I love Bruce. I have loved him since I read the first picture book. He is a grumpy beautiful thing. Bruce and the geese are back and the geese want to learn ballet. Bruce in ballet, what could go wrong?

I'm happy to report that this first reader is as charming, lovely, and funny as the picture books starring the grumpy bear.

Love, love, love!

I love the Bruce books and this was a great addition to them. I love that it's an early reader that gets kids reading and involved.

Very cute! An excellent book for emergent readers who are fans of Bruce picture books. Reading about a favorite character will help give an extra boost of confidence and engagement.

Bruce is back, and as charming and grumpy as ever! His geese friends want to do ballet, but they need Bruce to help them get ready. Kids will enjoy reading about everything Bruce has to do to help them, and parents will likely find his quest familiar as well. Full of laughs and a few groans, Ballet Bruce is a great choice for anyone who likes the previous Bruce books or funny picture books in general.

Another cute and funny book in the Bruce series. I'm glad this one is a leveled reader! Fans of Bruce will love to see him get into more adorably humorous situations for his adopted geese children.

Thank you NetGalley! First my rising first grader loves Bruce! Ballet Bruce did not disappoint. Super cute easy to understand plot and characters. Illustration on point and Bruce’s grump face makes her giggle. She said oh no he’s gonna eat the geese. Hahahaha we know Bruce would never do that. Will definitely add to our shelf!

Very simple text for beginning readers. Not as rich as the picture books but still enjoyable. Sure to be a popular addition to our collection.

It's got Bruce and that is almost all you need to know about this one. I have a neurodivergent student who loves Bruce books. He couldn't read this one. All he could do was look at what the geese were doing and predict how Bruce would react. That is how well sculpted this character is. Once we got him to stop and read it, he did enjoy it, and I think younger children than my student will feel the same way.

I love the grumpy, belligerent Bruce, and I was on board with this book, however, I did NOT care for the ending at all. I will still likely purchase it for my library, because it is a great beginning reader, and I know my students enjoy the Bruce stories. One of my favorite things about the Bruce books is how he will do anything for his geese children, and I was really loving the story of Bruce going all around town collecting all the necessary items for the geese to enjoy ballet. However, the ending took a turn which I did not anticipate, nor did I like, and this is the only reason I have taken off a star.

Bruce and the geese are back for another humorous and charming tale—this one geared toward new readers. One day, the geese become enamored by the idea of practicing ballet, but they feel they need the right supplies before they can properly dance. So, after diverting Bruce from his day and subjecting him to their sad goose eyes, the geese convince Bruce to acquiesce and take a drive to purchase their required goods. But one trip is not enough, because each time Bruce returns, there is one more thing the geese require. And every time Bruce treks back to town, the drive is filled with challenges in both directions. Once the geese finally have what they need, however, they decide they are ready to chase a different dream, instead. This level one early reader book is excellent for fans of the Mother Bruce stories who are ready to become more independent readers themselves. Repetitive phrases and an entertaining plot keep readers engaged while enhancing their comprehension and confidence. Occasional variations in font size emphasize inflection, which helps readers better understand the sentiments that are likewise represented in the illustrations. Throughout the book, readers will find humor both in the text and in the imagery, especially since a secondary plot is happening solely within the illustrations as Bruce is traveling to and from town. Even readers who are not quite ready for the words will enjoy telling the background story from the clever visuals on each page. Funny, accessible, and filled with familiar characters, this is an excellent story for emerging readers to begin to feel comfortable enjoying a book on their own.

Ryan T. Higgins is one of the best children’s authors. His books have humor conveyed both in the illustrations and through the words. Ballet Bruce was a good story but it would have been excellent if there had been more to the story. Those geese are known to change their minds but it would have been nice for the culmination of the story to include a dance scene. The visual of the geese in the tutus dancing was needed. We were so waiting for Bruce to dance with them.

We love Bruce and his found family menagerie. As this is an early reader book, the story is scaled back compared to other Bruce picture books but does contain the same engaging illustrations and characters that you would find in a full-length Mother Bruce story.

My five-year-old son called this book, "So funny!" He enjoyed the different obstacles Bruce encounters as he tries to outfit his begrudgingly beloved gaggle of geese for ballet. The illustrations of the animals are quite expressive, so we discussed how the different animals are feeling in each scene as well.

This early reader would be a fun addition to the library of any young Mother Bruce fan.

Thank you to Disney Publishing Worldwide and NetGalley for an advance copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

Super cute new installment of the Mother Bruce series! The geese have decided to take up ballet, causing Bruce to make sure they have all of the necessary items. I love how grumpy but caring Bruce is to the geese.

A great book for a child who has good drivable skills down to read to self, a child who is getting started in reading some bigger words but with support or any preschool to first grade student for a read aloud!

Bruce is his typical grumpy self that makes us all laugh. Loved this book and would even read aloud in the preschool or kindergarten classroom

Once again, Higgins brings a great Mother Bruce book. Bruce works tirelessly to find all the necessary needs for his goslings to participate in ballet. A great book for learning to read and for those who tirelessly work/raise kids.

Another fun Bruce story! That I absolutely love. Higgins and his characters are always a great hit with the kids and I cannot wait to break this out for a storytime!

Bruce is a favorite in my classroom. This book would be no exception. The geese want to take ballet and Bruce needs to buy all the items they will need. However, they do not let him know all at once and so this leads to many trips to the store and many mishaps. Children will find this book very entertaining. I particularly enjoy how Bruce always seems annoyed by the geese, but yet still does all the things they would like.

Bruce is trying to help the geese do ballet. They need supplies, which he runs back and forth to get of them, through traffic, construction, road work and deliver to the geese for them to do ballet. The illustrations make this book. They are colorful and fun to look at. Bruce is the grumpy eyed bear but he continues to help the geese even though he would rather stay home. Super cute book!!

Bruce is a perennial favorite, and I was excited to see him in a new Early Reader, but this one fell a bit short. The pesky, determined geese are back, and they have decided that they want to dance ballet. They enlist Bruce to gather all the things they need, including dancewear, dance shoes, and tutus. Always helpful Bruce goes to town again and again, fighting traffic jams, road construction, and detours. But after all his efforts to outfit his friends, the geese suddenly decide they want to go for a ride - and the story ends. Huh? Ryan Higgins' wonderful illustrations are still goofy and full of fun details, but the abrupt, confusing ending - and not seeing the geese actually dance in their tutus - was a disappointment. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of the book.

You can't go wrong with a "Bruce" book by Ryan T. Higgins. I believe our library has all of them and the kids (and staff) love them. It's always fun to see what will happen to Bruce next.