It's another Larry book! Hurrah! When Larry the polar bear accompanies his young friend Mildred Frobisher to one of her dance lessons, he is enchanted by this art in which people "tell a story and express feelings through movement." Unfortunately, Madame Swoboda believes that bears do not belong in the ballet. Can Larry and his friends prove her wrong...?

I am a huge fan of the muffin-loving polar bears from Bayonne, whose hilarious adventures are so capably recorded by the brilliant Pinkwaters. The sly humor of the text, and the droll, colorful illustrations, never fail to charm. While I did feel that Dancing Larry had a somewhat anticlimactic conclusion, I still enjoyed this entry in one of my favorite picture book series. ( )

This book, part of a series of picture books featuring the antics of loveable polar bears in Bayonne, New Jersey, is a humorous story about ballet. When Larry the polar bear escorts little Mildred Frobisher to her ballet class and develops a yearning to express himself though dance, he enlists the help of the polar bears from the zoo to stage a production of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" on the lawn. The dialogue is written in a rather strange, mechanical cadence that sounds a bit odd when read aloud. However, the illustrations are colorful, expressive, and filled with movement and fun. Overall, it is a funny story that will appeal to children ages 2-6. ( )