BRAVA, MIMI!

Alas, poor Mimi the Mouse. Her dream is to perform on stage, but she knows that she has neither talent nor looks. Her quest takes her to several friends, who each offer advice and assistance. Albert the Mole, who is a wise reader, sends her to Misha the Frog, who can leap with the best of the ballet dancers. Poor Mimi cannot quite match him, but Misha the Frog tells her to “leap like YOU.” Next, Bubbles the Blackbird gives her singing lessons and more sage advice. Missing a note doesn’t matter, because the next note will be even better. With more help, Mimi makes it to the ballet recital, where she, of course, falls during a solo. But she picks herself up and keeps dancing with a smile, all to cheers from the audience. More than a ballet story, this is really a gentle tale about perseverance and helpful friends who provide positive reinforcement. The illustrations are colorful and incorporate both touches of collage and different textures of paints, and the animals are quite appealing. (Picture book. 4-7)