In this companion to Meet the Musicians (2006), Nathan offers a chatty and informative look at 16 dancers, their childhoods, their training and their professional lives. Sidebars offer quick tips on taking class, summer activities, typical days and performance pointers. There’s also an entertaining “Sugar Plum Sightings,” revealing where each performed The Nutcracker and in what roles. The range of dance styles, from classical ballet to modern dance to Broadway, gives this a wide appeal, as does the pleasing diversity of the 16 men and women. Readers drawn to dancing won’t necessarily pore over the black-and-white photographs, but they will find value in reading about the winning combination of childhood and adult determination, hard work, perseverance, family support and help from teachers. Brief bios at the beginning of each chapter provide appealing personal tidbits. Recommended for those interested in the lives of dancers or a career in dance. (glossary, resources, index) (Collective biography. 9-12)
Pub Date: May 1, 2008
ISBN: 978-0-8050-8071-1
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2008
Fans of this new professional sport will have to ease past the forced pitch of these capsule looks at some of the better-known stars of the game. Each biographical note contains the person’s vital statistics and an impressing listing of honors. Another section introduces each of the WNBA teams, with rosters, records, and notes; the same attention is given to the upstart American Basketball League. A final section consists of a brief women’s basketball trivia quiz. This text feels hastily assembled; Ponti equates a conversational tone with infractions of grammar and lazy transitions. Those who want to know why this sport, which dates back—barely—to 1996, has burst on the scene so quickly and continues to draw crowds, will have to turn to more solid coverage found in national magazines. (Nonfiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: May 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-671-03275-5
Page Count: 120
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1999
At Home With The Presidents (176 pp.; $12.95; Sept. 24; 0-471-25300-6) Morris offers succinct biographical information and anecdotes about all 41 presidents with brief information about homes they grew up it, historic sites dedicated to them, or libraries in which their artifacts are housed. Included are small pictures of the presidents and some of the buildings discussed. Readers will find the book of limited use for research, since the sources for quotations are not given, there is no index, and material considered controversial is not attributed. Appearing out of context are statements such as “George Washington adored his older brother” and “George’s mother was jealous of the two brother’s relationship.” The information on historic sites is upbeat but bland, and could have come right out of tourist brochures. (b&w photographs, illustrations, further reading) (Nonfiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: Sept. 24, 1999
ISBN: 0-471-25300-6
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Wiley
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1999
BOOK REVIEW
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