Both balletomanes and seek-and-find lovers should enjoy this performing-arts variation on a popular picture-book game.
Waltz away, Waldo—it’s a ballerina we’re looking for.
Ten full-length classical and romantic ballets—all popular and all performed today (recordings are readily available if readers are motivated to seek them out)—are the settings for a game of spot-the-dancers. Starting with Swan Lake, Claybourne and Goh succinctly retell each ballet’s basic plot using sequential panels and medallion close-ups of the main characters. This is followed by a panoramic two-page vista from the ballet that is densely populated by dancers in costume and manages, in a very busy but entertaining fashion, to capture the setting and spirit of a performance. This is the time to search for those main characters. Romeo and Juliet, Giselle, The Nutcracker, La Bayadère, Coppélia, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, and Cinderella follow. The illustrations are colorful and detailed, capturing the general atmosphere of each ballet. Those who have attended a performance will enjoy the recap and may even experience an aha moment or two. Those new to the ballets will come away with a basic feeling for the tales. A key is provided in the back of the book. Unfortunately, there is no mention of the composers or the music, a significant omission given that ballet is not a silent art form.
Both balletomanes and seek-and-find lovers should enjoy this performing-arts variation on a popular picture-book game. (Picture book. 6-10)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-61067-515-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kane Miller
Review Posted Online: Jan. 16, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Trisha is ready to start at a new school, where no one will know she has dyslexia. At first, she is heartbroken to be in Miss Peterson’s special-ed class, aka, “the junkyard.” But Miss Peterson treats the children as anything but junk, showing them that everyone has a unique talent. Polacco’s trademark style is fully present here; her sensitively drawn alter ego shines with depth of feeling. When bullying occurs, Miss Peterson proves her students are worthwhile by planning a junkyard field trip, where they find valuable objects to be used in exciting ways. Trisha’s group repairs a plane, and the class buys an engine for it. Then a beloved class member dies, and the children must find a way to honor him. While the plot meanders somewhat, the characters are appealing, believable and provide a fine portrayal of a truly special class. Children will be drawn in by the story’s warmth and gentle humor and will leave with a spark of inspiration, an appreciation of individual differences and a firm anti-bullying message, all underscored by the author’s note that concludes the book. (Picture book. 7-10)
Pub Date: July 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-399-25078-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2010
Best for readers who have clearly indicated they would like to take their writing efforts to the next level.
A young white girl writes and illustrates a story, which is critiqued by the narrator as it is created.
The girl begins her story by drawing a Hero. Then she thinks maybe a Heroine would be better. Then she decides both will work. She places them in “a good town, filled with good people, called our Setting.” The narrator, an unseen editor who lurks over the artist’s shoulder, tells the storyteller she needs to put in some Conflict, make the Evil Overlord scarier, and give it better action. This tongue-in-cheek way of delivering the rules of creative writing is clever, and paired with Le Huche’s earnest, childlike illustrations, it seems to be aimed at giving helpful direction to aspiring young creators (although the illustrations are not critiqued). But the question needs to be asked: do very young writers really need to know the rules of writing as determined by adults? While the story appears to be about helping young readers learn writing—there is “A Friendly List of Words Used in this Book” at the end with such words as “protagonist” and “antagonist” (glossed as “Hero and Heroine” and “Evil Overlord,” respectively)—it also has a decidedly unhelpful whiff of judgment. Rules, the text seems to say, must be followed for the story to be a Good one. Ouch.
Best for readers who have clearly indicated they would like to take their writing efforts to the next level. (Picture book. 6-10)Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4814-2935-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
