I am delighted to find a modern and beautifully illustrated book about ballet. Given the huge numbers of young Prima Ballerinas out there, I’m surprised there haven’t been more!

In this book, you can explore ten of the world’s best-loved ballets (including my personal favourite,’The Nutcracker.’).  I have lots of warm Christmas memories of being snuggled up watching a recording of the ballet on television with my sister.  For a sneaky peek of the famous ‘Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy’, click here.

As well as beautifully illustrated summaries of the stories, you also get to hunt for a special  ballerina on each of the pages. If you look VERY carefully, you may even spot the peacock.  I know that children tend to love ‘search and find’ books and are bound to spend plenty of time tracking down the ballerina and absorbing all the hidden details.

The story of each ballet is simply told in a double page spread, with a brief summary and ‘who’s who’ guide at the start which is perfect for those new to the sometimes fantastical stories being told.

Swan Lake is undoubtedly one of the world’s most famous ballets, so obviously, it features in this book.

You’ll also find: ‘Don Quixote,’ ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ ‘The Sleeping Beauty,’ and ‘Coppélia,’ included to name but a few.

An absolute treasure of a book for dance fans – the perfect introduction to the beautiful, magical and mysterious world of ballet.

I’m off to dig out my tutu.

Library Girl.

*Thank you to Ivy Kids for sending me this copy to review*