Every Cowgirl Needs Dancing Boots

June 27, 2011
Having secured a trusty horse (er... pink bike) in her previous outing and picked out a flashy pair of "dancin' boots," now all Nellie Sue needs are some like-minded companions. She invites the neighborhoodâincluding the "glitter girls" who prefer ballet slippers to cowgirl bootsâto a "Barnyard Bash." Janni and Avril lovingly capture Nellie Sue's devotion to her cowgirl persona, charmingly out of synch with her suburban surroundings. When the whole neighborhood appears at the garage door, it's enough to turn the sunset-lit clouds into galloping horses. Though spilled lemonade makes the proceedings a little sticky, readers who share Nellie Sue's passionate nature will cheer her persistence and success. Ages 3â5.

May 15, 2011

What better way to make friends than throwing a party?

Nellie Sue has a new pair of pink dancing boots, but she can't go out dancing alone. Mama suggests befriending the new girls that she sees playing on the street. Nellie Sue saddles up her pink "two-wheeled horse" and invites the three girls to go for a ride; the youngest (about Nellie Sue's age) seems interested, but her older sister says, "Not in ballet slippers." Nellie Sue is discouraged, but only for a minute; her dog Ginger gives her a great idea! She makes some pretty invitations and gets back on her horse, galloping "like the Pony Express" to ask the neighbor girls to her "Barn Dance." The whole neighborhood shows up, and Nellie Sue commences to dance. But the floor is slick and she takes a tumble, bringing the refreshments and most of the guests down with her. Ginger starts giving everybody on the floor sloppy dog kisses. It looks like Nellie Sue's party will be a disaster until that youngest girl, whose name is Anna, laughs. Finally, the ice is broken. Nellie Sue drops g's and uses cowgirl idiom with abandon; her adherence to the cowgirl "code of honor" is endearing. Avril's line-and-watercolor cartoons keep the visual tone light.

A passel of fun activities—dancing, crafting, biking and dress up—are tucked into Janni's tonic tale of imagination and optimism. (Picture book. 3-5)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

July 1, 2011

PreS-Gr 2-Nellie Sue is a cowgirl through and through. But she is a little lonely, so her mom suggests that she meet the three "glitter girls" who have just moved in across the street. When she tries, the two older sisters snub her, making it clear they would rather stick to their ballet. So Nellie Sue tries to welcome them by throwing a "barnyard bash" for the whole neighborhood. When there is a mishap on the dance floor, it is up to Anna, the youngest sister, to find a compromise between a country two-step and ballet. This is a strong story about how to be a friend and how friends meet in the middle. It is sure to appeal to girls who love pink (Nellie Sue is dressed in pink from her hat to her cowgirl boots), sparkly tutus, and accessories. Avril finds innovative ways to combine the ballet and cowgirl themes. Some text blocks are in the middle of a perfectly thrown lasso and clouds are shaped like horses. The illustrations have energy and movement, just like the children depicted.-Susan E. Murray, formerly at Glendale Public Library, AZ

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.