Review by Booklist Review
Watching the older girls during her ballet school's performance of Sleeping Beauty, Tallulah notices one big difference between herself and the best dancers at her school: satin toe shoes. When the Lilac Fairy throws out an old pair of pointe shoes, Tallulah retrieves them and tries them out, with painful results. Tallulah's initial longing and impatience gives way to sadness and discouragement, but Singer's graceful text brings the story around to a satisfying conclusion. With its glittering jacket, empathetic writing, and expressive watercolor illustrations, this picture book from the Tallulah series will appeal to many young dancers with ballerina dreams.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In Tallulah's first outing, she was desperate for a tutu; now, like all young ballerinas, she dreams of getting her first pair of toe shoes and dancing en pointe. Trying to speed the process along, she snags a discarded pair that belonged to an older dancer, but she learns that while her determination is unwavering, her body isn't quite ready for the challenge. As with the previous two books, Singer and Boiger deliver the story's message with a lightness and grace befitting the subject matter, and Tallulah remains a highly empathetic heroine. Ages 4-8. Illustrator's agent: Marcia Wernick, Wernick & Pratt. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Tallulah wants to be a real ballerina in pink-satin toe shoes, like the Lilac Fairy in her ballet school's performance of Sleeping Beauty. Both her mother and her teacher tell her gently that she is too young to dance en pointe, but the child is determined. She takes a discarded pair of toe shoes home and puts them on. Standing on her toes in front of her mirror, she realizes that she looks more like a crouching rat than a graceful dancer. She stays en pointe with her little brother's help, and her toes become painfully hot and red. That week her sadness is palpable as she walks through the park. When she puts the shoes back into the wastebasket, an older girl who danced the Lilac Fairy sees and understands. Like Tallulah, she thought she would never learn to dance on her toes, but she has. So will Tallulah in time with practice. Tallulah's Tutu (2011) and Tallulah's Solo (2012, both Clarion) also show the youngster's dreamy expectations becoming more realistic. The watercolor and gouache illustrations use a palette of soft rose, pinks, blues, and grays. Children who love ballet will love this one and want to read the other titles in this series.-Mary Jean Smith, formerly at Southside Elementary School, Lebanon, TN (c) Copyright 2013. 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
Tallulah knew she'd never be a ballerina until she got a pair of pink satin toe shoes." Despite warnings that she is too young, Tallulah takes home a pair she finds in the trash at ballet school. Elegant watercolors reflect Tallulah's dreams of en-pointe grandeur (and the pain of swollen toes). Few picture books deal this well with delayed gratification. (c) Copyright 2013. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Toe shoes are de rigueur for ballerinas, and Tallulah wants them--now! Tallulah is one determined ballet student. She wanted a tutu and got it. She wanted a starring role in a student performance and almost got it, appearing instead in the corps de ballet. Now it's toe shoes. Her teacher explains that she can wear them when her feet stop growing. This is not a sufficient deterrent, however. Tallulah sneakily retrieves a pair discarded by an older student and takes them home. Sore feet, sore toes, inability to balance and her little brother's exasperation after trying to help finally make her realize her teacher's wisdom. Singer once again wisely presents a quandary faced by many little ballerinas and any other child who is told to postpone immediate gratification. Boiger's delicate watercolors featuring bright reds and blues winningly capture Tallulah's loving family, her dramatic if unsuccessful struggle to stand on point and her surety of future success. A double-page-spread depiction of a ballet step, chapp en pointe or demi-pointe, performed respectively by an older girl and by Tallulah, makes an excellent reference point. Little girls in tutus and little girls who dream big will find that Tallulah is a kindred spirit. A glittery cover adds to the appeal. A charming entry in the ongoing saga of Tallulah. (Picture book. 4-7)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
