Tallulah’s Tutu

Tallulah just knows she could be a great ballerina—if only she had a tutu. She signs up for ballet class with great anticipation, only to be disappointed when tutus aren’t handed out. When she learns that one must earn a tutu in dance class, she quits in a huff. But everywhere Tallulah goes, things keep reminding her of ballet. Her neighbor’s basset hound always stands in second position, and Tallulah always does a plié when patting him. And she can’t pass a store window without doing a beautiful finish, or hear music over the grocery store intercom without performing. In the end, Tallulah returns to dance lessons because she can’t stay away, and, after working hard all year . . . she gets her tutu.  

Even though Tallulah’s Tutu focuses on ballet, any child who is learning a new skill can benefit from reading Tallulah’s Tutu. Tallulah clearly loves dance and she practices at class and at home. Her little brother, Beckett, is adorably cute and often copies Tallulah’s dance poses. Readers will relate to Tallulah’s desire to earn her tutu quickly. At the end of each dance class, Tallulah imagines all the reasons that she hasn’t been given her tutu. For example, Tallulah thinks, “her tutu must be coming from Paris. They would fly it in next week.” In order to help readers understand Tallulah’s thoughts, an illustration shows a plane flying away from the Eiffel Tower.

Tallulah’s Tutu will appeal to readers who are interested in dance; in class, Tallulah learns different types of positions that are illustrated in the front and back of the book. In order to help readers distinguish the narration from Tallulah’s thoughts, her thoughts are written in large, bold letters. Since each page has two to seven sentences, parents will need to read the picture book to their little ones rather than children reading it on their own.

Tallulah’s conflict is relatable and comes to life in beautiful, pastel pictures that are adorably cute. The other students in Tallulah’s ballet class have different skin tones and one student is a boy. There is a lot to like about Tallulah’s Tutu, including a kind ballet teacher. Plus, Tallulah’s mother allows Tallulah to quit ballet and start back up when she is ready. Since Tallulah must work hard to earn her Tutu, readers will understand Tallulah’s pride when she finally wears her beautiful tutu. Readers will also love the sweet moment when Becket gives Tallulah flowers that perfectly match her tutu. To learn more about ballet, readers should pirouette to the library and also checkout Parker Shines On by Parker & Jessica Curry and A Girl Named Misty by Kelly Starling Lyons.

Sexual Content 

• None

Violence 

• None

Drugs and Alcohol 

• None

Language   

• None

Supernatural

• None

Spiritual Content 

• None