By Once Upon a Dance (author)
"Bellyrina: A Tutu Tale from the Belly of the Beast is a beautifully illustrated picture book filled with colourful characters and superb artwork."
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Bellyrina: A Tutu Tale from the Belly of the Beast is a beautifully illustrated picture book filled with colourful characters and superb artwork. My 2½-year-old enjoyed looking at the vibrant illustrations and following the adventures of Peter, Milo, Ren, and Roxy. The friendship between the characters is a lovely central theme — when a problem arises, they work together to find creative solutions and help one another.
The concept of combining story and movement is a great touch. The dance prompts make the reading experience more interactive and engaging for little ones, inviting them to jump, twirl, and move along with the story. The plot involves a hungry wolf who swallows a duck, a bunny, and a hedgehog, which might sound a bit spooky for young readers, but it’s handled in a playful, non-threatening way and remains suitable for the intended age group (around 3–5 years old).
From a parent’s perspective, however, the storytelling could be clearer. The book introduces many characters and events in a short space, and the transitions between scenes feel a bit abrupt. The story lacks a strong structure and a satisfying conclusion, which may leave adult readers wishing for more cohesion and closure.
Overall, Bellyrina is a visually delightful and imaginative book that shines through its illustrations and interactive concept, even if the narrative itself feels somewhat confusing and underdeveloped.
Charlotte Walker, A LoveReading4Kids Ambassador
After a wild encounter with a wolf, Peter and his friends discover a dazed bunny with no memory. All she knows is that she loves to dance. This whimsical tale weaves movement prompts with themes of friendship, bravery, and the magic of dance.
Brought to you by a mother-daughter team.
Konora (we wanted to make something beautiful from coronavirus) climbed the pre-professional ballet ladder up to Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Professional Division. Along the way, she danced iconic roles such as Sugar Plum Fairy and Cinderella. She’s now a full-scholarship trainee at Ballet Idaho.
Konora’s mother taught creative movement and ballet for decades and was honored to be chosen and recognized by her local City Council for embodying the spirit of partnership and commitment to children in our community for her work with young dancers. She’s breathed dance from every angle: child to pre-professional to adult ballet student, zoom student, dance teacher, dance mom, competition mom, ballet-school parent-guilder, audience member, recital planner, business owner, and board member.
After a wild encounter with a wolf, Peter and his friends discover a dazed bunny with no memory. All she knows is that she loves to dance.
Bellyrina: A Tutu Tale from the Belly of the Beast features in the following genres: Indie Author Books , Recommendations
Hardback. Not Available.
Bellyrina: A Tutu Tale from the Belly of the Beast was written by Once Upon a Dance and published by Once Upon a Dance
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