Anne Marie Pace

Pigloo the pig imagines himself as an explorer in this charming picture-book from American author Anne Marie Pace and British illustrator Lorna Hussey. Determined to get to the North Pole, he waits eagerly for the snow to start, taking his parents' good-humored comments and his older sister Paisley's teasing in his stride. In the end however, Paisley proves more supportive than expected, helping Pigloo to get to his destination, and showing him the "short" way home...

A sweet tale of sibling show more rivalry and then sibling cooperation, Pigloo is also a celebration of the important role that imaginative games play in a young child's life. The family dynamic here is believable - the parents' tolerant amusement, the sister's initial mocking - but also heartwarming, full of love and support. I liked the way that Pigloo interprets the comments of those around him in Pace's narrative, always relating things back to his important role as an explorer. I also liked the artwork - done in watercolor and graphite - which captures the joy of Pigloo's outdoor play, and the range of emotional states through which he passes. Recommended to anyone looking for picture-books about imaginative play, outdoor games in winter, and/or sibling relations between younger children. show less

I liked this book because it was playful and fun. I danced growing up, so I connected with this book by means of the dance vocabulary used, and the familiarity of the mother’s encouraging attitude towards the daughter.
This book is about a little vampire girl who dreams of becoming a dancer. She has yet to take a class, so the book is a transition into the dance world, as her mother narrates the story, advising her daughter on what she will need to do in order to become a ballerina. She show more talks about being nervous: “If you still have cold feet, don’t be dismayed, dancing will warm them right up.” Encouragement is a big theme in this book, so the mother’s advice throughout plays a big part in the little vampire’s success with dance.
The pictures are interesting because they show all human little girls in pink and the vampire is in black with wings.
The girls in her class all look at her like she does not belong, which children could relate to, because odds are at some point or another each of them has felt left out or different. Her mother advises, “Once class begins, keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth closed” which is advice to be a good student and listen to direction. However, on the next page the mother says, “The sight of your fangs might make the other dancers forget fifth position” which was an unrealistic idea, yet still fun for children to picture a vampire in class and the different difficulties they might face compared to human children.
My favorite part of this book was when the barre is shown twisting across two pages, showing how to do a “plié” and a “relevé” which I thought was interesting because it shows readers what these actual dance moves look like. This part of the book gave students both visual and written information on a topic, and taught them an a few French words along the way.
The mother also reminds her daughter to, “be careful not to overshadow other dancers. Like you, everyone will be trying her best.” Here, she is subtly telling her not to be a show off, which I think is an important lesson for children, and show them how to be good team players. Her mom also says “but it doesn’t matter if you take one giant leap or many tiny steps, as long as you are moving toward your goal” as the ballerina practices in her room. Throughout the book, we see the vampires struggle with ballet and fitting in, however towards the end her mother’s words of encouragement influence her decision to participate in the recital. I liked this book a lot because it focused on being different and learning something new, how practice makes perfect, and you can do anything if you put your mind to it. show less

Absolutely adorable! Little Vampirina goes to ballet and tries to fit in but the other girls are scared of her. She is ready to give up but her family tells her to stay strong and practice, practice, practice. Loved it and the graphics.

Pale, black-clad Vampirina dreams of being a dancer, so she finds an evening class and does her best. It doesn't go great at first, but "Whatever happens, don't be discouraged. The road to ballerinadom can be bumpy, but it doesn't matter if you take one giant leap or many tiny steps, as long as you are moving toward your goal." Vampirina practices and improves, becoming a real ballerina. The illustrations provide a huge helping of humor.