Bea at Ballet - Hardcover

Rachel Isadora, a former dancer, received a Caldecott Honor for Ben's Trumpet, and has written and illustrated numerous other books for children, including Say Hello!, Peekaboo Bedtime, the Lili at Ballet series and several classic tales set in Africa (including The Ugly Duckling, Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel and The Princess and the Pea). She lives in New York City.

"For the youngest dance enthusiasts, this is a pitch-perfect introduction to ballet. . . . Skillfully balances basic information with realistic childlike characters. . . . Nothing can dampen Bea's enthusiasm for ballet, and she shares it with aplomb." — The Horn Book, starred review

"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

"Bright, effective, inclusive . . . perfect introduction to ballet for toddlers, who will instantly recognize the peanut-stomached and chubby-legged bodies as their own. Isadora . . . makes this cheery, here's-how-it's-done offering effortlessly authoritative. . . . 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

"A precious primer from the first lady of ballet books for children. . . . The students' camaraderie is charming. . . . Youngsters will no doubt be anxious for Bea's promised, 'See you next week!' to revisit this warm and inviting ballet class." — School Library Journal

"For roly-poly little pre-ballet dancers whose bellies still pop out and whose tights sag at the knees. . . . They may get dizzy and fall when they spin, but Bea knows what's most important: 'I love to dance!'" — The New York Times Book Review

"Just the right touch of pizzazz. . . . Isadora has produced many wonderful stories of the ballet for young readers, and this one is as lovely and accomplished. Endowing the dancers with chubby legs and an occasional stumble just raises the irresistibility factor. Enjoy and dance along." — Kirkus Reviews