Angelina and Henry: A Book Review

Eliana LOVES ballet, ballerinas, and Angelina Ballerina. She pretends she is "balleting" around the living room, dressed in tutus, twirling around. She loves to dance. We watch Angelina Ballerina on Netflix, and she has a couple of the books. This morning she wanted me to read Angelina and Henry to her, and I realized I don't think I'd ever read it all the way through. So as we sat and read together, I thought I should share my thoughts on the book.

In general, the Angelina Ballerina books and movies are cute. They tend to deal with emotions and how to respond properly to situations, which I think is good to learn. They also provide opportunities to talk with your child about Angelina's behavior and whether she is making good choices or not. I personally find it easier to interject such discussions while reading the books than watching the movies, though, so I recommend the books for that reason. =D The videos are more for entertainment. =D

So... Angelina and Henry. They go backpacking with their uncle, and along the way wander off and get scared. Some of the things this book gives the opportunity to discuss are...

* paying attention and not wandering off the trail while hiking with others.
* persevering even when you're hot and tired.
* working together to set up camp and get a task done.
* not getting distracted when you have a job to do.
* dangerous things that might happen when you don't obey.
* being courageous, even when you're afraid.
* protecting those younger and weaker.
* spending time together as a family.

It's a cute book. I like it. And I think I'm going to put it in the list of books to read during the summer months. It's good any time of year, but particularly applicable when we're hiking and backpacking in the summer.