A fluffy, cute early chapter-book series for strong readers.
Ballet class becomes a little bit easier with the help of the Ballet Bunnies in this new early chapter-book series.
Millie is delighted when her mother surprises her with ballet lessons for her sixth birthday. But after her first disastrous lesson Millie feels like a failure. That’s when she meets the four tiny, talking Ballet Bunnies who secretly live in the ballet studio. With encouragement from the bunnies and a welcoming new human friend, Millie finds the courage to keep dancing. The linear narration uses a wide vocabulary, suiting this title to strong transitioning readers rather than those still honing their foundational decoding skills. The predictable plot frames Millie’s struggle as a consequence of being a ballet newbie and having to deal with a mean classmate, completely avoiding the ballet teacher’s incompetence as perhaps the main contributor to Millie’s difficulties. The cheery pastel illustrations provide context as the story unfolds, although the characters, human and bunny alike, suffer from a shortage of expression and personality. The concluding glossary lacks a pronunciation guide for the French ballet terms, many of which are not actually used in the narrative text. Millie and her mother are depicted with black hair and light brown skin. The ballet teacher and most of Millie’s classmates have pale skin and various hair colors with the exception of Millie’s new friend, Samira, who has pink hair and light brown skin.
A fluffy, cute early chapter-book series for strong readers. (Fantasy. 7-9)Pub Date: March 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-30492-1
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 14, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2021
A welcome, well-researched reflection of cultural pride in the early-reader landscape.
The fourth installment in Delacre’s early-reader series centers on the rich musical traditions of Puerto Rico, once again featuring sibling tree frogs Rafi and Rosi Coquí.
Readers learn along with Rafi and Rosi as they explore bomba, plena, and salsa in three chapters. A glossary at the beginning sets readers up well to understand the Spanish vocabulary, including accurate phoneticization for non-Spanish speakers. The stories focus on Rafi and Rosi’s relationship within a musical context. For example, in one chapter Rafi finds out that he attracts a larger audience playing his homemade güiro with Rosi’s help even though he initially excluded her: “Big brothers only.” Even when he makes mistakes, as the older brother, Rafi consoles Rosi when she is embarrassed or angry at him. In each instance, their shared joy for music and dance ultimately shines through any upsets—a valuable reflection of unity. Informational backmatter and author’s sources are extensive. Undoubtedly these will help teachers, librarians, and parents to develop Puerto Rican cultural programs, curriculum, or home activities to extend young readers’ learning. The inclusion of instructions to make one’s own homemade güiro is a thoughtful addition. The Spanish translation, also by Delacre and published simultaneously, will require a more advanced reader than the English one to recognize and comprehend contractions (“pa’bajo-pa-pa’rriba”) and relatively sophisticated vocabulary.
A welcome, well-researched reflection of cultural pride in the early-reader landscape. (Early reader. 7-9)Pub Date: Sept. 17, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-89239-429-6
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Children's Book Press
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2019
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look...
Winning actually isn’t everything, as jazz-happy Rooster learns when he goes up against the legendary likes of Mules Davis and Ella Finchgerald at the barnyard talent show.
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look good—particularly after his “ ‘Hen from Ipanema’ [makes] / the barnyard chickies swoon.”—but in the end the competition is just too stiff. No matter: A compliment from cool Mules and the conviction that he still has the world’s best band soon puts the strut back in his stride. Alexander’s versifying isn’t always in tune (“So, he went to see his cousin, / a pianist of great fame…”), and despite his moniker Rooster plays an electric bass in Bower’s canted country scenes. Children are unlikely to get most of the jokes liberally sprinkled through the text, of course, so the adults sharing it with them should be ready to consult the backmatter, which consists of closing notes on jazz’s instruments, history and best-known musicians.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-58536-688-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
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