The Bear Who Wanted to Dance - by Stephanie Stansbie (Hardcover)

About the Book

Rita the bear dreams of becoming a ballerina and, with the support of her friend Wanda, works hard to audition for the role of prima ballerina despite not looking like the other dancers.

Book Synopsis

A stunningly illustrated, lyrical story about hard work, determination, body positivity, and representation.

Rita the bear has always wanted to be a ballerina. She begins taking ballet classes with Monsieur le Fox and practices every chance she gets. Her best friend, Wanda, dances with her, and together, they push each other to be the best they can be.

When Monsieur le Fox announces that he's holding auditions for the studio's prima ballerina, Rita decides that she wants the part. But how can she be the prima ballerina when she doesn't look like the other ballet dancers in her class?

A stunningly illustrated, uplifting celebration of hard work, determination, body positivity, and representation.

Review Quotes

A bear hopes to become prima ballerina.
Rita has always loved ballet. The young bear joins the intimidating Monsieur le Fox's ballet class and meets a new friend, Wanda; they spend their days dreaming about a life in dance. When Monsieur le Fox announces his plan to host auditions for the class's prima ballerina spot, Rita and Wanda practice dancing and read ballet magazines to prepare. Looking at the ballerinas in the magazines, as well as those in the posters on the walls, Rita comes to a realization: "These ballerinas don't look anything like me!" Indeed, they are all lithe creatures like weasels, foxes, frogs, and rabbits. The simple story's resolution relies on Wanda and Monsieur le Fox encouraging Rita rather than Rita independently coming to embrace "my beautiful, big-bear body." For this reason, caregivers and educators may consider pairing this tale with Vashti Harrison's Big (2023), which shares similar themes but features the protagonist as her own savior. The full-color illustrations are soft and inviting, with the bulk of the story taking place in a cozy forest rife with mushrooms, coniferous trees, and logs on which the ballerinas practice balancing. The endpapers show Rita in a variety of ballet poses, perhaps encouraging future dancers to begin their practice. A classic ballet story infused with themes of body positivity and the importance of seeing oneself reflected in art. (Picture book. 3-7)--Kirkus Reviews

In a first-person account, young brown bear Rita reminisces about the time she attended a ballet and how it changed her life. She joins a dance class led by Monsieur le Fox and becomes friends with a fellow dancer named Wanda. When the instructor announces he will be holding auditions to find the company's prima ballerina, Rita and Wanda spend their time leading up to the audition practicing and dreaming of a lifetime of ballet. Rita is worried sick about auditioning since, for the first time, she notices that her bear body type is different from other dancers, all of whom are slender creatures of other species. Still, dedication, practice, and a positive attitude assist Rita in making her dream a reality. Youngsters will enjoy the softly hued watercolors that feature the round bear cub in a pink tutu and pink ballet slippers. Endpapers reveal a variety of classic ballet positions, encouraging interested children to take their first steps toward learning dance.--Booklist

About the Author

Stephanie Stansbie has been a children's book editor, and then an author, for most of her adult life. She adores editing and writing in equal measure and has always worked on illustrated books, where the art is as important as the word. Stephanie lives in Oxford, England, and enjoys spending time with family and going to the theater.

From an early age, Wendy Warren has drawn, however in her early years, she always drew people wearing ballet shoes as she couldn't do feet very well. Wendy's colorful illustrations are inspired by the people, quirky architecture, and the natural landscape around her. She draws by hand, experimenting with watercolor pencil and crayon.