Bea in the Nutcracker by Isadora Rachel- ADVISABLE

Isadora, Rachel. Bea in The Nutcracker, PICTURE BOOK. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2015. $16.99. Bea’s ballet class is performing The Nutcracker and she is in the lead role as Clara. We get to see all of the costumes the cast will wear and watch from the backstage proceedings to when everyone goes out to perform to the celebration afterward. This was a great introduction to the concept of ballet. The steps of a performance are highlighted in a really interesting, sequential way. There is a short excerpt about what The Nutcracker actually is before the book begins that really adds to the understanding of the rest of the story. The illustrations are a combination of a black and white sketch and colored accents, which looks really original, but also pleasingly basic. PRE-K, EL (K-3)- ADVISABLE. Reviewed by Shay, School Librarian