The Bear Who Wanted to Dance

A bear hopes to become prima ballerina.
Rita has always loved ballet. The young bear joins the intimidating Monsieur le Fox’s ballet class and meets a new friend, Wanda; they spend their days dreaming about a life in dance. When Monsieur le Fox announces his plan to host auditions for the class’s prima ballerina spot, Rita and Wanda practice dancing and read ballet magazines to prepare. Looking at the ballerinas in the magazines, as well as those in the posters on the walls, Rita comes to a realization: “These ballerinas don’t look anything like me!” Indeed, they are all lithe creatures like weasels, foxes, frogs, and rabbits. The simple story’s resolution relies on Wanda and Monsieur le Fox encouraging Rita rather than Rita independently coming to embrace “my beautiful, big-bear body.” For this reason, caregivers and educators may consider pairing this tale with Vashti Harrison’s Big (2023), which shares similar themes but features the protagonist as her own savior. The full-color illustrations are soft and inviting, with the bulk of the story taking place in a cozy forest rife with mushrooms, coniferous trees, and logs on which the ballerinas practice balancing. The endpapers show Rita in a variety of ballet poses, perhaps encouraging future dancers to begin their practice. A classic ballet story infused with themes of body positivity and the importance of seeing oneself reflected in art. (Picture book. 3-7)—Kirkus Reviews

In a first-person account, young brown bear Rita reminisces about the time she attended a ballet and how it changed her life. She joins a dance class led by Monsieur le Fox and becomes friends with a fellow dancer named Wanda. When the instructor announces he will be holding auditions to find the company’s prima ballerina, Rita and Wanda spend their time leading up to the audition practicing and dreaming of a lifetime of ballet. Rita is worried sick about auditioning since, for the first time, she notices that her bear body type is different from other dancers, all of whom are slender creatures of other species. Still, dedication, practice, and a positive attitude assist Rita in making her dream a reality. Youngsters will enjoy the softly hued watercolors that feature the round bear cub in a pink tutu and pink ballet slippers. Endpapers reveal a variety of classic ballet positions, encouraging interested children to take their first steps toward learning dance.—Booklist

The Bear Who Wanted to Dance enjoys fun drawings by Wendy J. Warren that bring to life the story of bear Rita, who has always wanted to be a ballerina. She takes ballet classes with her best friend and practices daily, so when she learns there will be auditions for the studio’s prima ballerina, she tries out. There’s only one problem - she doesn’t look at all like the other aspiring ballerinas. Can a hefty bear win a role usually represented by delicacy? The message of body image, positivity, and achievement results in a lively picture book story that includes ballet terminology and a youngster’s query ("Where are all the bears?"). The Bear Who Wanted to Dance is a particularly engaging read-aloud that adults will appreciate for its opportunities to discuss different aspects of achievement and bodily image.—Midwest Book Review