The Cranky Ballerina

Reviewed by: Kristin Taylor - Biddeford High School, Biddeford, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 12, 2017

Review

The message would be not to quit something because you are frustrated, but to put your energy into something that you would be better suited for. Ada is cranky because she doesn't like ballet -- the pink leotard is "waaay too tight", the tutu is "waaay too itchy" and the car ride makes her sick. When the teacher asks her to do a pirouette, she ends up wiping out the ballet class and spinning right into a karate class -- where all of a sudden she is a spinning sensation! There is also a sidekick monster type of character that mimics Ada and occasionally adds comments or reinforces what Ada says.

Cartoon type illustrations that do not fluctuate much in color with a busy background that is a little distracting. The binding is of a good quality and seems to be quite durable. Recommended for PreK to 2nd grade.

Overall Book Score: very good