The Bear Who Wanted to Dance

Rita longs to become a ballerina. Fuelled by her passion for dance, she practises every day, striving to become the best she can be. However, as she looks at ballet magazines and compares herself to her friends, Rita is filled with self-doubt, feeling that she is the wrong shape to be able to be a ballerina. Comforted by her friend, Wanda, and teacher, Monsieur le Fox, Rita regains her confidence and dances as she has never danced before.

The Bear Who Wanted to Dance is a heart-warming story about following your dreams and encourages having a positive body image. Dance - particularly ballet - is a hugely competitive industry with many dancers suffering from eating disorders whilst pushing their bodies to the limit so a book which challenges these ideas is, in my opinion, brilliant! I'm not suggesting that one picture book will change the world, but if one little dancer takes courage from it, that can only be a good thing!

Rita, like so many children, particularly girls, forgets the fact that she has worked hard and is an excellent dancer as she compares her physical appearance to that of other dancers and does not like what she sees. The reader sees, as Rita does, her large, almost shapeless shadow falling on the ground in front of her surrounded by the elegant, slender outlines of her classmates, cleverly avoiding the use of the harsh words often used to describe larger bodies. No one tries to tell her that she is not large, instead focusing on the facts that she is the right shape for her and is the best dancer, supporting her in a very positive way!

Another thing which I love about this story is that the author shows Rita as having worked hard to improve, dedicating her time and energy to practising. This is not one of those stories which simply tells readers that they can be whatever they want to be with no effort - Rita is good at dancing because she has dedicated time and effort to the art and so deserves her success!

The Bear Who Wanted to Dance would make an excellent story to share both in school and at home, no doubt sparking conversations about feeling positive about your body, working hard to achieve your dreams and being resilient. With delightful illustrations (including ballet positions on the end papers!) which add much to the story, this is a book to inspire and comfort!

Picture book / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 3+