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The Bear Who Wanted to Dance

Illustrated by Wendy J. Warren
Hardcover
$18.99 US
10"W x 11-1/4"H (25.4 x 28.6 cm) | 20 oz (567 g) | 20 per carton
On sale Oct 07, 2025 | 32 Pages | 9781664300767
Age 3-7 years | Preschool - 2
Sales rights: US, Canada, Open Mkt

additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
A stunningly illustrated, lyrical story about hard work, determination, body positivity, and representation.

Rita the bear has always wanted to be a ballerina. She begins taking ballet classes with Monsieur le Fox and practices every chance she gets. Her best friend, Wanda, dances with her, and together, they push each other to be the best they can be.

When Monsieur le Fox announces that he's holding auditions for the studio's prima ballerina, Rita decides that she wants the part. But how can she be the prima ballerina when she doesn't look like the other ballet dancers in her class?

A stunningly illustrated, uplifting celebration of hard work, determination, body positivity, and representation.
Stephanie Stansbie has been a children’s book editor and author for most of her adult life. She adores editing and writing in equal measure, and the books she has written have been translated into more than 15 different languages. View titles by Stephanie Stansbie
Wendy J. Warren's colorful illustrations are inspired by the people, quirky architecture, and natural landscape around her, infusing her work with a vibrant and whimsical quality that captures the imagination. She draws by hand, experimenting with watercolor pencil and crayon. View titles by Wendy J. Warren
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Not available for sale:
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Photos

additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo

About

A stunningly illustrated, lyrical story about hard work, determination, body positivity, and representation.

Rita the bear has always wanted to be a ballerina. She begins taking ballet classes with Monsieur le Fox and practices every chance she gets. Her best friend, Wanda, dances with her, and together, they push each other to be the best they can be.

When Monsieur le Fox announces that he's holding auditions for the studio's prima ballerina, Rita decides that she wants the part. But how can she be the prima ballerina when she doesn't look like the other ballet dancers in her class?

A stunningly illustrated, uplifting celebration of hard work, determination, body positivity, and representation.

Author

Stephanie Stansbie has been a children’s book editor and author for most of her adult life. She adores editing and writing in equal measure, and the books she has written have been translated into more than 15 different languages. View titles by Stephanie Stansbie
Wendy J. Warren's colorful illustrations are inspired by the people, quirky architecture, and natural landscape around her, infusing her work with a vibrant and whimsical quality that captures the imagination. She draws by hand, experimenting with watercolor pencil and crayon. View titles by Wendy J. Warren

Rights

Available for sale exclusive:
•     Antigua/Barbuda
•     Bahamas
•     Barbados
•     Belize
•     Bermuda
•     Botswana
•     Brit.Virgin Is.
•     Brunei
•     Canada
•     Cayman Islands
•     Christmas Islnd
•     Cocos Islands
•     Cyprus
•     Dominica
•     Falkland Islnds
•     Fiji
•     Gambia
•     Ghana
•     Gibraltar
•     Grenada
•     Guam
•     Guyana
•     Jamaica
•     Kenya
•     Kiribati
•     Lesotho
•     Malawi
•     Malta
•     Mauritius
•     Minor Outl.Ins.
•     Montserrat
•     Mozambique
•     Namibia
•     Nauru
•     Nigeria
•     North Mariana
•     PapuaNewGuinea
•     Philippines
•     Pitcairn Islnds
•     Puerto Rico
•     S. Sandwich Ins
•     Samoa,American
•     Seychelles
•     Sierra Leone
•     Solomon Islands
•     Somalia
•     St. Helena
•     St. Lucia
•     St. Vincent
•     St.Chr.,Nevis
•     Swaziland
•     Tanzania
•     Tonga
•     Trinidad,Tobago
•     Turks&Caicos Is
•     Tuvalu
•     US Virgin Is.
•     USA
•     Uganda
•     Vanuatu
•     Zambia
•     Zimbabwe

Available for sale non-exclusive:
•     Afghanistan
•     Aland Islands
•     Albania
•     Algeria
•     Andorra
•     Angola
•     Anguilla
•     Antarctica
•     Argentina
•     Armenia
•     Aruba
•     Austria
•     Azerbaijan
•     Bahrain
•     Belarus
•     Belgium
•     Benin
•     Bhutan
•     Bolivia
•     Bonaire, Saba
•     Bosnia Herzeg.
•     Bouvet Island
•     Brazil
•     Bulgaria
•     Burkina Faso
•     Burundi
•     Cambodia
•     Cameroon
•     Cape Verde
•     Centr.Afr.Rep.
•     Chad
•     Chile
•     China
•     Colombia
•     Comoro Is.
•     Congo
•     Cook Islands
•     Costa Rica
•     Croatia
•     Cuba
•     Curacao
•     Czech Republic
•     Dem. Rep. Congo
•     Denmark
•     Djibouti
•     Dominican Rep.
•     Ecuador
•     Egypt
•     El Salvador
•     Equatorial Gui.
•     Eritrea
•     Estonia
•     Ethiopia
•     Faroe Islands
•     Finland
•     France
•     Fren.Polynesia
•     French Guinea
•     Gabon
•     Georgia
•     Germany
•     Greece
•     Greenland
•     Guadeloupe
•     Guatemala
•     Guinea Republic
•     Guinea-Bissau
•     Haiti
•     Heard/McDon.Isl
•     Honduras
•     Hong Kong
•     Hungary
•     Iceland
•     Indonesia
•     Iran
•     Iraq
•     Israel
•     Italy
•     Ivory Coast
•     Japan
•     Jordan
•     Kazakhstan
•     Kuwait
•     Kyrgyzstan
•     Laos
•     Latvia
•     Lebanon
•     Liberia
•     Libya
•     Liechtenstein
•     Lithuania
•     Luxembourg
•     Macau
•     Macedonia
•     Madagascar
•     Maldives
•     Mali
•     Marshall island
•     Martinique
•     Mauritania
•     Mayotte
•     Mexico
•     Micronesia
•     Moldavia
•     Monaco
•     Mongolia
•     Montenegro
•     Morocco
•     Myanmar
•     Nepal
•     Netherlands
•     New Caledonia
•     Nicaragua
•     Niger
•     Niue
•     Norfolk Island
•     North Korea
•     Norway
•     Oman
•     Palau
•     Palestinian Ter
•     Panama
•     Paraguay
•     Peru
•     Poland
•     Portugal
•     Qatar
•     Reunion Island
•     Romania
•     Russian Fed.
•     Rwanda
•     Saint Martin
•     San Marino
•     SaoTome Princip
•     Saudi Arabia
•     Senegal
•     Serbia
•     Sint Maarten
•     Slovakia
•     Slovenia
•     South Korea
•     South Sudan
•     Spain
•     St Barthelemy
•     St.Pier,Miquel.
•     Sth Terr. Franc
•     Sudan
•     Suriname
•     Svalbard
•     Sweden
•     Switzerland
•     Syria
•     Tadschikistan
•     Taiwan
•     Thailand
•     Timor-Leste
•     Togo
•     Tokelau Islands
•     Tunisia
•     Turkey
•     Turkmenistan
•     Ukraine
•     Unit.Arab Emir.
•     Uruguay
•     Uzbekistan
•     Vatican City
•     Venezuela
•     Vietnam
•     Wallis,Futuna
•     West Saharan
•     Western Samoa
•     Yemen

Not available for sale:
•     Australia
•     Bangladesh
•     Brit.Ind.Oc.Ter
•     Guernsey
•     India
•     Ireland
•     Isle of Man
•     Jersey
•     Malaysia
•     New Zealand
•     Pakistan
•     Singapore
•     South Africa
•     Sri Lanka
•     United Kingdom