Tutus Aren't My Style by Linda Skeers and illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf

Tutus Aren't My Style by Linda Skeers and illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf is a book that caught my attention from the new section of the curriculum lab because of the title.
When Emma receives a ballerina outfit from her uncle Leo in the mail, she decides she needs to try and be a ballerina since he will be visiting her soon. However, she quickly realizes that being a ballerina is not something she enjoys or is good at. Everyone tells her what she should do, but it just is not for her. In fact, when her uncle arrives she shows him how SHE thinks a ballerina should be (in her cowgirl boots and regular clothes) and has fun doing that. Her uncle tells her he is surprised that she would want to be a ballerina because he always saw her as an explorer. Emma then discovers that the wrong outfit had been sent to her and they both laughed together. I really liked this book. It shows that just because the main character is a little girl does not mean she must be naturally gifted as a ballerina. She is a tomboy who like to be outside and does not strive to be a ballerina. It was refreshing to read about a girl who was not the typical girl presented in children's books.
The illustrations in this book were alright. I was not very impressed with them, but I thought they were fine. They were done in a cartoon like style and there were often numerous illustrations per page. My favorite pages had illustrations that covered the entire page and were filled with bright colors.
Overall, I liked this book. The plot was unique and I enjoyed reading about a girl who did not have the desire to be an elegant ballerina. I would recommend this book to others if they were looking for something that is not "typical" gender roles.