Lovers of ballet will be enthralled by this coming-of-age of a 20th-century superstar.
An English girl embraces an unlikely but lifelong passion—dancing ballet.
Lily Marks, born in London in 1910, did not walk properly as a child. Her parents took her to a doctor who prescribed leg braces. Lily’s unhappy face led him to suggest a very different therapy, “dancing lessons,” and her parents agreed. Lily became a star pupil, singled out as very talented. She loved the classes and staged shows with her sisters. Private lessons followed. The turning point, however, came when her father took her to a performance by the legendary Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. And Lily and Anna shared another similarity; both were Jewish. (Pavlova’s father, according to some sources, was Jewish.) Lily got to meet her heroine after the ballet performance and even danced for her. Pavlova encouraged her, and Lily knew at that moment that “she would devote her life to the ballet she loved.” She danced with the Ballets Russes and other companies, and audiences responded with enthusiasm and love. An afterword explains that her professional name change to Alicia Markova came about because balletomanes loved Russian dancers. Goddu’s brief biography is filled with admiration for a ballet icon. Kawa’s stylized, jewel-toned illustrations are elegant and filled with scenes of old-world theaters, estates, and dress.
Lovers of ballet will be enthralled by this coming-of-age of a 20th-century superstar. (afterword, photographs) (Picture book/biography. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5124-8362-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kar-Ben
Review Posted Online: June 10, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
An eye-catching, toe-tapping celebration of the melodies in everyday sounds.
A blind girl endeavors to share her musical perception of city sounds.
When Emmalene and Grandma Jean set out one Sunday, Emmalene rejoices at the “busy city symphony” that surrounds them as Bernstrom imbues his rhythmically rhyming text with exuberant onomatopoeia. There’s the “RUMBLE” of the bus, the “BIPPITY-BOP!” of a nearby marching band, and the “tippity-tapping” of the wind. But to impatient Grandma Jean, the sounds are mere “commotion”; for her, music is the church choir’s “loud and joyous” song. When Emmalene becomes frustrated that Grandma Jean doesn’t understand, Grandma Jean valiantly tries to hear from her perspective. But only after Emmalene covers Grandma Jean’s eyes does Grandma Jean finally hear her song; in kaleidoscopically colored text against black background, “acorns ticked. A backhoe WRECKED. A truck HARRUMPHED. And birds peck-pecked.” Emmalene and a tearful Grandma Jean embrace, and together they listen to the city’s “CLAPPING / FLAPPING / tippity-tapping” tune. Mohammed’s bright, bold illustrations vividly animate the bustling city, and Emmalene’s and Grandma Jean’s expressions are endearing; their love is palpable. Though Grandma Jean’s poignant epiphany echoes the trope of a disabled character imparting a lesson to a nondisabled character, the potentially off-key note is offset by the heartwarming portrayal of Emmalene and her grandma’s intergenerational bonding. Grandma Jean and Emmalene present Black with light- and dark-brown skin respectively. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An eye-catching, toe-tapping celebration of the melodies in everyday sounds. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-301112-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An early reader that kids will want to befriend.
In an odd-couple pairing of Bear and Chipmunk, only one friend is truly happy to spend the day at the beach.
“Not me!” is poor Chipmunk’s lament each time Bear expresses the pleasure he takes in sunning, swimming, and other activities at the beach. While controlled, repetitive text makes the story accessible to new readers, slapstick humor characterizes the busy watercolor-and-ink illustrations and adds interest. Poor Chipmunk is pinched by a crab, buried in sand, and swept upside down into the water, to name just a few mishaps. Although other animal beachgoers seem to notice Chipmunk’s distress, Bear cheerily goes about his day and seems blithely ignorant of his friend’s misfortunes. The playful tone of the illustrations helps soften the dynamic so that it doesn’t seem as though Chipmunk is in grave danger or that Bear is cruel. As they leave at the end of the book Bear finally asks, “Why did you come?” and Chipmunk’s sweet response caps off the day with a warm sunset in the background.
An early reader that kids will want to befriend. (Early reader. 5-7)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-8234-3546-3
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 7, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2026 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.
