view of a multilevel stage on which she spins with pulls on a string as the corps de ballet behind her sways and kicks. “I love being a ballet dancer!” laughs Sophie.
Insulin alert. Not to mention the absence of more than a hint that there might be a certain amount of work involved. (Pop-up/picture book. 5-7)
