From Powells.com
Staff recommendations, guest essays, and curated reading lists.
Synopses & Reviews
In this invitation to ballet, young readers learn all about what happens in ballet class. Works of art by French impressionist Edgar Degas bring the ballet vividly to life, while illustrations by Rachel Isadora picture modern-day girls and boys practicing ballet positions and steps. Complete with a brief history of ballet and a biography of Edgar Degas,
Invitation to Ballet is sure to delight every child who dreams of one day becoming a world-class dancer.
Praise for Invitation to Ballet
andquot;The real treat is seeing Isadoraandrsquo;s picture-book portraits of students juxtaposed with the ethereal works of Edgar Degas, the 19th-century master of ballet painting.andquot;
andmdash;New York Times
andquot;This beautifully illustrated volume offers young dancers an introduction to ballet. Isadoraandrsquo;s pencil-and-watercolor illustrations give the book enormous child appeal while visually defining the terms for positions and movements students will learn in class. A captivating invitation to the beauty of ballet.andquot;
andmdash;Booklist
andquot;This beautifully illustrated book is an introduction to ballet enhanced by the accompanying paintings of Edgar Degas.andquot;
andmdash;Reading Today Online
Review
An innovative interpretation of a timeless tale.
Publishers WeeklyReview
“Provides a variety of fun sounds to re-create with a partner. The ‘trill-trill of the dassie and the ‘bleat-bleat of the giraffe are sure to delight. Isadoras stunning collage brings the colors and textures of the African plain to life. . . . The animals are parent/child pairs and this augments the shared feel of the song. Concluding pages provide background on the featured species, including habitat, communication systems, and endangered status. Lovely to look at as well as pure joy to read aloud, this title will demand an encore again and again.”
Review
“A familiar text is adapted to use in an unfamiliar environment with happy results. . . . The combination of the known and the unknown, the amusing noises that each animal makes, and the exuberant collages incorporating woven fabrics, newsprint, and other materials all make for a winning strategy. . . . Young children will want to visit this farm and ‘grunt-grunt with the hippos and ‘chirp-chirp with the ostriches.”
Review
“While the animal sounds are fun and lend themselves perfectly to a storytime rendition, the artwork is a particular treat. Collages that give a distinct sense of place, set against plentiful white space that allows the animals to pop. . . . An extensive concluding note provides interesting facts about all of the animals included, as well as a mention of the role game farms and parks play in protecting Africas endangered species.”
Review
“Old Mikamba may have a farm, but its a game farm on the African plains, and the animals on his farm are a far cry from the typical cow/pig/chicken that hang out with Old MacDonald. Here, baboons, zebras, and elephants share space with rhinos, giraffes, and cheetahs. . . . A whole new lot of animal sounds. . . . Intriguingly composed figures.”
Review
“Rachel Isadora puts a new spin on the tale of Old MacDonalds Farm. . . . Readers will discover the animals and sounds of Africa. . . . Creatively designed.”
Synopsis
When a prince sets out to find a princess to marry, he soon discovers this is not a simple task. There is no shortage of so-called princesses, but how can he tell whether or not they are what they claim to be? Then one night, a great storm rages, there?s a knock on the palace gate, and the prince?s life is never the same.
Caldecott Honor?winning artist Rachel Isadora exquisitely illustrates this retelling of the classic Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale and takes readers to a beautiful African setting?a first for the ?true story? of a tiny pea that changed everything.
Synopsis
When a prince sets out to find a princess to marry, he soon discovers this is not a simple task. There is no shortage of so-called princesses, but how can he tell whether or not they are what they claim to be? Then one night a great storm rages, there comes a knock on the palace gate, and the prince?s life is never the same . . .
Synopsis
This fabulous version of the classic nursery song Old MacDonald” introduces children to a menagerie of African animals and their sounds. It is beautifully illustrated by Caldecott Honor winner Rachel Isadora, with her signature collage-style artwork.
Old Mikamba had a farm, E-I-E-I-O. And on this farm he had . . . a giraffe, a baboon, and an elephant! Meet Old Mikamba, who watches over a wide variety of animals on his game farm in the plains of Africa. Children will discover a whole new set of fun animal sounds as they are invited to sing along and roar with the lions, bellow with the rhino, whinny with the zebras, honk with the wildebeests, and more!
A wonderful introduction to African wildlife that is great fun to read aloud, this truly irresistible rendition of a beloved song includes a list of animal fun facts and gives children a huge variety of animal sounds to imitate as they pore over the detailed animals, landscapes and patterns in the stunning illustrations.
Synopsis
When a prince sets out to find a princess to marry, he soon discovers this is not a simple task. There is no shortage of so-called princesses, but how can he tell whether or not they are what they claim to be? Then one night a great storm rages, there comes a knock on the palace gate, and the prince?s life is never the same . . .
About the Author
Rachel Isadora began dancing at the age of eight. She trained at George Balanchine's School of American Ballet and has danced professionally. Rachel lives in New York City with her family.
Rachel Isadora has illustrated many books set in the world of dance and theater, including Opening Night, My Ballet Class, Swan Lake, The Little Match Girl, and Ben's Trumpet, which received the Caldecott Honor Award and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Award. copyright © 2000 by Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers. All rights reserved.