Ivy and Bean Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway (ends 12/18)

Publisher's Summary. Ivy and Bean Doomed to Dance -- Finally! After begging their parents for ballet lessons, Ivy and Bean finally get what they want...well, not exactly. Much to their surprise, it turns out ballet lessons do not include karate chops and roundhouse kicks to the villain's heart. The girls have no interest in learning how to dance gracefully, but they promised their parents they would finish the entire ballet course! When it comes time for Ivy and Bean to participate in the ocean-themed class recital, the girls must figure out a way to get out of it without breaking their promises.


Annie Barrows lives in Northern California with her husband and two daughters. She is also the co-author of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

Sophie Blackall is an Australian illustrator whose previous books include Ruby's Wish and Meet Wild Boars. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Review. Doomed to Dance by Annie Barrows and Sophie Blackall is the latest installment in the Ivy and Bean series. In Doomed to Dance the girls enroll in ballet lessons assuming that ballet is a form of karate in costumes and set to music. Upon discovering the true nature of ballet they scheme to evade performing their assigned squid roles in the class recital. The girls initially plot to escape their fate by trying for bodily injury or illness. When these attempts are thwarted they decide to runaway on the school field trip to the local aquarium. The girls decide that living in the aquarium is the perfect hideaway. The fun really begins with the girls’ adventures at the aquarium where they learn about real life squids.

Doomed to Dance is a delightful tale for age appropriate readers. Parents will also appreciate the book’s educational value. The class field trip to the aquarium defines “Coastal Zones” (tide pools); uses the term “sea anemone” (water dwelling predatory animals) and vividly describes the squid the girls encounter. In short, it is clear that the authors did their aquatic homework – in fact they even thank Dr. George Matsumoto of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute “for useful information regarding squid.”Careful readers will also catch the book’s reference to the classic children’s book: The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg.

Doomed to Dance is an engaging story for readers both young and old!




Publisher: Chronicle Books (October 14, 2009), 122 pages
Advance Review Copy Provided Courtesy of the Publisher.


Giveaway Rules: Today I am giving away one child's size Ivy and Bean T shirt.

Single Comment Entry Only: Comment with your email address in the body of the comment (you can list it as mary123 (at) yahoo(dot)com). If you do not list your email address your entry will not count.

Note: One entry per household only please.

This giveaway is open to All -- including International readers.
You must be 18 years of age or older.

Giveaway ends December 18th. Good Luck!