Bea at Ballet

by Rachel Isadora

Now in board book! Caldecott Honor winner—and former dancer—Rachel Isadora, the creator of Lili at Ballet, introduces very young children to the joy of dance and creative expression as she takes them through the basics of their first ballet class.
 
Bea loves everything about ballet class, from putting on her leotard and ballet slippers to bowing good-bye at the end of class. Bright, cheerful illustrations show Bea and her class of adorable toddlers learning the basic positions and movements and leaping and twirling to their hearts' delight.
 
* “For the youngest dance enthusiasts, this is a pitch-perfect introduction to ballet.”—The Horn Book (starred review)
 
“Bright, effective, inclusive . . . perfect introduction to ballet for toddlers. . . . As delightful for toddlers as Isadora’s Lili at Ballet series is for their grade-school counterparts. Fans of Katharine Holabird’s Angelina Ballerina series ought to rejoice, too.”—Booklist
 
“Bea and the diverse group of toddlers in her ballet class are cherubic and infectiously enthusiastic. . . . A former dancer and Caldecott Honor artist, Isadora conveys the joy of ballet in a book that’s sure to buoy the confidence of beginning dancers.”—Publishers Weekly

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Storytime, Juvenile, Art, Music

32 pages, Board Book

First published May 10, 2012

About the author

Rachel Isadora is an award-winning children's author and illustrator. She has written children's books on multiple topics including ballet, life in America and Africa, and has illustrated several Brother Grimm tales in an African setting. She is most well-known for her Caldecott Honor Award book "Ben's Trumpet". She was a ballet dancer before she became an illustrator and children's writer.

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What's not to love in this book of dance for young ones? From the beginning of class to the end, it's enlivening.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read at drop-in story time at the Tenley library on 3/26/13: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...

[Casandria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute and simple intro to ballet

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a good introduction to what happens at a dance class for the very young. It is simple and clear with just a little bit of humor included. I read this book at a story-time for two-year olds and caregivers and after the program one parent requested the book so that she could take it home to share again and again with her daughter.

[Jessie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story of very small kids taking a ballet class.

The kids start class on the floor, but we see them getting ready first and saying hello to the pianist. They go through the basic positions, do releves, point and flex their toes, stretch, do arabesques and attitudes, turn and leap, and do reverence.

We get to see girls and boys, and the kids are of multiple races, which I appreciated.

[Lu's Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bea takes ballet with TWO BOYS! OH THANK YOU!
Lu is in ballet and I've been struggling to find a book that... does exactly what this book does. It simply shows the girl's ballet gear, then the boy's ballet gear-- then it shows both girls and boys in a typical class together. It was so, so nice. No glitter, no drama-- just normal ballet class in normal practice wear.

(June 2019, library book)

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, simple book about a ballet class. Great for preschool children.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute intro to ballet.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story of little children learning ballet. Sweet illustrations.

[Juliana Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Learn a little ballet vocabulary with this sweet little picture book. Both boys and girls are pictured in ballet class. Fun way for little ones to learn some ballet terms.

[Carina · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a budding ballerina, I really liked this book. It was sweet and used some ballet terms that I know from dance class.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

An intro to ballet for the youngest preschoolers.
Glad that it shows both girl and boy dancers.

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book about ballet. I liked that it has boy and girl dancers.

[Navila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Muy buen libro para adentrarte en el mundo del ballet, pero eso sí, yo lo leí en inglés y no se si este traducido al español pero es un inglés básico.

[Dori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute book!

[E & E’s Mama · Rating 5 out of 5]

My ballet-loving 2-year old daughter LOVES this short, yet delightful book on a little girl who goes to ballet. There’s also one about Bea and the Nutcracker ballet that we love too

[TJE · Rating 3 out of 5]

Taught her the different positions in ballet and about splits

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very simple introduction to ballet terms and basic equipment and positions. The illustrations are very diverse, children (boys and girls) of all ethnicities are included, which is beautiful to see. I didn't like the fact that the two times in the book where one of the dancers messed up it was the same little girl (why not show that everyone makes mistakes?). While there's a lot of good about this book, it just didn't grab me. I'm left feeling just meh and won't be using it for story time.

[Amy Seto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bea loves to dance and she especially loves her ballet class. She puts on her tights, pink leotard, and ballet slippers and steps into the studio with her friends. The book follows the preschoolers through their class from circle time, through the five positions, to bowing, or reverence, at the end of class. Bea and her friends show the reader the different ways dancers move their feet, from point to flex to relevé, as well as a few other steps, such as arabesques and attitudes. As Bea leaves the studio, she turns to wave, “See you next week!”

Through this book Isadora, a former dancer, shows children what to expect from ballet class. The text is simple and printed in a large and round font. The children add their own comments to the story in colorful speech bubbles. Isadora takes care to label items and movements so that children learn the correct terminology. I especially love the pages that show the clothing Bea and her friend, Sam (a boy), wear to class. Set against a simple white background the leotards, tights, and other attire provide the color in the pen and ink illustrations. The 3 boys and 6 girls in the class, from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, perform the movements at differing levels of expertise and with childlike enthusiasm. Through it all, Isadora, as well as Bea's love of dance is evident.

Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...

[Tierra Redmond · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Review of Bea at Ballet
By: Tierra Redmond
Rachel Isadora, who is a Caldecott Honor winner because of her vibrant illustrations, wrote Bea at Ballet as an introduction to explain ballet to young readers. This book like many other works of hers is based on theatrical aspects. She is influenced by the arts because she was a former dancer before a critical injury ended her dance career. In this book she expresses the basics of ballet and the enjoyment people find from dance.
Throughout the book, she describes appropriate attire, studio terms, and important ballet positions. I enjoyed this book because none of terms were too advanced. It catered to the young readers who it was written for. Another aspect of this book I enjoyed was the illustrations because students were able to visualize the terms and from there decide if they had developed interest in ballet.
Students are not always aware of the different contemporary and classical dances; Bea at Ballet introduces young readers to a very popular dance at this current time. When educators, preferably music instructors can use this book to help students gain an understanding of ballet, it can also open their mind to becoming interested in other dances or theatrical aspects.

[The Library Lady · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is nice that Isadora has boys and girls and they're evidently intended to be multiracial, but I don't like the use of pencil/charcoal faces on top of colored clothing, the effect is jarring.

I'm also somewhat disappointed by the dance pages.I've been a bad amateur ballerina myself for the past 12 years. And I've helped my ballet teacher, who teaches preschool ballet as well--the real thing, not the sort of stuff where they dress up in costumes, or do ballet and tap together. So I can't help wonder why Isadora, a dancer herself, shows them doing arabesques and attitudes instead of learning to point their feet in a tendu or to do simple plie.

For those reasons, much as I like and esteem Isadora, I prefer the recent Tallulah's Tutu as a more realistic introduction to ballet class for preschoolers. Or I'd go for Ann Jonas's Color Dance which carries the joy of movement and multicultural kids dancing.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's not really a lot of story in Bea at Ballet, but it's cute for what it is: a day in the life of sorts at ballet class. For example, there's a page of all the different outfits that Bea and her male classmate (the inclusion of which I appreciated) might wear to ballet class. Like I said, there's not a lot of story, but it's obviously meant for very young children who are just starting to learn to sit still for a story. It was nice, and I appreciated that there were diverse characters included in the book, but they're all colorless, and it's not a black and white book. You can tell that there's an African-American character, for example, but she's completely white even though her outfits have color, etc. In any case, this could be good for a preschool dance-related storytime.

Ages 3-5

[Mary Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Preschoolers enchanted with ballet will love this simple introduction to ballet. Rachel Isadora is a former dancer whose love for ballet shines through at each step. Young Bea goes to dance class with six other preschoolers, four girls and two boys. After getting dressed in her leotard and ballet slippers, Bea peeks into the studio, excited and a little nervous, too. The class starts by sitting in a circle, clapping to the music - something preschoolers do all the time. Different elements of ballet, from the five basic positions to the equipment, are introduced clearly and simply. Isadora’s simple, understated illustration style keeps the focus on the children. Look for her other lovely books about ballet at the library!

[jacky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was more nonfiction about ballet than a story, which I wasn't expecting. But, it was still awesome. Natalie is very interested in ballet right now, so this was a great way to teach her a little bit about it. A wonderful selection for a child who just started ballet classes or is about to soon. Loved that it showed the positions and some basic movies. I liked the illustrations. Natalie didn't say anything while we read it, but afterwards, she wanted to read something with more color, suggesting she might have been commenting on the illustration style, which would be a first.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this simple but adorable book for early readers, Bea learns all about ballet from the positions used to clothing to equipment. The text is written in a gray font that contrasts nicely with the pinks and other colors used in the pencil, ink, and oil illustrations that show dancers as they are moving across the floor. This is a must-have title for the budding dancers in your life, especially since the joy of dancing can be seen on the faces of all the characters.

[Erin Buhr · Rating 3 out of 5]

BEA AT BALLET is the perfect introduction to ballet for little ones. It is filled with cheerful illustrations and simple vocabulary that emphasizes the fun and joy of dancing. Rachel Isadora is a former dancer and amazing Caldecott Honor winning author/illustrator. She makes the basics of ballet accessible and inspiring for the youngest audience as she follows Bea through a typical ballet class. You will want to get up and dance.

[Angelica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bea loves Ballet. She loves what she has to wear, her teacher and she loves to dance. With pictures and definitions of what each object is this book is really colorful. She goes into what happens before and after class. Show the different postions in ballet and the many ways dancers use their feet. This is a great book for kids who love dancing.


Great for girls or boys

Great for Preschool to Kindergarten

[Florian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rachel Isadora's books are simple, vibrant, and always diverse. This is no exception, giving the basics of ballet in such a clear and straightforward way that that even the youngest audiences can understand with ease. Her cast of young dancers have a range of races, skills, and genders.

The illustrations are not as colorful as they often are in Isadora's work, and while I prefer her more chormatic styles, the more minimal illustrations are fine.

[Hannah Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I cannot get enough of Isadora's illustrations. They're happy, bright, and perfectly capture the joy and excitement of little ones. I love the drawings of both Bea's and Sam's outfits, how the pianist has an earring/gauge, the simplicity of how the five positions are portrayed, and the attention to detail (barrettes in the hair, patterns on the clothes). Plus there's a bit of humor and self-acceptance in this book. This book may be small, but it's full of treasure and beauty.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rachel Isadora has created the perfect introductory dance book for preschool students. By describing Bea and her lessons, Isadora describes basic vocabulary and ballet moves. I especially like that the book includes both a boy and a girl and explains what they wear for lessons. Perfect for preschool-aged children beginning ballet lessons.