Different Strokes: The Jellybeans and the Big Dance by Laura Numeroff

"Emily loved to dance."

Entering the studio for her first dance lesson, Emily can't wait to meet the other girls, who she just knows must love dancing as much as she does. But she is disappointed when she learns that Nicole is only there because her mother is making her take dancing and that she'd much rather be playing soccer. Bitsy freely offers that she prefers painting to dancing any day, and Anna, nose in book, would obviously rather keep on reading than put her book away and dance.

To make the first lesson even worse, Mrs. Tingly-Weezer, their teacher, tells them that they will soon be dancing in a recital to the tune "Oh, Little Bug!" "Icky!" scoffs Bitsy. "I'm afraid of bugs," admits Anna. "My little brother ate a bug once," volunteers Nicole.

This dance class doesn't look too promising. Dancing about a bug doesn't even appeal to Emily, and she wonders how four girls with such different personalities can ever perform together, not to mention becoming friends! Then as they put their things away in their cubbies, Emily points out that their initials spell out B.E.A.N. "I hate beans!" says Nicole. Emily begins to lose heart as the other three girls stumble through their first class. Emily knows she just has to do something to make this group work together.

A trip to Petunia's Candies gives her an idea. Emily buys a big bag of jellybeans and hands them out at their next class.

"Jellybeans are all different flavors but they still go well together," she tells the other three girls. "Maybe we could, too. We can be the dancing jellybeans."

The other girls get the jellybean spirit: Anna find books in the library about cute-looking bugs; Bitsy throws herself into designing their costumes; Nicole devises some high-kicking exercises based on her best soccer moves; and soon the Jellybeans are rehearsing with Emily leading them in her best spins and steps.

The recital is a resounding success, and the four dancing Jellybeans celebrate by making another trip to Petunia's Candies together after the performance.

Fans of the Fancy Nancy and the Angelina books will have a natural taste for the sparkly pink and lavender leotards and tutus in The Jellybeans and the Big Dance. Laura Numeroff, author of the best-selling If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (If You Give...) series, and Lynn Munsinger, illustrator of the award-winning Hooway for Wodney Wat fame, join their considerable talents to craft this gentle story of sweet teamwork in the corps de ballet.