It's sunset, which is the cue to begin the bedtime ballet. A young girl and her stuffed bunny dance along to the orchestra of hooting owls and chirping crickets and are applauded by the thump of a puppy tail. The ballet begins outside, as the dancers chassé with the leaves and jeté with frogs, before moving inside to glissé down the hall to brush their teeth, relevé to the sink for a drink of water, plié to kiss mom good night, and be finally lifted gracefully by dad, before bowing into bed with a final "Brava." The rich inundation of ballet terms (from pirouette to pas de deux to battement, all clarified in a helpful glossary) guarantee that this book will have a very specific and strong appeal to tiny dancers and dreamers. But dancing aside, this sweet bedtime story is told in hushed and swooping rhyming couplets and illustrated in mixed-media with gentle watercolor washes in dreamy and subdued hues that will bring drooping eyelids with the closing rose-covered curtain.

Bedtime is more fun when ballet's involved.As the sun sets, a child and their stuffed bunny dance their way to bed. The insects, frogs, birds, and flowers in the yard join in the dance, jumping and spinning with delight. Then the duo glide into the house to dance through their bedtime routine, brushing teeth, giving kisses to Mama and waving at brother before Papa tucks them in for sleep. With the plot following a fairly standard bedtime-book formula, caregivers looking for a short, sweet bedtime story will be happy with this fluffy book. What distinguishes it are the inclusion and depiction of ballet terms in both text and illustrations, and little ones who are already enrolled in ballet class will be able to understand the text easily. Those less familiar with ballet terminology may find the story less than engaging, but the glossary on the final page that includes a pronunciation guide provides some support. The rhyme scheme bounces the story along, with an instance of assonance perhaps drawing readers up short: "Kitty jumps close / with a grand pas de chat. / Puppy just watches. / His tail thumps to clap." Softly colored textured washes combine with thick linework to create a cozy atmosphere. Fantastical performing animals add a touch of whimsy. All human characters are depicted with pale skin and brown hair. (This book was reviewed digitally with 8.5-by-22-inch double-page spreads viewed at 40% of actual size.)A conventional bedtime story that will appeal mostly to balletomanes. (Picture book. 3-5)