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angiew23's review
5.0
This story is about a little girl whose mother dances a traditional cultural dance called Bharatanatyam. When Paro begins ballet lessons she is very worried that she will not be good enough because she is more familiar with other dance moves. Through the course of the story she comes to see that there are many types of dance, each unique and special, and that dancers can learn any style.
As a grade 3 teacher I could definitely see having this book in my classroom library or using it to introduce a lesson on cultural traditions and acceptance of diversity. The book is suggested for K-2 or ages 4-7 which I think is appropriate, but I think my Grade 3s would enjoy it as well. I would definitely recommend this to other early years teachers.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this great book!
As a grade 3 teacher I could definitely see having this book in my classroom library or using it to introduce a lesson on cultural traditions and acceptance of diversity. The book is suggested for K-2 or ages 4-7 which I think is appropriate, but I think my Grade 3s would enjoy it as well. I would definitely recommend this to other early years teachers.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this great book!
therainbowshelf's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Very much a feel-good exploration of combining cultural practices. The daughter in this book struggles to find a place to belong in her new ballet class when she’s used to Bharatanatyam dancing at home. Her mom puzzling out how to help her daughter in this experience is a delight.
missprint_'s review
5.0
This is a very cute one. I like that the dance class is inclusive and has male and female presenting kids and kids with different skintones (and maybe one with a slightly different weight but they might just be slouching).
I was worried how the story would go and right there with Paro as she tried to balance her two dance interests and show new friends Dana and Marco that she too knows a lot about dance. I love the way the dance teacher and Paro's mom come together to make a point and the detail with colorful accents in the art to convey dance movement is really smart.
Author's note talks about both forms of dance as well as the two actual dancers (Anna Pavlova and Rukmini Devi Arundale) who are mentioned in the story for a nice full circle moment.
I'm glad the artwork is a more detailed/cartoon style so we can really see the Bharatanatyam costume in all its glory.
I was worried how the story would go and right there with Paro as she tried to balance her two dance interests and show new friends Dana and Marco that she too knows a lot about dance. I love the way the dance teacher and Paro's mom come together to make a point and the detail with colorful accents in the art to convey dance movement is really smart.
Author's note talks about both forms of dance as well as the two actual dancers (Anna Pavlova and Rukmini Devi Arundale) who are mentioned in the story for a nice full circle moment.
I'm glad the artwork is a more detailed/cartoon style so we can really see the Bharatanatyam costume in all its glory.
kindredbooks's review
3.5
In Bharatanatyam in Ballet Shoes, Paro is nervous about her first day at ballet class. She knows how to dance the Bharatanatyam as she dances it with her mom, but ballet looks and feels so different. Paro gets discouraged when she has trouble with the different form of dance and feels that she may need to give up on dancing Bharatanatyam in order to be successful in ballet class. Her mom shows up at the next class and performs for the class - with the ballet teacher! Soon, the students including Paro are mesmerized with wonder at how beautiful and complementary these two forms of dance can be. This story shows that dance is joyful and that two different cultures can coexist in beautiful ways without giving up on any particular identity. The story encourages all forms of dance as Paro's classmates themselves also come from different dance backgrounds and experience.
stories_by_sharanja's review
5.0
Bharatanatyam in Ballet Shoes, by Mahak Jain and illustrated by Anu Chouhan.
Release Date: March 29, 2022. Go pre-order your copy now!
Release Date: March 29, 2022. Go pre-order your copy now!
mckenzierichardson's review
4.0
For more reviews, check out my blog: Craft-Cycle
A delightful picture book that tackles some unique themes. Throughout the story Paro has some big feelings including anxiety about not fitting in or being good enough and feeling conflicted about her dance interests.
The ending was spectacular, demonstrating the beauty of two seemingly-conflicting styles coming together, their intersection, and the strength of their combination.
The artwork is adorable. I especially enjoyed how each dance style was given its own visual representation.
The backmatter contains a note from Jain explaining finding inspiration for the book in Rukmini Devi and Anna Pavlova, a bit about bharatanatyam and ballet, and a simple tutorial for making your own ghungroo.
Such a sweet story with a wonderful resolution and beauty all its own.
A delightful picture book that tackles some unique themes. Throughout the story Paro has some big feelings including anxiety about not fitting in or being good enough and feeling conflicted about her dance interests.
The ending was spectacular, demonstrating the beauty of two seemingly-conflicting styles coming together, their intersection, and the strength of their combination.
The artwork is adorable. I especially enjoyed how each dance style was given its own visual representation.
The backmatter contains a note from Jain explaining finding inspiration for the book in Rukmini Devi and Anna Pavlova, a bit about bharatanatyam and ballet, and a simple tutorial for making your own ghungroo.
Such a sweet story with a wonderful resolution and beauty all its own.
libraryrobin's review
3.0
An ok story, based on an older, more interesting true story. Kinda bland. The illustrations are well done but lack spark.
tearexmama's review
4.0
Super cute!
The pictures are beautiful and fun and the story is lovely and cute. I would have absolutely loved this story as a young ballerina.
The formatting for the ARC made the last few pages unreadable so I can't comment on their content but I appreciate when a children's book has activity ideas at the end.
The pictures are beautiful and fun and the story is lovely and cute. I would have absolutely loved this story as a young ballerina.
The formatting for the ARC made the last few pages unreadable so I can't comment on their content but I appreciate when a children's book has activity ideas at the end.
zoes_human's review
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
4.0
Paro feels out of place in her ballet class even though she has dancing Bharatanatyam with her mom for a long time. This beautifully illustrated story takes us through her struggle to fit in, make friends, and figure out what to do when her previous experience seems so very different from the new one.