I Am a Ballerina (Hardcover)

by Valerie Coulman (Author), Sandra Lamb (Illustrator) "Well, almost a ballerina..." (more)
Key Phrases: Madame Cherie

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3–After attending a dance performance, a young girl decides that she wants to be a ballerina. Enthusiastically, she jumps, twirls, and prances around the house until her parents suggest some classes. At Madame Cherie's School of Dance, the young hopeful begins to learn the fundamentals. At her recital, she feels the same magic that she did when she watched her first ballet. Muted chalk pastel illustrations realistically portray the heroine's enthusiasm and determination to reach her dream as she practices an arabesque in her underwear in her bedroom and struggles with the five positions in class. The depiction of the inexperienced students is appealing and accurate for the most part. However, one youngster suddenly seems to be "on pointe" even though they are all beginning dancers. Nonetheless, both the illustrations and the uncomplicated story give a pleasing glimpse into the world of ballet.–Carol Schene, Taunton Public Schools, MA

From Booklist
PreS-Gr. 1. This gently humorous picture book opens with a portrait of a leaping, costumed performer alongside the text "I am a ballerina." As the page-turn reveals, the dancer appears on a poster decorating the bedroom of a half-Asian little girl, all elbows and knees as she struggles to hold an arabesque. "Well, almost a ballerina," she allows. The narrator's awareness of the gap between a professional's polish and her own bumbling may not be entirely authentic, but the full-tilt enthusiasm expressed in the subsequent spreads certainly is. The girl describes her first ballet classes ("Madame Cherie taught us five different positions. I seem to know six," she observes, referring to her tangled limbs), then gives an account of her first recital. The satin slippers set will scoff at the image of a beginner performing an advanced pointe position, and Lamb's grainy pastels are not always up to the task of portraying this detail-oriented art form. Still, the joy in movement beaming from both text and art will surely find a receptive audience. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Lobster Press (October 20, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1894222911
• ISBN-13: 978-1894222914
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 10.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,903,478 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really great book! Great pictures too!, December 2, 2004

By	Z-Booklover (United States) - See all my reviews

This is another great book by Valerie Coulman. It will be a hit with all your little dancers in the house. My daughters loved it! It makes you want to get up and dance around. It's a very heartwarming story of a little girl that dreams of being a ballerina. After your done reading, you have to smile at what the little girl accomplishes. I bought 6 more copies to give to all the little nieces in my family.