Long before I had my daughter, I dreamed of her taking ballet. Did I love the tutus, pink leotards and spend my entire life wanting a girl who I might get to dress up as a baby ballerina? Sure!
Ballet has always been a place for girls to shine. It’s opened doors for women around the world who would’ve had little opportunity otherwise.
And I’m also a mom who wants to raise my sweet girl into a strong, independent woman. Ballet takes discipline and dedication. It’s a physical art and tough sport that highlights the grace and strength of the ballerina.
On the day of dress rehearsal, I had the chance to watch my little twins on stage for the first time. My boy, Peter Pan to his bevy of 3 year old Tinkerbells, was a hit. But my daughter, oh my sweet baby girl, trying her best to wait patiently in first position, decided she was a hip hop dancer instead.
It was a feeling I will never forget. She came into this world as her own person. She marches to the beat of her own drum. And every time I think about this moment – I’m reminded to always allow her to be her true authentic self. I love that she loves to dance. It doesn’t have to be in the way I originally imagined.
“The time has come to treat girls as people and listen carefully to what they’re saying. They’re the world’s leading experts on what it’s like to be them,” says Heather Johnston-Nicholson, PhD, director of research for Girls Inc. So, to help our daughters as they grow and struggle with things like body image, self-esteem, intellectual growth, and peer pressure, let’s listen before we talk.
So am I changing course? Is this not about ballet at all? Yes. No.
It’s both. Dream all the dreams you want about your littles. Read them all the books you can to help them see options. But I want our girls to grow up knowing we appreciate them for who they are, not who WE want them to be.
Books I love & Art work that Inspires
Using Your Imagination
Flora the Flamingo was published the year my daughter was born, 2013. From the moment it was released, it was popping up on thousands of Pinterest pages. Then it went on to further fame as it was displayed in every dreamy white-washed home of Instagram influencers showcasing the book on the walls of all baby girl nurseries. Wow! To make a book that without words, and on the cover (and color) alone, become the IT book to have.
As someone who sort of resists the status quo, I loved it anyway. Wordless picture books are underrated. They can help prompt discussion and encourage language development. That’s why I like this book. And if spirit animals are a thing – I’m a flamingo for sure. So there’s that.
by Molly Idle, Flora the Flamingo
The perfect little book for the perfect little girl in your life
I get a wee bit weepy when I see this book. It sits on my daughter’s dresser as a reminder of her first recital. I bought this book in the weeks leading up to her first time on stage and it is the very first book that she read to me – whether through memorization or just how easy it is for young readers – it holds a special place in our hearts.
Read along with your little girl as she sees herself in this book, practicing in dance class and preparing for her big performance.
by Sue Fleiss, I’m a Ballerina!
Charlotte Perkins is an exceptional child
The Lottie Perkins series revolves around Lottie Perkins, a clever girl who thinks she can achieve anything (she can)! Lottie has big dreams, but of course, her path is riddled with challenges, including big bully, Harper Dark.
In this fun and fast-paced story, Lottie declares she will become something wonderful and then sets out on a journey to achieve her goal.
I can’t get enough of these books.
Generously scattered with gorgeous illustrations by Makoto Koji, the books set the stage for young girls to believe that they can achieve anything. And as important as that is for our daughters, the book comes with stickers, too!
by Katrina Nannestad, Lottie Perkins, Ballerina
the perfect starting point for tiny ballerinas, spare rhymes prance across the page
A sweet, petite coup de coeur for tutus and toe shoes, sous-sus and tendus, and all things ballet. I adore the retro illustrations and the beautiful design of this book.
And don’t think picture books are just for small children. “With remarkable economy, picture books excel at the twin arts of visual and textual storytelling. Anyone who has ever read a picture book to a child has witnessed this magic firsthand. You’ll be reading along aloud and the child will laugh, not at anything you’ve read but at something she has read in the pictures,” says NYT book reviewer Pamela Paul.
I think Love Is a Tutu will delight dancers of all ages.
by
for aspiring ballerinas ready to leap and spread their wings
A book about books and ballet? What could be better for your young reading ballerina?
Ready to Fly is the true story of Sylvia Townsend, an African American girl who falls in love with ballet after seeing Swan Lake on TV. This nonfiction picture book is an excellent choice for home or school.
Although there aren’t many ballet schools that will accept a girl like Sylvia in the 1950s, her local bookmobile provides another possibility. A librarian helps Sylvia find a book about ballet and the determined seven year-old, with the help of her new books, starts teaching herself the basics of classical ballet.
Soon Sylvia learns how to fly—how to dance—and how to dare to dream.
by Lea Leon, Ready to Fly
a message about perseverance, determination and following your dreams
Dancing in the Wings is loosely based on actress/choreographer Debbie Allen’s own experiences as a young dancer.
I love that this book features a beautiful black protagonist. Her name is Sassy – and it’s fitting. I recommend this book, but with certain caveats. First, as someone who’s been illustrating beautifully diverse characters for years, I want more of this in books for kids. But however closely art imitates life, I’m still a little bummed that there is so much aggression in this book. Bullying is the worst – and I’m sure in the world in which Allen became a star, she faced plenty – but the book misses the mark on dealing with this issue.
So, read this one with your child…and be prepared to use it as a way to have a discussion on mean girls, bullying and bad behavior.
by Debbie Allen, Dancing in the Wings
there’s more to dancing than getting to wear a pretty, pink tutu
Marilyn Singer captures how a true artist, ballet or any artist for that matter, isn’t just in it for the daydream ambitions of greatness. If you have the urge to create or perform, art is just in your blood.
As much as I talk about following your dreams, it’s important that kids know you have to work to become great at your craft.
Tallulah is convinced that she will be a great ballerina, all she needs is a tutu. But she soon learns that she has to earn it. The merging of dreams with the reality of the work it takes is portrayed in a way that argues for the balance of the two.
The is for your dreamer…just make sure to share with her that the harder she works, the luckier she will get.
by Marilyn Singer, Tallulah’s Tutu
The rhythmic cadence and clever rhyming scheme make it a joy to read
Little readers, especially little ballerinas, will enjoy hearing about this gaggle of girls who dance all day. But when a new little girl, named Regina, joins Miss Lina’s class, chaos ensues. Despite having a name that rhymes with the rest of the girls, and lovely ballet skills, Regina throws off the existing “four lines of two” routine.
In the end, it’s really about involving a new person and adjusting group dynamics because girls must learn at an early age, the advantages of including others.
by Grace Maccarone, Miss Lina’s Ballerinas
Spare, poetic words sit as lightly as snowflakes.” – Wall Street Journal
So begins the journey of a girl who will one day grow up to be the most famous prima ballerina of all time, inspiring legions of dancers after her: the brave, the generous, the transcendently gifted Anna Pavlova.
Plus, the gorgeous illustrations capture Anna’s feeling of a “song, suddenly, inside her.”
by Laurel Snyder, Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova
discover the magic of famous ballets
The most ballet-ish of all the books here, this one, like my Sugarluxe ballet girl illustration above is inspired by Swan Lake.
Ella Bella and her dance class are introduced to a ballet by their instructor, Madame Rosa. As Ella listens to the music, she is transported in a dream to the setting of Swan Lake, thus becoming an integral part of the story. Young girls will be entranced as they follow along with Ella as she learns about these famous ballets.
These enchanting stories are enhanced with colorful illustrations, and at the back of each book, the author (who is also the illustrator, which is so amazing) provides a brief outline of the life of the composer and the history of the ballet.
I recommend the whole series.
by James Mayhew, Ella Bella Ballerina and Swan Lake
exploring options to help your kids achieve what they want in life
I have boy/girl twins – so we have our fair share of dinosaurs around here. A book I can read to both at the same time is something I appreciate.
But the real attraction for me with this book is that my daughter is super tall. She wishes she was “tiny” all the time. I don’t want to minimize her feelings, but daily, I do emphasize to her how I love the way she was made. Perfect AS IS!
Brontorina knows in her heart she is a ballerina but others think she is too big and doesn’t have the right shoes. Life is full of stresses and challenges. Children who are willing to take on challenges (instead of avoiding them or simply coping with them) do better in school and in life.
In the end, Brontorina’s ballet teacher decides to meet Brontorina’s needs by finding space that is big enough for her to dance. I like sharing with my kids that sometimes major obstacles can be overcome with a shift in thinking.
by James Howe, Brontorina
an inspiring tale for anyone looking for the courage to try something new
In Bunheads, the story of young Misty’s first ballet class and first dance production, the author and celebrated ballerina pays tribute to key figures in her youth and explores themes of camaraderie among dancers, the need for a support system and the importance of having the confidence to try something new.
Confidence is a quality Copeland says was often lacking in her journey from a childhood of modest means to becoming the most famous ballerina in America — and the first female Black principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre.
Inspire your little bunhead with the story of this incredible young woman.
by Misty Copeland, Bunheads
