Sugar Plum Ballerinas: Toeshoe Trouble

By Whoopi Goldberg, Deborah Underwood and Maryn Roos
Disney Jump at the Sun Books, $14.99, 139 pages

Brenda is a young girl who dreams of becoming a doctor. She studies anatomy in her spare time, and knows what classes she needs to take in order to reach her goal. Her room has a poster of her idol, Leonardo da Vinci, not the movie star DiCaprio. She is methodical and logical, so she is taken by surprise when envy and resentment of her rich cousin traps her into telling a lie. The lie takes on a life of its own when she tries to cover it up. Her best friends from dance class (the Sugar Plum Ballerinas) try to help her find a solution to the mess she’s in.

The primary themes of the story are honesty, responsibility, friendship, empathy and forgiveness. The importance of education is emphasized with subtle references, such as a passing mention of Brenda’s college fund. The book itself is educational in that it includes challenging vocabulary and a glossary of terms that Brenda uses in the book. The Sugar Plum Ballerinas are not only pretty and cool; they are also smart and capable. The story is entertaining and will inspire girls ages 6 and older to believe that they can do anything.

Reviewed by Laurie Racca