Gymnastica Fantastica!
by Briony Stewart; illus. by the author
Preschool, Primary    Viking    32 pp.
5/25    9798217039616    $18.99
e-book ed.  9798217039791    $10.99

In this rollicking picture book, the main character is a bouncing gymnastic bundle of energy. Emerging from a curtain of two sheets hanging on a clothesline, Gymnastica Fantastica puts on a show that includes backward rolls, bending, balancing, a “teapot to ninja squat, toes to my nose,” and more. The most dynamic performances, in the second part of the show, use hoops—“Dodging and weaving them, keeping them moving, juggle them (nearly), I’m really improving”—and the colorful twists of a ribbon that swirls and twirls with the flick of a wrist. Throughout, the spirited child sports a red T-shirt with a star emblazoned in the center, red and yellow striped shorts, bare feet (naturally), and an infectious smile. Talking directly to the reader in rhyming sentences, Gymnastica Fantastica lets us know that every movement may not be perfect, but they are always joyful. The cartoon depiction of a nimble child with a great jumble of brown hair is even more lively in contrast to a big, shaggy dog that faithfully follows the protagonist around. After an amazing upside-down flip from a trapeze, our star ends the show by announcing, “Hey presto! Ta-da! Your favoritest acrobatical star, Me! Gymnastica Fantastica.” A confidence builder for any active, exuberant child.

From the July/August 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.