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Searching... Salem Main Library | JPT SPARKLE Wellington | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Salem Main Library | JPT SPARKLE Wellington | Searching... Unknown |
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Searching... West Salem Branch Library | JP Wellington | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
The girl in this story loves to stretch, to pose, to point her toes, to swirl and twirl and leap! She practices new steps every day. All her efforts are rewarded when one special day, she gets to dance in a performance with her favorite ballerina. "Dear Ballerina," the girl writes, "I dream of being a dancer just like you." The pictures in the book take the reader behind the scenes of the ballet to a practice room, a costume room, and the wings of the stage. At last, the curtain goes up, and the girl and her idol dance. Their tutus swirl together! "Dancing makes me happy!" the little ballerina says. A touching story about dance, passion, effort, and intergenerational mentorship. The five ballet positions are illustrated, and behind-the-scene secrets are revealed. Back matter provides interesting information about point shoes, tutus, and the contents of a ballet bag. The author-illustrator is the mother of a little girl who has grown up to be a professional ballerina with New York City Ballet. This book was inspired by letters Lydia Wellington wrote to dancers she admired, as well as letters she has received from young fans. Every detail in this book is filled with joy and love and is authentic and accurate. A glittery cover makes Dear Ballerina a perfect gift for ballet recitals. A great choice for fans of Angelina Ballerina.
Author Notes
Monica Wellington is the author and illustrator of more than forty books for children. As a young child, Monica was introduced to the ballet by her mother and she has loved it ever since. But Monica's dream was always to be an artist. When Monica took her own daughter to the ballet, however, Lydia Wellington immediately began to dream of becoming a ballerina. Now Lydia is a member of New York City Ballet, and Monica continues to attend the ballet with great enthusiasm. This book is based on letters Lydia once wrote to ballerinas she admired and letters she now receives from young dancers. Monica lives in New York City.
Reviews (1)
Kirkus Review
For those who are starting to dream of pirouettes and pointe shoes.In this epistolary picture book from "Little Dancer" to "Ballerina," who responds, this young, admiring protagonist describes what she likes about ballet: tiptoeing in ballet slippers, bending and stretching, jumping and turning. Little Dancer describes how she prepares for a performance, works hard in rehearsals, enjoys getting fitted for her tutu, and delights in wearing stage makeup. Little Dancer also loves seeing Ballerina's name sewn into her tutu; it was once Ballerina's. Awaiting her turn to perform, Little Dancer watches Ballerina from the wings as Ballerina dances with a male lead before an eager audience. When she finally gets her turn on stage with Ballerina, Little Dancer "dream[s] of being an amazing ballerina" too. Backgrounds awash in pastel pinks, yellows, greens, and purples create a joyous mood, and the thin, sans-serif type compliments the elegance of this art form. Text and illustrations in the backmatter explain some of the accoutrements of ballet, such as needle and thread, leg warmers, and a leotard. Although the illustrations depict both Little Dancer and Ballerina with light-brown skin and show a multicultural cast of little ballerinasboth male and femalewith different skin and eye colors, their uniformly round heads and body types somewhat detract from the message that ballet is truly inclusive. A tender story that teaches young readers that ballet isn't just about performingit's also about relationships.(Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.