Review by Booklist Review
Ferguson, the Duchess of York, has produced a slew of red-haired heroines; this time out, it's a hopeful ballerina. Rosie loves to dance, and she's quite good at it. But when she begins lessons, something happens. She twists and trips and looks like a wilted flower. Soon she's ready to give up dancing for good. Then a present arrives: beautiful red ballet slippers. Once Rosie slips them on, her plies become perfect and her arabesques are sublime. When Rosie thinks the shoes should get the credit, her teacher the gift giver informs Rosie that success really comes from her own talent. Ferguson does not have the rhythms of a natural writer, and this text doesn't exactly flow. Still, her books are always better when she's paired with a good artist, and Caldecott Honor winner Goode is very good. Rendered in pen and ink and pastel, the pictures display a distinct feel of movement as Rosie cavorts about white pages. Her emotions, too, are evident from body language as well as expression. A nice-enough story with a solid message about having faith in yourself.--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Ferguson (the Little Red series) introduces a vivacious aspiring dancer in this mild, somewhat pat story. Goode's (the Louise the Big Cheese books) sprightly, wispy art is a show stealer, however, conveying Rosie's personality with ease and humor. Rendered in mixed media and set against a white backdrop, the illustrations consist primarily of spare images of Rosie in constant motion-sliding down a banister (with her toes pointed, of course) and exuberantly dancing with her stuffed bear. Determined to be a prima ballerina, Rosie wears her tutu all the time, even while playing soccer and climbing trees. But when her mother decides it's time for ballet school, Rosie has a tough time keeping up with her more graceful classmates, and her missteps are amusingly portrayed. Rosie is discouraged until a new pair of ballet shoes gives her the boost she needs. Although Madame Natalie tells Rosie that "practice and confidence" are responsible for her rapid turnaround in class, readers are still left with the disappointing message that it's all about the shoes. Ages 4-8. Agent: Faith Hamlin, Sanford J. Green-burger Associates. Illustrator's agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Young Rosie loves dance. She points, leaps, and twirls through daily activities, wearing a tutu wherever she goes. But when she starts ballet school, her unshakable belief that she's destined to be a prima ballerina develops a quaver or two. For readers with similar aspirations, this picture book has some attractions. Goode's delicate brush, pen-and-ink, and pastel illustrations have a Disney-esque charm. Balletic poses abound, energized by swirls of color to indicate motion. But the repetitive white background with small figures would benefit from more artistic variety and emotional oomph, and so would the story. Rosie talks about, practices, and worries about her dancing. Apart from a few pictures of her wearing a pink tutu as she plays baseball, climbs trees, or stands on the diving board, readers learn little about her. When dancing school leaves her discouraged, a deus ex machina emerges from an unlikely source and pronounces a moral message that's not only facile but also contradictory. With an abundance of satisfying ballet books in print, including Marilyn Singer's Tallulah's Tutu (Clarion, 2011) and James Mayhew's "Ella Bella Ballerina" stories (Barron's), this is only for the most enthusiastic readers and dancers.-Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY (c) Copyright 2012. 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 Kirkus Book Review
A little girl with red curls loves to dance--until she starts ballet school. Rosie Red Curls, as her mother calls her, wears her tutu everywhere, points her toes and loves to listen to ballet stories--all with her beloved stuffed panda close by. Her mother enrolls her in ballet class, but this turns out to be a challenge. Rosie cannot manage the steps and looks like a "wilted flower" instead of a prima ballerina. Her ballet teacher comes to the rescue, giving her a pair of red ballet shoes, and now Rosie's classroom steps are perfectly perfect. Even though her teacher also wore red, as Rosie sees in a photograph, they are not the real reason Rosie has bloomed: She now has confidence, and that comes from within, her teacher explains. Madame Natalie's explanation notwithstanding, the red shoes function as a sort of preschool deus ex machina, a baffling device in this context. Goode's familiar illustrations in brush, pen and ink and pastel are appropriately delicate, the blues and pinks looking quite lovely on the white pages. The girls should not be shown en pointe in class, however; they are much too young. With so many wonderful ballet stories available, this is one to skip. (Picture book. 3-6)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
