Brontorina

“Brontorina” by James Howe

It put a smile on my face. Both the art and the storyline added to strength of the book. It is a short lesson on believing in yourself, and others. I think older students, especially girls, would enjoy it. I probably would buy it for a friend if they had a little girl.

Love it!! Probably one of the best books I have ever read. To sum it up, this story is about a dinosaur that has a weird dream. But instead of letting others ruin it, she lives it. This shows everyone that you can do and be anyone you want.

In this absurd story, a young apatosaurus pursues her dream of being a dancer. The only problems are that the studio is far too small...and she doesn't have the right shoes. She how she solves, with a little hel from her friends. Both illustrations and story are amusing.

What do you do if a very large, very orange dinosaur wants to become a ballerina? If you’re Madame Lucille, you let her dance! Brontorina the dinosaur is given the chance to make her dancing debut at Madame Lucille’s studio, but unfortunately her awkward size causes some problems. The other

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students are constantly ducking Brontorina’s swooping tail or almost getting smushed by her giant feet (which don’t fit into ballet shoes, either!). The oil illustrations have a rough, almost grainy quality to them. The gently humorous story, along with the inspiring message (always follow your dream!) makes this a terrific choice for storytime. Recommended. For ages 3-6.

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Brontorina is a dinosaur that wants to become a ballerina. Even though Brontorina was different than all the other children, she was treated the same. This was an awesome book. This book can teach children that everyone should be treated the same.

This book about a brontosaurus who wants to dance is good on so many levels. The dinosaur really wants to dance, but she isn't the right size and doesn't have the right shoes. She is told to leave because she doesn't fit in, but in the end, the teacher decides to find a space that can accommodate

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her and all is well. Many children (and adults) would like to do things, particularly sports like dance, but feel like they can't because they're not the "right" size or don't have the right equipment. This book would help them and others realize that they should follow their dreams.
The illustrations in this book are colorful and whimsical, and very pleasing.

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Brontorina Apatosaurus wanted, more than anything else, to be a dancer. Unfortunately she was rather large - so large she didn't quite fit in Madame Lucille’s Dance Academy for Girls and Boys - and didn't have the right shoes. Still, at the prompting of some of her enthusiastic human pupils (and

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her own kind heart), Madame Lucille permitted the eager dinosaur to join her class, and was subsequently amazed at her agility and grace. But no amount of grace could hide the fact that Brontorina was just too big... or was she?

I enjoyed this humorous picture-book exploration of ballet, body type, acceptance of self, and making resources work for all different kinds of students. I liked the fact that Miss Lucille realizes that the problem isn't with her student, but with her facility, as I think this is an outlook - that the group should change, rather than the individual - that can be very helpful, when dealing with all kinds of issues, from disabilities both physical and academic, to group dynamics that prove unwelcoming to newcomers, or those who are different in some way. The artwork by Randy Cecil is appealing, emphasizing the humor in Brontorina's participation in the class. Recommended to anyone looking for amusing ballet stories, or children's books that address issues of body type. Those looking for a slightly more realistic take on a somewhat large ballerina should also pick up Debbie Allen's Dancing In The Wings, about a young girl who is far taller than many of her fellow pupils.

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This book is a fun way of telling kids they can do or be whatever they want to be. For instance, a dinosaur being a ballerina is a silly thing to think about but that's exactly what this book is. She wants to be a ballerina and doesn't care of her obstacles and eventually neither does anyone else.

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The book ends with an adorable scene of the dance class being moved outside so anyone or anything (cows, dinosaurs, etc) can dance. Adorable.

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