Baller Ina

A child shines as both ballerina and basketballer in this brightly illustrated verse picture book about embracing one’s passions, whether they involve ballet slippers, sneakers, or both. With her copper hair in twin buns, tan-skinned Ina “loves to dance ballet: tendu, passé, and plié.” She’s shown practicing with friends before donning a basketball uniform with her ballet duds: “And there’s more that she can do in her sparkly pink tutu: dribble, lay-up, alley-oop! Shoot the ball into the hoop!” Though a pale-skinned player from another team says that “This is B-ball, not ballet,” Ina dazzles on the court, working with teammates to “pass it with a pirouette! Slam it right into the net!” Casal deftly combines ballet and basketball terms, respectfully giving each sport its due, while stylized, candy-colored illustrations highlight the importance of teamwork across both undertakings. Interests needn’t be exclusive, suggests this friendly picture book of court and stage. Ages 3–7. (Aug.)