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Tanya, a vivacious preschooler, is bitten by the ballet bug before she is old enough to take lessons. She helps her big sister, Elise, practice and hangs around to watch Elise's class go through their jetes and plies . Best of all, Tanya likes to create her own dances either alone or in a pas de deux with her teddy (a ballerina bear, naturally). She does a Swan Lake which is beyond Petipa's dreams. "You have two dancers in your family," her grandmother tells her mother after a family recital. Her mother does not forget, and sees to it that Tanya starts ballet class as soon as she is old enough. This is a charming family story, showing strong and loving relationships all around. Tanya is an engaging little heroine who does not let her size undermine her determination to have her heart's desire. Ichikawa's illustrations are especially attractive, leaning heavily on muted colors with splashes of black, red, and brown. All this is placed in a pleasing format, creating a ballet story with wide appeal.