Ballet Bunnies #1: The New Class - Softcover

Reddy, Swapna

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0593304926 ISBN 13: 9780593304921

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers, 2021

Synopsis

Peek behind the curtain and find the Ballet Bunnies in this new full-color chapter book series featuring the most darling dancers you will ever meet!

Miss Luisa's School of Dance is a magical place. There are dancers and music. . . and bunnies that talk and do ballet! No one knows the bunnies are there. Then, Millie arrives. She's new to ballet class and doesn't know all the moves. But when all the other dancers are gone, she discovers the Ballet Bunnies! They can help Millie find her dancing feet--so long as she can keep the Ballet Bunnies a secret!

Don't miss the next act! Ballet Bunnies #2: Let's Dance

About this title

About the Author

Award-winning author Swapna Reddy, who also writes as Swapna Haddow, lives in New Zealand with her husband and son and their dog, Archie. If she wasn’t writing books, she would love to run a detective agency or wash windows because she’s very nosy.
 

Binny Talib is a Sydney-based illustrator who loves to create wallpaper, children’s books, and anything else she can draw all over. She likes drinking dandelion tea and is inspired by Jasper, her rescue cat.

Reviews

Gr 1-3-A new young reader series that is as saccharine as cotton candy. Millie, a little girl with brown skin and stylized facial features, has just turned six and her dream of ballet classes has finally come true. At Miss Luisa's School of Dance, Millie starts her first class, and realizes that regardless of her enthusiasm, first position is not easy. She also quickly meets the "mean" girl Amber. Amber fits the stereotype of pushy, in charge, and unwelcoming. Feeling a little overwhelmed after the first class, Millie sees shadows flitting across the studio and finds four tiny bunnies in tutus. These four bunnies can talk to Millie, and help her learn her first ballet steps. Dolly, Fifi, Pod, and Trixie befriend the girl, and Dolly travels home with Millie in her backpack. The story continues with protagonist preparing for a gala performance and rehearsing with her bunny friends. The second title has a tad more excitement when Amber hides Millie's watering can prop for the performance in the garbage. Of course, Millie finds her watering can, rescues Dolly (who was hiding in the can in order to support Millie during the performance) and it all ends happily. The illustrations of the bunnies are realistic, sweet, and adorable. This is a seemingly charming young reader that, unfortunately, has little plot or character development, and doesn't really bridge the magical and real-life connections. Most of the story is so predictable that six- and seven-year-old readers will quickly lose interest. VERDICT Bunnies and ballet go together like peanut butter and jelly, but this series never learns first position.-Susan Lissim, Dwight Sch., New York Cityα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Edition details

• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0593304926
• ISBN 13: 9780593304921
• Binding: Paperback
• Illustrator: Talib Binny
• Number of pages: 96