BALLET

Little readers explore the world of ballet.

Using 20 simple words and phrases, this board book illustrates the primary building blocks of ballet. Each word or phrase appears on its own page, printed in large lowercase sans serif type. Above or next to each word is the described object or action. These terms range from “slippers” to “barre” and cover the first through fifth positions as well as some specific movements. Phonetic pronunciations are provided to help unfamiliar readers with the French terms. The photographs are brightly lit and keenly composed, and they include both male and female dancers of diverse races and ethnicities. A concurrently published board book, Tap, explores the art of tap dancing using similar techniques. The color and tone found in both books are fairly straightforward, providing no spark or zing to the proceedings. Readers entranced by the art of dance will find plenty to enjoy, but those uninterested will have little cause for repeat reads.

A decent starter for aspiring ballerinas and danseurs.