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67th out of 259 books
—
152 voters
Brontorina
From the sure-footed duo of James Howe and Randy Cecil comes a hugely endearing new character — in a humorous, heart-warming tale about holding on to your dreams.
Brontorina has a dream. She wants to dance. But Brontorina is rather large — too large to fit in Madame Lucille’s dance studio. Brontorina does not have the right shoes, and everyone knows you can’t dance without...more
Brontorina has a dream. She wants to dance. But Brontorina is rather large — too large to fit in Madame Lucille’s dance studio. Brontorina does not have the right shoes, and everyone knows you can’t dance without...more
Hardcover, 32 pages
Published
August 10th 2010
by Candlewick Press
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A fun, sweet and humorous tale of Brontorina, the dinosaur who loves to dance ballet. Trouble is, she doesn't exactly have the, um, classic ballerina body. She proves the dance teacher and students wrong when she actually CAN dance ballet, but the trouble is, she is just so big, too big for the studio, and too big for a male dancer to lift for a pas de deux. But, Brontorina's heart is the heart of a ballerina and inspires her dance teacher to figure out a solution.
This is a great story not only...more
This is a great story not only...more
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Brontorina is about a dinosaur named Brontorina who wants to be a ballerina. Although the dance teacher Madame Lucille wants Brontorina to succeed as a ballerina and accepts her into her studio, there is no denying that she is too big and eventually Madame Lucille is forced to tell her dancing will not work out. However, the other dance students do not give up on Brontorina. The dance students make Madame Lucille realize that it is not Brontorina that is too big, but that it is the studio that i...more
THEME - Identity; not who you are to outsiders...or what you look like - a dinosaur, but who you are on the inside - a dancer and how your learning environment can be changed to tap into that identity...
Amazon Best Books of the Month, August 2010: From Syd Hoff’s Danny and the Dinosaur (1958) to Jane Yolen’s How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight (2000), very early readers have long befriended dinosaurs between the pages of a book. The interaction of these enormous creatures rendered as lovable, comic c...more
Amazon Best Books of the Month, August 2010: From Syd Hoff’s Danny and the Dinosaur (1958) to Jane Yolen’s How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight (2000), very early readers have long befriended dinosaurs between the pages of a book. The interaction of these enormous creatures rendered as lovable, comic c...more
I loved this book. We've read it again and again and the story is goofy and fun and full of good thoughts. Despite the focus on dancing, it's a great read for boys and girls.
Brontorina is a dinosaur who wants to dance. The teacher, a wise and wiry old ballerina, invites her into the studio, seeing how her desire matches her size. Unfortunately, the dinosaur really doesn't fit, and instead of the story ending with the dinosaur having to find another studio, or not dance, or..., the teacher goes o...more
Brontorina is a dinosaur who wants to dance. The teacher, a wise and wiry old ballerina, invites her into the studio, seeing how her desire matches her size. Unfortunately, the dinosaur really doesn't fit, and instead of the story ending with the dinosaur having to find another studio, or not dance, or..., the teacher goes o...more
James Howe, the popular children's book author of some 80 books for young readers, has crafted a captivating tale that reminds us of what may happen when we hold fast to our dream.
Brontorina wants to dance, she wants to become a ballerina. Well, she has all the enthusiasm and determination in the world but not much else. She's way too tall, too big, and too heavy – she's a dinosaur. Where in the world could a dinosaur even find toe shoes?
Nonetheless, Madame Lucille, proprietor of Madame Lucil...more
Brontorina Apatosaurus is a dinosaur who dreams of becoming a ballerina. She goes to Madame Lucille’s Dance Academy. At first Madame Lucille and her students resist the idea of a dancing dinosaur; She doesn’t even have the right shoes! But Brontorina is so determined that Madame Lucille cannot refuse. Brontorina gracefully executes her arabesques and jetés, but the simple fact is that she’s too big for the dance studio.Madame Lucille decides the problem is not that the dinosaur is too big for th...more
There was Margot Fonteyne. There was Martha Graham. There was Baryshnikov. And now, there is Brontorina! Madame Lucille is skeptical when Brontorina shows up at the door of her dance academy with a big heart and even bigger feet! Egged on by Jack and Clara, Madame begrudgingly concedes saying, "Please try not to squash the other dancers." Plie goes ok, but Brontorina's jetes and releves are through the roof! And not in a good way. Brontorina's especially high hopes are nearly dashed, but the tro...more
Brontorina had a dream... and her dream was to dance. Despite not having the right shoes and being... well, a dinosaur, in her heart, Brontorina Apatosaurus ("I even sound like a dancer, don't you agree?" She asks Madame Lucille) was a ballerina.
This is a wonderful story that lovingly illustrates both unconditional acceptance and the importance of holding on to one's dreams, making things possible by looking, not at what might seem like obstacles, but at those things that we can turn into possi...more
This is a wonderful story that lovingly illustrates both unconditional acceptance and the importance of holding on to one's dreams, making things possible by looking, not at what might seem like obstacles, but at those things that we can turn into possi...more
Brontorina is about a dinosaur that dreams of becoming a ballerina, when she begins taking ballet at Madame Lucille’s Dance Academy she unfortunately finds that her size is getting in her way, and everyone else’s as well. The characters are drawn amusingly with various shaped faces and cockeyed eyes, and the illustrations done in oil are intricate and unique with the fine brush strokes made visible. Brontorina is depicted as a sweet-natured, oversized dinosaur that readers cannot help but love,...more
JUST when I was feeling cranky about a big pile of mediocre picture books, Brontorina jeted enthusiastically onto my desk. ("On the outside, I am a dinosaur. But in my heart, I am a ballerina!") Love Madame Lucille's matter-of-fact acceptance of a dinosaur in her studio. ("Please try not to squash the other dancers.") Love that boys and girls are in the multicultural class. Love the two girls who remain unimpressed the entire book ("She still doesn't have the right shoes."). Love the just-right-...more
A "follow your dreams" story with a twist! All Brontorina Apatosaurus wants in life is to become a ballerina, but it's tricky when you're a giant dinosaur! After introducing herself to Madame Lucille at her Dance Academy, Brotorina tries repeatedly to follow along with dance classes despite the giggles and naysayers in her class. Eventually, Madame Lucille realizes that with enough determination, and a little creativity, there are ways her class can help Brontorina become a wonderful dancer. Thr...more
Best for kids ages 4 and up.
Early Literacy Skills: Print Motivation, Vocabulary, Narrative Skills
From cover:
Brontorina has a dream. "I want to dance!" she said. But Brontorina was rather large - too large to fit in Madame Lucille's dance studio. And Brontorina did not have the right shoes - and everyone knows you can't dance without the proper dance shoes. Still, Brontorina knew, deep in her heart, that she was meant to be a ballerina.
Whimsical, bright illustrations paired with a fanciful stor...more
Early Literacy Skills: Print Motivation, Vocabulary, Narrative Skills
From cover:
Brontorina has a dream. "I want to dance!" she said. But Brontorina was rather large - too large to fit in Madame Lucille's dance studio. And Brontorina did not have the right shoes - and everyone knows you can't dance without the proper dance shoes. Still, Brontorina knew, deep in her heart, that she was meant to be a ballerina.
Whimsical, bright illustrations paired with a fanciful stor...more
Julia and I both really enjoyed Brontorina. Randy Cecil is a great illustrator and that glares out at anyone who opens this book. I fell in love on the first page,
The story is about a Brontosaurus, Brontorina, who wants to be a ballerina.
There are problems with this, her size is one problem and her lack of ballet shoes another.
Brontorina overcomes both of these problems, with help from Madame Lucille and her dance students.
This isn't just for dino or ballet fans - any kid can easily enjoy th...more
The story is about a Brontosaurus, Brontorina, who wants to be a ballerina.
There are problems with this, her size is one problem and her lack of ballet shoes another.
Brontorina overcomes both of these problems, with help from Madame Lucille and her dance students.
This isn't just for dino or ballet fans - any kid can easily enjoy th...more
A Beehive Book Award nominee. Darling story of Brontorina, who is a dinosaur who loves to dance. But she has some problems... she doesn't have the right shoes and she is too big to dance in the dance studio, and none of the male dancers can pick her up. Will Brontorina's determination to dance, and help from her friends, allow her to reach her dream? As we were reading, my 6 yo stopped me to point out the similarities between Brontorina and Martin Luther King Jr. And my 3 yo LOVES dinosaurs, so...more
In the last several years, author James Howe has become mostly a picture-book writer, teaming up with a varied assortment of illustrators to forge creative ideas and memorable characters for the pleasure of the youngest of emerging readers. Brontorina is a pretty good continuation of that new career emphasis.
Being much, much larger than any of her human peers, Brontorina finds it hard to gain acceptance into a ballet class. She has the heart of a dancer and wishes to learn to be as daintily sk...more
Being much, much larger than any of her human peers, Brontorina finds it hard to gain acceptance into a ballet class. She has the heart of a dancer and wishes to learn to be as daintily sk...more
In the tradition of animals seeking to do the impossible Brontorina's dream of being a dancer is riddled with obstacles. The biggest being her size. With grace and determination, she plie's and releve's so the best of her ability. And when sheer determination is not enough, there's always the kindness of others and the determination of those around you to help a big dream come true. A fun story to share with girls and boys who dare to dream impossible dreams.
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This is a fun dinosaur book for young children who enjoy ballet too. The story emphasizes not letting obstacles get into the way of your dreams and using creative thinking to solve problems. It has cute illustrations (although I'm not sure what's up with the placement of the teacher's eyes - is it supposed to be a third eye chakra?) and an inspirational narrative. We really enjoyed reading this book aloud together.
Naturally, I love the illustrations since Randy Cecil is one of my favorite illustrators. I picked this one out even though I wasn't sure my boy would go for it since it is after all, about a ballerina. But, the dinosaur was the convincing factor in this case. He liked it still. And I thought it was a great little story that can teach kids to do what they love despite naysayers.
I'm going back to school for my masters in special education. This made me think of a point made by a guest speaker in one of my classes, "It's not that the students don't fit in the classroom, it's that the school is not making the classroom fit the student." It's a reminder that we all need to be more open minded, include others, and great things can occur.
I love this book! Brontorina is the most adorable drawn dinosaur ever. And her personality (as well as the other characters') is so well portrayed. I'm a little thrown by some of the sideways eyeballs for turned heads, but my attention was usually taken by Brontorina. I love her attempts at dancing. And I adore the end. A fabulous book. Could be very fun in a preschool storytime, and definitely as a lap-read.
P.S. Perhaps I love this even more because of my own childhood ballerina dreams.
5/5/11 I...more
P.S. Perhaps I love this even more because of my own childhood ballerina dreams.
5/5/11 I...more
Dec 04, 2010
Teresa
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Shelves:
dinosaurs,
feelings,
learning-words,
dancing,
real-vs-imaginary,
motivating,
surprise-ending
This is such a sweet book about a huge dinosaur that wants to be a ballerina but she is just too big. People doubt her being a ballerina since she is a dinosaur but she proves it can be done. She knows how to dance they just need to find a space big enough for her. Great story for teaching motivation and that you can be anything you want to be just try hard!
Nov 14, 2010
Becky
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommended to Becky by:
Michael N.
Shelves:
picture-books,
read-alouds
Hee hee. The problem with being a dinosaur who loves ballet is one's sheer size. Sweet book about finding a better context instead of changing to fit in. Might be fun paired with Edwina the dinosaur who didn't know she was extinct.
A cute story about a dinosaur who wants to be a ballerina. The best part of this story are the fellow ballarina comments and the instructor's way of talking to the dinosaur and her pupils. For example, "And how in the world will a male dancer ever lift you over his head?" A very cute and funny tale about how even the most impossible dreams can come true.
This book teaches you to dream big and you can be anything you want to be! Brontorina is a dinosaur who wants to be a ballerina. She is too big but she still really wants to be a ballerina and she is a great dancer. She didn't have enough space to dance so at the end they just dance out in the field. Studio doesn't have to be indoors right? Grade 1-3
Uplifting book about doing what you love even if the circumstances make it seem like you can't. It is also a size-acceptance story.
Brontorina wants to be a ballerina. But she's too big and she doesn't have the right shoes. A teacher, some supportive students, a bigger studio and a big pair of ballerina's shoes helps Brontorina fulfill her dream.
Brontorina wants to be a ballerina. But she's too big and she doesn't have the right shoes. A teacher, some supportive students, a bigger studio and a big pair of ballerina's shoes helps Brontorina fulfill her dream.
My neighbor introduced me to this one, and now it’s one of my two-year-old's favorites. Brontorina is a dinosaur who just wants to dance — but she really is too big for ballet. Instead of limiting her, her teacher and others find ways to make her dream come true. Love the illustrations in this book, with Brontorina boldly filling the pages.
Here is another tale about defying odds, obstacles, and species-prejudices. Brontorina may be a dinosaur on the outside, but in her heart she is a ballerina. Madame Lucille hesitantly allows her into dance class, despite her size and her lack of proper shoes. These illustrations made me laugh out loud. The book is for dreamers, no matter how big!
Read 2/28 as part of "Shall We Dance?" theme. Brontorina has the heart of a dancer...but she has a problem: she is too big to fit into Madame Lucille's dance studio. Brontorina wins everyone's heart and they realize the problem is not that she is too big, but that the studio is too small....Preschoolers loved this book.
Brontorina was a dancer in her heart -- but her body seemed to pose a limitation...until she met the right people to believe in her and support her dream. Great message about staying true to your dreams and surrounding yourself with people who have the vision and perspective to help you make them a reality. Boys were not over the top about this one, but it is a mom pick for sure.
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Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
James Howe has written more than eighty books in the thirty-plus years he's been writing for young readers. It sometimes confuses people that the author of the humorous Bunnicula series also wrote the dark young adult novel, The Watcher, or such beginning reader series as Pi...more
More about James Howe...
James Howe has written more than eighty books in the thirty-plus years he's been writing for young readers. It sometimes confuses people that the author of the humorous Bunnicula series also wrote the dark young adult novel, The Watcher, or such beginning reader series as Pi...more
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