Brontorina

Ballerinas and dinosaurs do not have much in common.  Or do they? 


Brontorina by James Howe* is a cute story about a a dinosaur, Brontorina, who dreams of becoming a ballerina.  She works really hard, but Brontorina meets several challenges along the way.  She is too big, does not have the proper shoes and her tail gets in the way.  

This story is a great reminder to hold fast to our dreams and anything is possible.  It is one of those great books that provides a fun story, but also teaches the reader a lesson. The book gently teaches acceptance, rejection, individualism and perseverance.   

This is a great book for making text-to-self connections.  Most children (and adults) can relate to feeling out-of-place.  This story can be used as a springboard to start a conversation with your child about how to handle peer pressure and rejection.  

The book also provides the opportunity to talk about problem and solution.  There is a solution to every problem, but sometimes it takes some creative thinking to come up with a solution!  

Some questions to guide your thinking conversation:

1.  Before you read the story have your child make a few predictions.  What do they think the story is going to be about?  What problems might the main character run into in this story? 

2.  Read to,  "I want to dance!" and ask your child:  What might the teacher and kids be thinking?  

3.  Read to,  "...Madame Lucille turned her commands to her students" and ask your child: What do you think is going to happen next?

4.  Read to, "You could not" and ask your child:  How do you think Brontorina feels? How would you feel?

5.  Read to, "The problem is that my studio is too small" and ask your child:  What do you think the solution might be?

6.  Read to the end of the story.  Ask your child the following questions:  

• What lesson do you think the author wants us to learn? 
• Can you think of a time when you did not fit in?  How did you handle the situation?  Be sure to share a time you did not fit in too!  

You will LOVE this story!  

*Author of Bunnicula!  Another one of my favorite books!