Ballerina!

by Peter Sís

Young ballerinas who love to leap, twirl, flutter, or float in their leotards and tutus will be enchanted by Peter Sís's graceful celebration of dance in Ballerina!. A little girl named Terry changes from pink tutu to blue gown to violet cape to white feather boa as she dances and imagines herself as the prima ballerina in The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and Swan Lake. In her mind's eye, the little girl she sees in her bedroom mirror becomes a willowy, poised, grownup dancer with all the glamorous trappings of a real performance. By the end of her own performance, Terry gathers her many different colored scarves and becomes the best ballerina of all, while her audience (her mother and father) "claps and claps and claps."

Peter Sís, creator of such favorites as Madlenka and the Caldecott Honor book for older kids, Tibet: Through the Red Box, brings the joy of dance to the printed page. Terry appears on the left pages in each successive costume, while on the right page readers see a transformed ballerina reflected in her big bedroom mirror, captioned by a dance position or movement: "tiptoe," "dip," "stretch." (Ages 4 to 7) --Emilie Coulter

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Juvenile

Board Book

First published March 1, 2001

About the author

PETER SÍS is an internationally acclaimed illustrator, filmmaker, painter and author. Born in 1949 in Brno, Czechoslovakia, and grew up in Prague. He studied painting and filmmaking at the Academy of Applied Arts in Prague and the Royal College of Art in London. His animated work is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art. He came to America in 1982, and now lives in New York's Hudson Valley with his family. Peter Sís is the first children's book artist to be named a MacArthur Fellow. In 2012 he won The Hans Christian Andersen Award.

His many distinguished books include Starry Messenger: Galileo Galilei, Tibet: Through the Red Box, Madlenka, Rainbow Rhino, The Tree of Life: Charles Darwin, The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain, and The Conference of the Birds.

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really appreciate this book although the style isn't something I am especially drawn to. However, I think it would be a wonderful book for aspiring ballerinas--especially for those who aren't able to take dance classes but still want to dance and imagine themselves in classic roles. It's so cute how the little girl dresses up to become her favorite ballerinas and I appreciate the variety of classical ballets Sis represents. The final spread, with the "audience" is adorable!

[Gavin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pretty lame, boring, and maybe a touch racist? But perfect for a little spoiled girl who thinks she's the center of the universe...I happen to know one like this.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book for beginner readers. My kids all enjoyed this book. I would recommend this book to others.

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little girl imagines herself as a professional ballerina as she practices ballet.

This book celebrates the power of imagination as well as demonstrating the importance of hard work, perseverance, and delayed gratification.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an adorable board book which introduces colors, dance movements, and different ballets to little girls and boys.

(Our daughter chose this book at the library because it was pink.)

[Navila · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 porque está bonito para la niñas chiquitas pero algo aburrida para las niñas mayores de 7 años aprox (lit lo leí hoy antes de mi clase de baile y lo acabe en 2 minutos). 😂

[Missy Kirtley]

This is a wonderful book. My daughter loves looking at all the different ballerinas in their costumes, and I'm not afraid to let her turn the pages. The pages are nice and thick, and the last page is a nice pull-out with a beautiful picture.

The only problem is that I don't know how to answer when my daughter asks what the names of all the ballerinas are! I can say for a few of them, but don't know for the others.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Our girls love to dress up in their ballerina costumes and take ballet class, so this was a very fun book for them. They loved the costumes and love to imitate the poses. We've borrowed this book a few times from the library.

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

book displays colors and movement. good for a girl interested in ballet. references different ballets.

[kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liby really likes this book, and it might possibly be what lead her to tell me that she wanted to be a REAL ballerina when she grows up.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book that is simple but true to Ballet and the art of dance.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the pink girly ballerina.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

My daughter picked this one out. It's a quick read but neither one of us would label it a favorite.

[Betty Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this book for teaching colors to my toddler.

[Naomi]

Cute and simple, although it was weird to read this after The Wall, but refreshing to see an author able to dabble in different themes.
I enjoyed the slightly different illustration style, how it was a little clearer on one page in opposition to the little ballerina, whose style was more simplistic.