KIDLIT LOVE IT LISTS: Lupita's Brown Ballet Slippers
LOVE IT LISTS: A-one, ace, first-rate, super, tiptop, excellent, don't-pass-this-book-up! In support of the best of the best in kidlit!
Exploring KIDLIT LOVE IT Lists are shared via posts on SubStack with my book-lover opinions in the form of positive vibe reviews and recommendations with my thoughts on topic, theme, target audience, curriculum connections, purchase links, and the reasons the books landed on my LOVE IT LISTS.
Steena Hernandez holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Texas Tech University, and has taught Theatre Arts in middle school and high school. She's an active member of SCBWI and Julie Hedlund's 12x12 Picture Book Challenge. She has poems and short stories published in Highlights High Five Magazine and Little Thoughts Press Magazine. In 2022, Steena was a winner of author Vivian Kirkfield's 50 Precious Words Contest and was a PBParty Honorable Mention. She was chosen as a Las Musas Hermana mentee, is a now a member of the Las Musas Latinx collective. Visit www.lasmusasbooks.com HERE.
Vital Idea Theme: Determination and persistence pay off! Thank goodness ballet slippers no longer tell the single-sided “ballet pink” story. Read Lupita’s Brown Ballet Slippers to see for yourself how Lupita’s persistence in finding color-colored shoes and how pancaking changed the line for dancers of color. Steena’s beautiful storytelling and Melissa’s engaging artwork showcase why picture books are for everyone.
Picture book page turns set up “what if?” questions. Will Lupita achieve her goal? Will this be her last pink dance? Will she ever afford a pair of brown slippers? Hernandez’s text does an wonderful job of making readers want to find out.
Don't you just love this line?
"When she woke up, an idea sprang into her mind like a grand jeté!"Target Audience: I see this book as for 4-10 year-olds, kids who dance… for everyone really. Ballet dancers of color - young and old - will see themselves in the text and art. They’ll adore this book and maybe be inspired to take dance lessons.
Topic and Curricular Connections: Steena Hernandez’s back matter provides a bit of history from famous dancers. Young readers will enjoy meeting role models and gaining insights into reasons behind this important shoe color. When readers and young ballet dancers process the message in the back matter they’ll be thrilled to find out how Lupita’s “ballet brown” came to be.
Classroom teachers and school counselors must have this SEL book at the ready for those just-in-time or planned discussions surrounding act-with-persistence. This book will rub off in the best possible way.
Spoiler ALERT! Lupita’s persistence finally pays off, and her beautiful ballet slippers sparkle in the limelight.
I LOVE IT! A-one, ace, first-rate, super, tiptop, excellent, don't-pass-this-book-up!
Add this to your shelf! detail I highly recommend LUPITA’S BROWN BALLET SLIPPERS for homes, classrooms, as well as public and school libraries.
Praise and Awards for Lupita’s Brown Ballet Slippers
Winner of the 2024 Northern Lights Book Awards, Arts category
A 2025 Notable Social Studies Trade Book Winner
Long-listed for the 2025 Pedro and Daniel Intersectionality Book Awards
WOW!
My own book STUCK! The Story of La Brea Tar Pits, published March 9, 2025 by Bushel and Peck Books is on the Keystone to Reading Book Award list! I was thrilled to meet the incredible PA teachers and librarians at the American Library
Association Annual Conference in Philadelphia. This award is one where PA kids vote on their favorites. Here is the Keystone to Reading Intermediate level ballot for your kids at home and/or for your students’ votes.
Stay tuned for more books from the ALA 2025 Collection on Love It Lists!
AND THEN CAME YOU SubStack post on July 6, 2025
ANYTHING
THE BEST BAKERY
HOME IN A LUNCHBOX
MAMIACHI AND ME
RECESS
ROAR FOR READING
STUCK! THE STORY OF LA BREA TAR PITS
TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME
A BOOK FOR BEAR
CHOMP
NOT POP POP
ONE CAN BE
OLD CLOTHES FOR DINNER?!
OVER IN THE MANGROVES
SOME OF US
WRITE HERE, WRITE NOW
Do you want to nominate a 2024 or 2025 kidlit book?
I’m looking to read and support poetry anthologies and poetry collections, nonfiction picture books, and/or fiction picture books. If you’d like to nominate book(s) for me to explore, please send me an email with the digital ARC.
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#researching #writing #reading I’m into Earth’s natural wonders. What are you reading, writing, … finding?
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Oh thank you so much, Joyce, for featuring Lupita’s Brown Ballet Slippers! ❤️