Customer Reviews

Lili on Stage

5 star:		(4)
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My daughter is entranced with ballerinas, and since her name is Lillian, someone gave her "Lili On Stage" for Christmas one year. It's perfect for any little girl (or boy, as boys are shown herein as well) who dreams of becoming a dancer.

Rachel Isadora, the author and illustrator, is a former ballerina herself and she graciously lets us into this magical world. Lili and her friends are shown getting ready to go onstage to perform in "The Nutcracker"--we see them stretching, getting into costumes and make-up, waiting with baited breath for their cues, and so on. What I like best about the book is that Isadora shows us the pixie dust and the magic along with all the incredible hard work that goes into not only being a ballerina, but putting on a ballet for the public. The teacher, costume mistress, stage manager, and prima ballerina are all shown doing their disparate jobs. We see that creating this dream of a ballet takes the commitment and cooperation of a great many people.

This book is great! I bought it for my younger sister, and when I read it, I just didn't want to give it up. It depicts backstage life beautifully, and I would recommend this for anyone under 11.

My daughter is newly 3yo and newly involved in ballet. She LOVES these books. Even at age 2 she would happily listen to the story as many times as I would read it to her. My son enjoyed it too as it showed boys dancing as well.
The illustrations are gorgeous. The story gives a very realistic glimpse into the magic of being on stage and the work that goes into performing.
I have and will continue to recommend this book to anyone who has a child, boy or girl, that is interested in dance.

In our instant-gratification culture, ballet provides children a wonderful opportunity to learn about focusing on a long-term goal and taking pride in accomplishing each small step along the way. Rachel Isadora's Lili books ring true because Lili is not a child phenomenon, she's a young dancer who understands the slow disciplines of ballet. In Lili on Stage, she's performing in the Nutcracker. But she isn't the star, she's one of a group of children dancing in the party scene. It's obvious she loves her role, and recognizes what an accomplishment it is to dance in a performance. This book combines beautiful illustrations with a real understanding of the world of ballet. I'd recommend this and the other Lili books to any small dancer. (My dancing daughter is 13 and on pointe, and she still keeps Lili on her bookshelf.)