"Betsy B. Little Was not small at all. In fact, she was over Eleven feet tall."
Betsy B. Little, a too-tall, gawky giraffe, wants nothing more than to become a graceful ballerina. But how can she possibly achieve this? Each time she takes a leap in ballet class, her head hits the ceiling. Everyone says she's simply too tall, but Betsy doesn't let that stop her from trying. With passion, determination, and some clever thinking, Betsy sets out to prove her dream is definitely not beyond reach.
This is a sweet and moving story about a giraffe who feels like an outcast because of her height, but ends up triumphing by doing things her own way. Through catchy rhymes and funny pictures, Betsy B. Little encourages every child to have big dreams and to learn to love the things about yourself that make you feel different. The book is also gorgeously illustrated with watercolors by Jacqueline Rogers, and the illustrations take the already engaging story to a whole new level.
This book is perfect for 5 year olds who are becoming sensitive about their own and other people's feelings. Your child will connect with Betsy's struggles and will feel a great deal of joy when Betsy finds her success at the end of the story. Betsy's story will also be one where your child will read along and will laugh at the funny rhymes that make up the book.
My niece Emily loves to go to her dance class every Thursday afternoon. Sometimes though, she will get frustrated by her lessons because she feels like she isn't keeping up with the other kids in her class. This is a perfect story for her to read because she is starting to recognize words. Reading about the issues of self-esteem and empathy makes Emily more mindful of the feelings of others and the book is starting her on the path of becoming a life-long reader.
--Eve