The Jewel Box Ballerinas

My daughter (almost 5) just loves this book. The illustrations are wonderful and it does seem like you see something different each time you read it. It is such a sweet story that reminds us all that people are more important than the things we surround ourselves with.

Monique de Varennes & Ana Juan's THE JEWEL BOX BALLERINAS tells of one Bibi who has two of everything - except friends. But when she buys a magical jewel box with two ballerinas inside, something changes.

My little girl (almost 4) loves this book. It is a cute story and the illustrations are charming. She received it for Christmas and loves it--it has become a fast favorite.

In The Jewel Box Ballerinas, Bibi Branchflower is so rich that she has two of everything--two houses, two limos, and two little pugs that, in the book, look kind of cute and insane at the same time. The only thing Bibi doesn't have is a friend. One day she happens upon a tiny little shop and finds a beautiful jewel box that contains two tiny ballerinas. Before she buys them, the shopkeeper warns her that the box is cursed and everyone who has previously bought it has ended up returning it. Bibi, who would never believe in such rubbish as curses, buys it anyway and names the ballerinas Miranda and Mathilda. But Miranda and Mathilda look extremely sad, so Bibi sets upon a mission to cheer them up. When all of the gifts and entertainment in the world won't even produce a smile from the ballerinas, Bibi thinks a change of scenery will do the trick. It's on this journey that something magical truly happens, changing Bibi's life forever. My favorite part in the book is when Bibi decides to kiss the ballerinas in an effort to cheer them: "`Is that a smile?'" she asked, for it seemed that their faces brightened. Then she shook her head. `Oh, piffle, it's only my old eyes making a fool of me. All the same, dear dancers, I'll kiss you often, for that felt wonderful indeed.'" Here, we realize that Bibi is not the cantankerous old spinster others may make her out to be. She does have feelings, and she's lonely. The ballerinas are not the only ones in need of cheering up. Juan's striking and detailed illustrations make Bibi's quirkiness come to life. Each time I read the book, I find a new illustration I hadn't noticed before, from two snow globes atop Bibi's sled in Alaska to the hilarious expressions on Bibi's pugs' that will have your child (and you) laughing with glee. This enchanting picture book reminds us that people are more important than things but in a lighthearted way that won't make kids think they're being taught a lesson. They'll be too focused on Bibi's wild hair and her pugs jumping with merriment at the end of the book to notice.

There are many variations on the Pygmalion myth, where a beloved statue comes to life, but what makes them worth the retelling is how the maker -- or in this case, owner -- transforms too. In this version, a wealthy-but-lonely spinster's impulse buys come in doubles -- even two houses and two hats. Then Bibi Branchflower spies a solitary curio she can't resist; a gold music box with twin spinning ballerinas. She ignores the shopkeeper's warning that the figurines bear a curse that makes everyone unhappy. Determined to cheer the girls' unsmiling miens, Bibi showers them with all the affection she's withheld from the rest of the world. And, gradually, they respond. Though once you see her wrap the figurines in a flimsy kerchief pinned very, very precariously to her bosom, you suspect where this is headed. Yes, her heroic journey's headed straight to I'd-give-everything-to-get-them-back Land, though presumably a world-weary and much chastened Bibi returns to her twin mansions for Happily Ever After. I ignored the press release's pat explanation that the book's message is "money can't buy love." What rubbish. Who decided picture books need messages, anyway? Or press releases, for that matter. No, this is about transfiguring an ugly soul into a loving one through the overwhelming need of all people to connect to others. You can toss in "you don't know what you have 'til it's gone" for good measure. But I'd sum it up as "we all need somebody to love," an idea that transcends wealth or age and is far more affecting and profound than any renunciation of worldly goods. Buddha, she's not. Still, it's a good tonic for kids surrounded by toys that fascinate for a few weeks until a part breaks or a battery dies, and a reminder that the ties that bind are the ones we weave in our hearts. Juan's Bibi is stodgy and tight-lipped, a beefy presence in dour colors, offset by the dolls' vivid costumes--the only bright spot in her life.