Review by Booklist Review
PreS-K. In the spirit of Charlotte Zolotow's William's Doll (1972) and Tomie dePaola's Oliver Button Is a Sissy (1979), this picture book offers a true-to-life view of childhood enthusiasms hamstrung by gender stereotypes. Anthropomorphic puppy Nate signs up for ballet lessons after watching a local recital, but needling from his older brother (Boys can't be ballerinas. They never, ever, ever can ), not to mention being the only boy in class, weakens his resolve. Finally, his encouraging mother arranges a visit to a professional ballet that resuscitates Nate's excitement. Though the story's pace seems uneven, Bradley writes smoothly and insightfully about Nate's experiences, updating the familiar parable by allowing his crisis of confidence to be almost entirely internal rather than triggered by cliched naysayers (Mom and Dad are equally enlightened, and their discussions defuse brother's snide words). Alley's watercolor-and-pencil contributions, portraying an entirely canine universe, capture both the warm family dynamics and Nate's zooming, irrepressible energy. --Jennifer Mattson Copyright 2006 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Bradley (Favorite Things) tackles gender stereotypes head-on with a plucky hero who prefers plies and pirouettes to Little League and Nintendo. Nate (a small, gray shepherd-like mutt in this all-dog story), an eager kindergartener, gets hooked on ballet during a field trip to a performance: "He loved the fluttery costumes... He loved the way the dancers jumped and leaped and spun." When he declares he wants to learn to dance that way, his second-grade, sports-loving brother, Ben, quickly pronounces, "You can't... You're a boy." Much of the poignant humor revolves around the brothers' back and forth, as Ben keeps reminding Nate that his chosen pursuit is primarily a girls' pastime that requires wearing pink shoes and a dress. Alley's (Tiger Can't Sleep) true-to-life ink-and-watercolor illustrations adroitly capture the youngsters' home life (e.g., in one scene, Nate blithely twirls around Ben, who's zoned out in his red beanbag chair playing a video game). Their mother's exasperated reactions to Ben's insensitivity are comically realistic. Readers will be inspired by Nate's perseverance in the face of sibling pressure (and also the discovery that all the dancers in his ballet class are girls), as well as by his overt joy at realizing a new passion. Three cheers for this contemporary tale that effectively takes on the issue of societal pressure-and for Nate's parents, who handle the matter with only encouragement and grace. Ages 4-up. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Nate decides he wants to dance after attending a recital, but his older brother tells him that boys can't be ballerinas. Even though the child's parents tell him otherwise, Ben's words worry the would-be performer. Nate loves his ballet class, but he wonders why he is the only boy. His troubles disappear when he attends a professional performance and meets one of the male dancers. He explains that he calls himself a dancer, but you could also call a male dancer a "ballerino." Alley's ink-and-watercolor illustrations of the animal characters have a playful energy that moves the story forward. While the word "ballerino" may not exist, which the text unfortunately fails to clarify, children will admire Nate's persistence to follow his interest despite the obstacles. Aspiring dancers of either gender will enjoy this look at the art of dancing from a male perspective.-Rachel G. Payne, Brooklyn Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
First-grader Nate longs to take ballet lessons and regrets to find that his class is full of girls. The denouement is predictable--Nate is affirmed upon meeting a male ballet pro--and the all-canine cast, which includes human-proportioned biped dancers with dog heads, seems a strange choice. Still, the story gets points for liveliness and for its sermon-free anti-stereotype message. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
After attending a student ballet performance with his kindergarten class, Nate decides he wants to become a ballet dancer. Despite negative pressure from his brother, Nate persists in his dream until his parents arrange for lessons. When Nate is the only boy in the class, and his brother continues his teasing, Nate's mother takes him to a real ballet in a huge theater, where Nate sees that men can be dancers, too. Though the idea of a boy wanting to study ballet is not a new one, the sensitive, humorous treatment and the gentle and understanding parents bring a fresh slant to the story. Alley's appealing illustrations in watercolor with pen and ink use all sorts of dogs as the characters (little tails poke out from under their tutus), and he creates quite a believable and likable persona for little Nate, with expressions that effectively convey all his emotions. Terrific well beyond the ballet lesson. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
