I love this children's series. I've read a few of them before.

When I was younger, I wanted to be a ballerina. I took ballet lessons for a while, but realized I was more into gymnastics. These days, watching ballet brings me joy. I would still say Russian ballet is superior, but style is subjective. I will make it to the Mariinsky one day. Obviously not anytime soon, with war looming, but it's a dream.

I loved reading about Anna, and I hope you do, too.

Mariinsky > Bolshoi

Thank you so much Netgalley, Quarto Publishing Group and Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara for the ARC!

What I love most about the book is Anna wasn't considered a genius when she started, she turned herself into one by working hard. Even then, she was different from others - less athletic but more graceful. Guess what? that is what attracted people to her performances. Just because something isn't considered great or liked by people right now, doesn't mean it'll stay that way. Maybe a right person can change their mind! Anna is an amazing idol to look up to. The message was wonderful and I loved the illustrations. Recommended!

I do love this series of books and would highly recommend them for any teacher (or parent!) looking for an informative biography.

I hardly knew anything about Anna prior to reading and was quite surprised to learn about her later life, helping refugees.

My own children are enjoying building up a collection of these books as well as using them in school too.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review.

The joys of ballet! This book transports a message that is frequently neglected when discussing big names in the arts, IN sports, literature, or science - namely that talent is a myth and that outstanding performance can be achieved by anyone, as long as they work hard. No one is born as the prima ballerina, not even Anna Pavlova! In her installment of this series, the illustrations stand out for representing a more abstract side of styles, which I personally never preferred while I was still a part of the target audience, but the popping colours are sure to turn heads regardless!

This is another brilliant addition to this series – even as an adult I look out for the next book in the series being released. I love the images in this series and this is a delightful introduction to Anna Pavlova, one of the best and most inspirations ballet dancers.

These mini books are excellent introductions to some of the well-known, and less well-known, characters that have had a great impact in our lives through a variety of subjects such as literature, women’s rights, music and in this case, dance.

Anna was a brilliant ballet dancer and the book really showcases her determination - it is a positive book about following your dreams. I read the book with my five year old daughter who takes ballet lessons and she really enjoyed it so that was a plus with me too

5 stars from me for this one – a delightful read and one I will be highly recommending!!

Thank you, Quarto Publishing Group - Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, for the advance reading copy.

The book is really simple to read and fit for very young readers. The information given is at its minimal best. However, I feel the illustrations could be a lot better.

This is a fantastic book about one of the greatest prima ballerina dancers in history, Anna Pavlova!

What little girl doesn’t dream of becoming a ballet dancer?

Anna was no different. Once she saw the beautiful dancers on stage performing The Sleeping Beauty when she was 8 years old, a dream was ignited. Being born premature, Anna already proved herself a fighter; her spirit was strong from her first breath. She knew what it took to make it in this world because she saw how hard her mother had to work as a single parent.

“She knew that only hard work transforms talent into genius.”

You can imagine her excitement after years of training to have a chance to perform in the same theatre where her dream began! Rather than keep her excitement to herself and her people, Russians, Anna decided to bring ballet to those around the world who had never seen it before. You’ll have to read about the steps she took to ensure it happened.

Children need to read more about the meaning of true success, and this is a perfect book to start that conversation. Anna didn’t focus on the applause of others, but rather on giving her best…that’s what made her feel successful. Furthermore, discussions will open up about natural talent and bullying. Anna wasn’t a naturally gifted ballet dancer, she was initially awkward and her technique came from lots of practice. Children need role models such as Anna that teach them that ‘being the best’ doesn’t often come naturally and it requires hours of devotion. Anna battled name calling, she wasn’t naturally good at ballet, and she came from a poor, single family, YET she became world famous and danced her way into our hearts.

Sue Downing’s images are whimsical and quirky and will definitely bring giggles. Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara’s text is simple and straightforward. Most of all, the message is clear and encouraging. Vegara always seems to know exactly what parents wish to teach their children and produces an apropos book that engages children and is the perfect springboard to countless conversations.

I was gifted this copy by Frances Lincoln Children’s books, Quarto Publishing Group and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Succinct edition for this series that conveys nothing of the world of ballet through the ungainly visuals – but at least manages to tell a kind of story of her life for young audiences. We see Pavlova, and her single parent of a mother, go to the ballet for a treat, and the young lass deciding that that is all she wants out of life – but in her rare instance she got her wish, with a lot of coaching and hard work. By the end she's seen the world, and started to train and coach younger replacements for her, even if none could ever have such global acclaim as she did. But the book is sure to give the moral that the knowledge you've danced and given of your finest is the best thing, not just the bouquets and ovations. And let's face it, with Pavlova such a one-off it's clearly our hard work that is more attainable for the book's audience, as opposed to a far more impossible aim. Commendable, then, but for the looks – three and a half stars in total.

And not a mention of a certain pudding...