Search - Barbie.com: Ballet Buddies (Step-Into-Reading, Step 3)

ISBN 0307263282 - Childhood's iconic Barbie is used as a tool to market reading to young girls... and it works out pretty well!

Amy and Michelle are best friends. They both attend Madame Margo's School of Dance, where the class will be putting on a show soon. Amy has won the lead role and Michelle is happy for her friend. The girls practice their parts together, which saves the show for the class when Amy breaks her ankle with just a week to go before opening night! Michelle turns to Barbie for advice, contacting her by going to barbie.com and stepping through a pink cloud into Barbie's world, and Barbie helps her to deal with her nervousness.

A little silly, with the magic portal to Barbie's world, but it is a young kid's book. While the current covers refer to this series as "Step Into Reading", mine says "Road to Reading". On the back of mine, there's a roadmap with mile markers, showing what each level represents - no ages, just based on reading ability. Mile 1, getting started; Mile 2, reading with help, etc. I like this idea, which allows for a reader to be faster or slower than his or her peers, more than the usual reading levels that are set based on age.

This particular book is Mile 3, reading on your own. The words are simple, the illustrations are very nicely done (and pretty girly, to boot) and, at a mere 48 pages, your daughter will be through and onto Mile 4 before you know it!

Part of the Step into reading series. If you like barbie... you will like this book!