I Am a Dancer (Young Dreamers) [Hardcover]

Jane Feldman (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: Young Dreamers

Illustrated with more than fifty breathtaking color and black-and-white photographs, I Am a Dancer tells the inspiring on- and offstage story of thirteen-year-old Eva Lipman, a student at the prestigious School of American Ballet. Readers will be thrilled to follow in Eva's ballet slippers--from chubby, tutued toddler to her current career as a young ballerina in New York City. With a charming combination of beautiful photos and Eva's own words, I Am a Dancer offers a truly personal glimpse of a highly dedicated ballerina's glamorous--and sometimes not-so-glamorous--life, from the bouquets and blisters to the glare of the spotlight and the long, lonely hours of practice. A very special book for girls and ballet fans of all ages!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7-Like the ballerina in Jill Krementz's A Very Young Dancer (Knopf, 1976; o.p.), 13-year-old Eva Lipman is the daughter of a former dancer and a student at the School of American Ballet in New York. While Krementz's book focuses on the dancer's experience in a particular performance, Feldman portrays Eva's everyday life, including her home, her family, and her friends. Readers will learn some behind-the-scenes details about how costumes are made and how dancers rehearse, but they will also see an ordinary teenager who wears braces and likes to shop. The full-color and black-and-white photographs of Eva with her parents and classmates capture the flavor of New York City, showing the girl shopping with her father and relaxing in her crowded studio apartment with her mother. Some of the photos, including several of Eva posing in Central Park wearing tutus that match the flowers, are almost too precious, contributing to the fairy-tale image of a ballerina, but Eva's first-person narrative also discusses the hard work and discipline involved in dancing. An attractive, up-to-date photo-essay that will appeal to budding dancers who want a glimpse of a real ballerina's life.
Dawn Amsberry, formerly at Oakland Public Library, CA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Inside Flap

Illustrated with more than fifty breathtaking color and black-and-white photographs, I Am a Dancer tells the inspiring on- and offstage story of thirteen-year-old Eva Lipman, a student at the prestigious School of American Ballet. Readers will be thrilled to follow in Eva's ballet slippers--from chubby, tutued toddler to her current career as a young ballerina in New York City. With a charming combination of beautiful photos and Eva's own words, I Am a Dancer offers a truly personal glimpse of a highly dedicated ballerina's glamorous--and sometimes not-so-glamorous--life, from the bouquets and blisters to the glare of the spotlight and the long, lonely hours of practice. A very special book for girls and ballet fans of all ages!

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (March 16, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679886656
• ISBN-13: 978-0679886655
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,425,754 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect mix of a young girl's dream with measured reality., April 22, 1999

By 

William M. ([e-mail]) (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Am a Dancer (Young Dreamers) (Hardcover)

Wonderful photos! This book is an enchanting blend of the stuff that a young girl's dreams are made of and the real work that it takes to make them come true. Anyone with a dream, young or old, can benefit by experiencing the one so marvelously shared in this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book was an uplifting experience for a grandmother., April 5, 1999

By 

Janet Howell ([e-mail] (Alliance, Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Am a Dancer (Young Dreamers) (Hardcover)

Jane Feldman has captured the essence of a young girl's dream. The storyline is faithful to the development of a dream. The photographs are truly beautiful. This is Central Park as we wish it would be. I am eagerly awaiting the publication of "I am a Rider". Future dreams may be "I am" an astronaut, a teacher, even a volunteer. The list is endless, and I expect to hear and see more of Jane Feldman.

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Photography and Wonderful Story, April 12, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: I Am a Dancer (Young Dreamers) (Hardcover)

I am a dancer and I absolutely loved this book! It had beautiful photography and really informs the reader about what an aspiring ballerina's life is really like. I have read it a few times and I never get tired of it. It just sparks my interest everytime. Even if you are not a dancer, this book will appeal to everyone!