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Angelina Ballerina
Angelina and Henry
Angelina and her cousin Henry are off on a camping adventure in the Big Cat Mountains with Uncle Louie. They love being explorers and are excited to hike deeper and deeper into the forest. But then night falls and ahh!...is that Big Cat behind the trees? Luckily, Angelina is brave enough to calm Henry's fears and her own.
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
3 people are currently reading
109 people want to read
About the author
Katharine Holabird
290 books81 followersKatharine Holabird is an American writer, best known as the author of the Angelina Ballerina series.
As a child, Holabird was an avid reader who loved fairy tales and stories about heroic animals, and she frequently saw ballets like Cinderella and Swan Lake with her grandmother. The young, imaginative Holabird loved animals, playing in her tree house, and dancing with her sisters. In 1969, she received a B.A. in literature from Bennington College in Vermont and then worked at Bennington College as a literary editor for a year after her graduation. Holabird then found herself in Italy as a freelance journalist where she met her husband, Michael Haggiag. The two married in 1974 and moved to London where she continued to write and worked at a nursery school.
In 1983, her first children’s book, Angelina Ballerina, was published. Holabird’s son, Adam, was her inspiration for the character Henry, and Angelina’s character was inspired by her daughters’ love for dressing up and dancing. Holabird wrote the first draft of Angelina Ballerina at the kitchen table with her daughters dancing around her. In fact, the Angelina books were originally about a girl, but then Craig drew a mouse, and Holabird loved it. “The impulsive character of Angelina came alive,” says Holabird, “and seemed to pirouette off the page with enthusiasm and energy, while her plump and ebullient body expressed drama and attitude in every twitch of her tail.” Angelina is a very emotional character; she is sensitive and often bursts into tears right before offering an apology. She struggles with her conscience but always ends up doing the right thing—which is very familiar to many young children. The universal childhood themes in Angelina include friendship, jealousy, loyalty, & dedication. Holabird’s goal was to realistically portray the difficulties of growing up. According to Holabird, it is a ballerina book for “all the passionate little dancers and performers in the world,” including her own two daughters, which is why she “decided to explore the impulsive, highly emotional character of a small but determined ballerina.”
The first American edition of Angelina Ballerina was published in 1984. A year later, Holabird received the Kentucky Bluegrass Award for Angelina Ballerina. In 1986 and 1987, she received the ALA Notable Book Awards. Angelina’s Christmas was selected as Child Study Association’s Children’s Book of the Year in 1987. The following year, Holabird and Craig published Alexander and the Dragon, their first Alexander book; it is aimed at preschool children who want to be consoled about bedtime monsters. In 1990, Holabird wrote the Alexander sequel, Alexander and the Magic Boat, which portrays a strong mother/son relationship while the two go on a voyage to imaginary worlds. Also in 1990, Holabird received the British Book Design and Production award.
In 1999, HIT Entertainment in London (known for Thomas the Tank Engine, Bob the Builder, and Barney) secured the rights for Angelina Ballerina and commissioned Grand Slamm Children's Films to make an animated TV pilot. HIT also developed a lot of Angelina merchandise. Angelina made her worldwide television debut in 2001 on CITV in the United Kingdom. In 2002, the Angelina series premiered on PBS Kids TV in the United States. Angelina Ballerina’s Invitation to the Ballet received the prestigious Oppenheim Platinum Award in the U.S. in 2004. That same year, Angelina was named the official spokesperson of National Dance Week in the United States. In 2005, Angelina made her debut on PBS Kids Sprout, a twenty-four-hour digital television channel for preschoolers in the U.S.
As a child, Holabird was an avid reader who loved fairy tales and stories about heroic animals, and she frequently saw ballets like Cinderella and Swan Lake with her grandmother. The young, imaginative Holabird loved animals, playing in her tree house, and dancing with her sisters. In 1969, she received a B.A. in literature from Bennington College in Vermont and then worked at Bennington College as a literary editor for a year after her graduation. Holabird then found herself in Italy as a freelance journalist where she met her husband, Michael Haggiag. The two married in 1974 and moved to London where she continued to write and worked at a nursery school.
In 1983, her first children’s book, Angelina Ballerina, was published. Holabird’s son, Adam, was her inspiration for the character Henry, and Angelina’s character was inspired by her daughters’ love for dressing up and dancing. Holabird wrote the first draft of Angelina Ballerina at the kitchen table with her daughters dancing around her. In fact, the Angelina books were originally about a girl, but then Craig drew a mouse, and Holabird loved it. “The impulsive character of Angelina came alive,” says Holabird, “and seemed to pirouette off the page with enthusiasm and energy, while her plump and ebullient body expressed drama and attitude in every twitch of her tail.” Angelina is a very emotional character; she is sensitive and often bursts into tears right before offering an apology. She struggles with her conscience but always ends up doing the right thing—which is very familiar to many young children. The universal childhood themes in Angelina include friendship, jealousy, loyalty, & dedication. Holabird’s goal was to realistically portray the difficulties of growing up. According to Holabird, it is a ballerina book for “all the passionate little dancers and performers in the world,” including her own two daughters, which is why she “decided to explore the impulsive, highly emotional character of a small but determined ballerina.”
The first American edition of Angelina Ballerina was published in 1984. A year later, Holabird received the Kentucky Bluegrass Award for Angelina Ballerina. In 1986 and 1987, she received the ALA Notable Book Awards. Angelina’s Christmas was selected as Child Study Association’s Children’s Book of the Year in 1987. The following year, Holabird and Craig published Alexander and the Dragon, their first Alexander book; it is aimed at preschool children who want to be consoled about bedtime monsters. In 1990, Holabird wrote the Alexander sequel, Alexander and the Magic Boat, which portrays a strong mother/son relationship while the two go on a voyage to imaginary worlds. Also in 1990, Holabird received the British Book Design and Production award.
In 1999, HIT Entertainment in London (known for Thomas the Tank Engine, Bob the Builder, and Barney) secured the rights for Angelina Ballerina and commissioned Grand Slamm Children's Films to make an animated TV pilot. HIT also developed a lot of Angelina merchandise. Angelina made her worldwide television debut in 2001 on CITV in the United Kingdom. In 2002, the Angelina series premiered on PBS Kids TV in the United States. Angelina Ballerina’s Invitation to the Ballet received the prestigious Oppenheim Platinum Award in the U.S. in 2004. That same year, Angelina was named the official spokesperson of National Dance Week in the United States. In 2005, Angelina made her debut on PBS Kids Sprout, a twenty-four-hour digital television channel for preschoolers in the U.S.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 20, 2023
This is a beautifully illustrated book about Angelina and Henry who are cousins. They are also mice. They go camping with their uncle and instead of searching for firewood they start to play games. Soon they realize they are lost, scared and wet from rain. Luckily, their uncle comes to find them and they enjoy the rest of their camping trip.
February 19, 2019
I picked this up because of the focus on hiking and camping. The kids can compare Angelina's adventure with their own experiences. And, they can point out why some of the things that A and H chose to do weren't necessarily the best. (Of course, Uncle Louis merits some blame for his actions.)
In some places the text is rather weak, but we can fall back on the art and keep the story moving smoothly. (I think.)
In some places the text is rather weak, but we can fall back on the art and keep the story moving smoothly. (I think.)
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September 5, 2023
Angelina and Henry go camping with Uncle Louie, but when time gets away from them and day turns to night, they realize they have to be brave to weather the storm. I enjoyed the storyline and the life lesson. I thought Illustrator, Helen Craig, did a great job at bringing the Big Cat Mountain alive on the pages.
Thank you Little Simon for a gifted copy!
Thank you Little Simon for a gifted copy!
October 13, 2017
Angelina and Henry get lost in the woods on a camping trip and have to dig deep to find their bravery.
February 12, 2019
Angelina and her little cousin Henry, goes camping with Uncle Louie in Big Cat Mountains. After they set up camp, Angelina and Henry go to gather firewood, but get distracting while hiking, and exploring until they lose their way. A storm brews, and they seek shelter in a cave.
April 25, 2018
I enjoyed this book. A cute story about camping, family and bravery.
November 27, 2018
Maybe I need more coffee... maybe this book just sucks. Maybe we will never know.
April 8, 2021
Such a wonderful and nostalgic book! I loved the colorful and detailed illustrations. The story was suspenseful and engaging. Great book!
Want to read
November 24, 2012Angelina and Henry by Katharine Holabird is a story about two mice cousins who go camping with their Uncle Louis who takes them on Big Cat Mountain. When the two lose their way and a thunderstorm closes in. The once friendly looking woods become daunting to the mice who become afraid of Big Cat, which Uncle Louie had teased might still be around.
When the cousins think they see a tail and two large ears Angelina tries to protect Henry by bravely attempting to shoo Big cat away. into the secret fort they discovered earlier, leaps out, waves her stick "sword" and then bravely yells out, "Shoo! Shoo!" Once Big Cat is scared away by the lightning striking a tree branch, Angelina and Henry find shelter where Angelina gets wet by shielding Henry from the rain. She provides continuous reassurance and when the storm is over takes them to find Uncle Louie.
After they their uncle they retell him their adventure and promise not to run off again. The story concludes with them dancing around the campfire.
This book is a good book capture children's imaginations and encourage them how they would feel in those surroundings. This book would be good to read my year 2 class, with a follow up activity such as acting out the mice's reactions in the woods during the storm.
When the cousins think they see a tail and two large ears Angelina tries to protect Henry by bravely attempting to shoo Big cat away. into the secret fort they discovered earlier, leaps out, waves her stick "sword" and then bravely yells out, "Shoo! Shoo!" Once Big Cat is scared away by the lightning striking a tree branch, Angelina and Henry find shelter where Angelina gets wet by shielding Henry from the rain. She provides continuous reassurance and when the storm is over takes them to find Uncle Louie.
After they their uncle they retell him their adventure and promise not to run off again. The story concludes with them dancing around the campfire.
This book is a good book capture children's imaginations and encourage them how they would feel in those surroundings. This book would be good to read my year 2 class, with a follow up activity such as acting out the mice's reactions in the woods during the storm.
September 8, 2013
Angelina and her cousin Henry are off on a camping adventure in the Big Cat Mountains with Uncle Louie. They love being explorers and are excited to hike deeper and deeper into the forest. But then night falls and ahh!...is that Big Cat behind the trees? Luckily, Angelina is brave enough to calm Henry's fears and her own..
May 18, 2012
In this Angelina Ballerina adventure, Angelina goes camping with her cousin, Henry and their Uncle Louie. After they pitch their tent and camp, Angelina and Henry wander off and are scared silly by Big Cat. Fortunately, Uncle Louie finds them and all ends well. Beautiful illustrations.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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October 9, 2009Angelina and Henry (Angelina Ballerina) by Katharine Holabird (2002)
June 4, 2010
Cute story about Angeline and Henry, her little brother who wants to be in the ballet, too.
October 18, 2013
Remarkable, as much of an Angelina Ballerina fan that I was and still am, I had never read this book before. I loved it. It's the perfect read for a kid on a camping trip. I just loved it.
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February 25, 2015All by herself!
May 1, 2017
Angelina and her brother Henry go camping with their Uncle Louie and here stories of the big cats at Big Cats Mountain.
Wonderfully illustrated.
Wonderfully illustrated.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews