Monster Hunter International

It's a dream come true for a little birthday girl whose aunt is the prima ballerina of Sleeping Beauty. There's a pre-performance backstage tour, orchestra seats for the performance and after the curtain comes down, a call to the stage from her aunt to dance and twirl and flit and float in front of a very appreciative audience. Tilly previously appeared in Time for Ballet (2004) as a cat in a school recital. Geras conveys the thrill of attending a live performance from a little girl's eyes, but the watercolor illustrations are too washed out to convey the true drama of the fairy-tale ballet. And why does Tilly's father wait outside the theater to take Mom and her home? Little ballerinas may enjoy the story, but it is too bland to be anything more than an additional purchase. (Picture book. 4-7) (Kirkus Reviews)