Belinda in Paris by Amy Young

As you can see from the cover, Belinda has rather large feet for a ballet dancer, and it is precisely this which drives the action in the book. You see, Belinda's pointe shoes (ballet shoes) have gone missing in transit; they are on their way to Pago instead of Paris. Belinda is concerned and nervous about dancing in Paris despite her notoriety and the excitement her visit has generated in the city. What shoes is she possibly going to wear? She visits La Danse store which specializes in ballet shoes but alas they do not have her size. This results in her trekking around Paris trying to problem solve. She visits shoe maker Monsieur Luc who has never seen such large feet and then it's on to see Madame Sophia about silk fabric. The plot also strangely involves a baguette which becomes a part of the solution. So, do the ballet-loving citizens of Paris get to see Belinda perform?  The illustrations are exquisite and showcase many of the well-known sites and buildings of Paris including the Eiffel Tower, the Golden Gates and the Jardin de Luxembourg. This is an usual topic for a children's picture book but it will surely appeal to aspiring ballet dances three years and plus.