K-Gr 2 Emma has lots of energy, and she loves hopping and skipping all around the lush garden with her cat. When Uncle Leo sends her a pink tutu and ballet slippers, she is dismayed and says she doesn't know how to be a ballerina. The mailman tells her, "]you dance like daisies and dandelion fluff!" Emma tries, but she falls into the petunias, trips over the garden gnome, and ends up in the birdbath. A neighbor walking her dogs tells her that ballerinas dance on their tippy-toes. That attempt lands her in the flowers again. Her big brother tells her that ballerinas need violin, harp, and flute music, but all Emma has is a kazoo. Finally, she decides to be her own kind of ballerina, puts her shorts and cowboy boots back on, and plays her kazoo. Uncle Leo arrives in time to see the performance. He says he never pictured her as a ballerina, and that's why he sent her the jungle safari outfit, but the store made a mistake. The simple but expressive illustrations are perfect for the story. The artwork, done in watercolor with images outlined in black ink, is very funny. The garden is cheerful, as are all the people demonstrating ballet steps to Emma. The animals are always up to something, and Emma's futile attempts at being graceful are hilarious. This is a clever and imaginative addition to the long list of picture books telling youngsters to be themselves."Ieva Bates, Ann Arbor District Library, MI" Copyright 2010 Media Source Inc.
When tomboy Emma receives a pink ballerina costume from her uncle, her efforts to float, flutter, and twirl land her in a petunia patch, birdbath, etc. The story's "be yourself" message is common enough in the picture book world, but this tale feels fresh because Emma is so sympathetic: as the illustrations of her loose-limbed pratfalls show, she's giving it her all.
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