Bellyrina: A Tutu Tale From the Belly of the Beast, the latest whimsical creation from the mother-daughter team of Once Upon a Dance and illustrated by Ethan Roffler invites readers into a delightful world where movement, music, and imagination intertwine.
Peter the boy, Milo the cat, Ren the bird, and Roxy the duck have a rough start to their morning when a hungry wolf ambushes them and swallows Roxy. Tickled by her downy feathers, the wolf sneezes out not only Roxy, but a mysterious pink bunny with zero-to-sixty energy and no name. The crew dance their way through the mystery of the bunny’s origins.
The danger of the wolf is an immediate hook that begs to be resolved before putting the book down, and the mysterious, energetic bunny is a relatable character for active young children.
Every page suggests dance moves for children to mirror the story.
Integrated seamlessly into the story, these dancing prompts help children learn about their bodies and the artistic connection between movement and storytelling. The alliteration and rhythm of the text, such as the line “feathers and fluff flew like confetti,” are a perfect match for the dancing theme and might even inspire readers to try out movements of their own invention.
Throughout the book, purple text is used for words that children can act out, providing the opportunity to choose a different adventure with every reading. Each character’s name is also represented by different colors, helping children explore each animal’s personality through their unique words and dance movements.
Ethan Roffler’s sweet, soft illustrations follow the traipsing adventure of the mysterious bunny, with images reminiscent of Timothy B. Ering’s disproportionate, personality-filled animals in The Tale of Despereaux.
The animals’ exaggerated facial expressions are sure to send young readers into fits of giggles—especially when the exuberant bunny springs up in the middle of the group’s slumber to announce a sudden revelation about a distant, sparkling memory.
Children and adults interested in dance and/or animals will fall in love with Bellyrina: A Tutu Tale From the Belly of the Beast by Once Upon a Dance. Themes of friendship, sticking together, getting your wiggles out, and recovering from a difficult trial will strike meaningful emotional chords for young readers. Adults interested in encouraging play between siblings may be especially interested in this book to create a dance party for the kids right in their own home.
