ABOUT THIS BOOK

"I'LL TAKE TWO!" That's what Bibi Branchflower says about everything. She has two houses, two hats (exactly alike), and two silly dogs. But she doesn't have a single friend. When she comes across a beautiful jewel box, of course she wants two of them. Though there's only one like it in all the world, inside two dancers spin. Perfect! The shopkeeper explains that the box is enchanted - all who look on the ballerinas will see sorrow in their faces. Soon Bibi becomes more concerned with her sad ballerinas than with worldly riches. What will make them happy? It is her love that finally transforms them into living, breathing, happy children - and gives Bibi two real friends.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Monique de Varennes received her M.A. from the writing seminars at John Hopkins University and was awarded the Pushcart Prize in 2003 for one of her short stories. The author of The Sugar Child, she lives in Los Angeles.

Ana Juan is the illustrator of Kelly Cunnane's For You Are a Kenyan Child, Campbell Geeslin's Elena's Serenade, and Frida, a picture book biography of Frida Kahlo. She also wrote and illustrated The Night Eater, which won an Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award. She lives in Madrid, Spain.


AWARDS

HONOR 2007 - National Parenting Publications Award (NAPPA)
FINALIST 2008 - ReadBoston Best Read Aloud Book Award