Review By JENNIFER KALI
Tilly loves her tutu. It makes her feel beautiful. She wears it to the park, the pool, school, even to bed. But one day it gets ripped at the playground. Until her mom fixes the tutu, Tilly has to wear regular clothes. She realizes that she likes wearing shorts to play because they are easier to move around in. And pajamas are more comfortable for bed than the scratchy tutu. By the time Tilly’s tutu is repaired, she decides that tutus are great for dance class, but that’s it.
My daughter received this for her third birthday. It’s a very timely gift. She is obsessed with being a ballerina. She refuses to wear anything that she doesn’t think a ballerina would wear. She’s stopped wearing pajamas and instead wears nightgowns because that is what Clara wears in “The Nutcracker.” Last night she wore a nightgown with a tutu underneath, and it wasn’t the first time. She will only wear shoes that ballerinas would wear, which means she refuses sneakers. We’ve been struggling with this for six months. She told me that this book was about her because she wears her tutu everywhere too.
I was very much enjoying reading this book (Amazon affiliate link), since the message is so relevant. So I was dismayed when I read that Tilly wears her tutu to the zoo. She dances for the elephants, giraffes, and penguins, which all seem quite happy to visit with her.
I think we will keep this book because my daughter really needs to hear its message, but I am going to struggle through the zoo section each time I read it. Luckily, she also received When Lulu Went to the Zoo for her birthday, so maybe the books will balance each other out.
Ages 3+.
Homa // Jun 5, 2012 at 10:19 pm
I was never into ballet as a young girl but my daughter is in love with it already at age 3! She proclaims that she wants to be a ballerina when she grows up. I gently suggest she can also do something as well as ballet but she’s not buying it. Thank you for the book recommendation!
Jessica // Jun 6, 2012 at 7:03 am
Kiddo went through a ballet phase too, but it was cut short by ballet lessons. (She liked the clothes more than the activity.) Next was princesses and then fairies — it seemed to follow trends among her classmates. Now I’m sensing the advent of an interest in superheroes, since she’s been dressing her fairies as ninjas. Time to get her some of the graphic novels Carolyn has reviewed (Princess Candy and Wonder Woman).
Jennifer Emily // Apr 9, 2013 at 6:13 pm
Tutus are the most! My friends think I am crazy to wear my tutu everywhere! I say I feel like a ballerina when I wear it, so there! I feel soo mmm in my tutu!
Jen