an American Girl Isabelle Dances Into The Spotlight Limited Edition DVD Back-to-School Set Includes Pencil Bag Pen and

I rented this movie before I saw it's going to air on the Disney Channel August 9 but hey, that's life. We have only seen 3 American Girl movies so far but this is definitely my favorite. Isabelle is the Girl of the Year of course and after being introduced to her via Happy Meal, we decided to check out her movie. Like the rest of the American Girl movies, this movie has very positive themes about working hard, trying your best, etc. I was very pleasantly surprised that although Isabelle and her sister have certain issues (I'll stay vague so as not to spoil anything), they overall have a very good sibling relationship and clearly love each other very much. The actresses that play Isabelle and her sister are very talented. The dance scenes are very well done and impressive as well. As a fan of The Office, I was interested to see Melora Hardin as Isabelle's mother and she gave a good performance. Definitely recommend for American Girl fans or even kids just getting into the whole American Girl world. Ballerinas and non-ballerinas will both love this but children who are familiar with dance and recitals will especially identify with the ballet rehearsal scenes. Read more

Awesome Movie for America's Precious 8-10 year olds! My 2 daughters invited 13 friends ages 8-10 over for an "Isabelle" Movie Night! It was soooo much fun! As a mother I am so grateful for this fun night the Movie provided! It was definitely a girls night!! There are lots of dances that keep the movie rolling. I loved that there is a great focus on the family, valuing time with your family. There is a beautiful sister relationship that is so awesome for any sisters to see. There is Modesty with all actresses even the mom! Hurray no cleavage!!, and they NEVER took the Lords name in Vain!! Double Hurray! Also a great movie to encourage all girls to work hard to accomplish there dreams! 5 stars!!! Read more

We really loved this movie. In fact, we had it saved on our DVR for repeated watching, but ended up having it deleted. I knew it would be worth buying as they still watch it again and again. I like the American Girl movies, because they seem to explore relevant topics for young girls. These movies are well-made, well-acted, topical, and good clean entertainment. This one is good for anyone interested in dancing; however, it tackles topics that work for everyone in the tween range. Sibling rivalry, how you can only succeed with a lot of hard work, and how you shouldn't ever be afraid to be yourself. Is it great entertainment for mom? Not necessarily, but I love the values it promotes and it certainly was better to watch than most movies geared toward young kids. Read more

My girls age 4,8 and 10 loved this movie (and really all of the American Girl videos). They're big fans of American Girl and collect the dolls. I won't comment on the story, the acting or anything else, because this movie wasn't made for me and I didn't watch all of it. I gave this movie five stars though, because for $12 I got a DVD that my kids have watched repeatedly already and will watch on car trips over the next few months. I know from listening in that its a good clean movie with a positive message for young girls, so I don't have to worry about what they're watching. If you're a parent or grandparent looking for a gift for a young girl, you can't go wrong with this or any of the American Girl videos. Read more

Good wholesome show. My grandkids watched several times. Read more

Wen I heard about Isabelle, I was sad. I thought that she would be a shallow dancer, because American girl tends to not have too much diversity in GOTY dolls. But when I saw this movie, I realized what it was about: Isabelle, an aspiring dancer, goes to a preforming arts school and struggles with anxiety. When she gets cast in a major production, she has major problems, as she feels she is nothing more than a shadow of her popular, smart and talented older sister. I think that it is a great movie that all girls should see between ages 9-15. Read more

My 7.5 year old dancer LOVED this movie. And so did I. We watched it together after reading the Isabelle book together. It's so nice to be able to watch a wholesome family movie with a good message for girls about what it means to be kind, compassionate, a good friend, a good sister, to cherish your own unique talents and not compare yourself to anyone else. It was a valuable lesson to see Isabelle struggle through her challenges (bullying, jealousy, feelings of inadequacy, fear of failure) - but to not give up on her dream. Through self-acceptance and persistence she was able to achieve her goal. And the dancing was great. It was Especially nice to see Isabelle shine when she was feeling joyful (and not fearful) - and realize THAT is the reason we dance. To bring joy - to ourselves and others. Read more

It's an American Girl Movie - and I have a 7 year old daughter. But - it is also a well made well scripted film. I really like the way they deal with different social issues - not just the easy ones, but bullying, race, all sorts of stuff. It is not in your face at all, but well presented in a good example. Truly I have been impressed by this one, Page and Kit Kittridge - all well done, and we will certainly add more. Read more