Tanya Steps Out
PreSchool-Grade 2-A young ballerina, first introduced in Dance, Tanya (Philomel, 1989), gracefully leaps her way through this well-designed book. When her teacher instructs her to pose like a flamingo, Tanya imitates the animal by standing on one foot and bending her other leg. Pull the tab below the picture and vertical slats move to reveal a flamingo, standing in a very similar position. This is the basic format, as Tanya jumps like a cat, runs like an ostrich, hops like a rabbit, cavorts like a goat, leaps like an antelope, and finally takes a bow. The focus here is not on plot, but on the pictures, and the simple text works well to showcase them. Ballet terms are scattered throughout, but not translated or explained. Crafted from heavy paper, the moveable sections are sturdy and easy to operate. As one picture is replaced by another, the sections separate and move like vertical blinds. Colored in gentle pinks, yellows, and greens, the illustrations are bright, graceful, and filled with the joy of movement. A nice, but supplemental choice for young ballet fans.Joy Fleishhacker, School Library JournalCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.