Pamela's First Musical [Paperback]

Wendy Wasserstein (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 16, 1998 | Grade Level: P and up

The Tony Award-winning, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Heidi Chronicles spins a charming storybook tale of a magical first trip to a Broadway musical. "A light, fantastic trip down the Great White Way for the little kid in all of us".--Meryl Streep. Full color.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Eloise meets Auntie Mame in this giddy whirlwind tour of Broadway, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Wasserstein's first picture book. For her eighth birthday, Pamela's glamorous Aunt Louise, "a perfectly perfect person," whisks her into Manhattan to a matinee (after lunch at the Russian Tea Room, of course). The curtain rises on an over-the-top musical extravaganza filled with chorus lines 100 dancers strong, tap numbers, fabulous costumes, sets as huge as an MGM lot, and an outrageously corny boy-meets-girl plot, all told from a child's perspective ("When he sang, he opened his mouth extra wide, and Pamela could see that he didn't have a single cavity"). Jackness, a noted set designer, produces illustrations as hyperbolic as the featured play. Splashing across the pages in a frenzy of candy-colored lights, his watercolors capture the hustle and bustle of the performance. The story is overlong, and while many may agree with Pamela that her romp is "most splendiferous," others may find the tone and the allusions to real-life Broadway personalities slightly arch. It's also ironic that a playwright as known for realism as Wasserstein relies on wholesale exaggeration to convey the magic of the theater. Ages 5-10.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3?The story of a young girl's first visit to a Broadway musical. It's Pamela's birthday and glamorous Aunt Louise is her entree to the excitement and thrill of lunch at the Russian Tea Room and seats at the 45th Street Theatre. Unfortunately, the text is littered with inside jokes that only avid theatre goers will appreciate. The female lead is Mary Ethel Bernadette (a tribute to Martin, Merman, Peters), and the male lead is Nathan Hines Klines (a tribute to Lane, Gregory, Kevin). The writers are Betty and Cy Songheim, who look curiously like Betty Comden and Adolf Green in the garish illustrations. The stage sets are a disjointed combination of bits and pieces from Pirates of Penzance, The King and I, South Pacific, Carousel, Peter Pan, and On the Town. This is certainly a subject of interest to children, but this endeavor by the award-winning dramatist is plagued by a plethora of puerile puns on plays. Two thumbs down!?Susan Pine, New York Public Library
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion (April 16, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786812923
• ISBN-13: 978-0786812929
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 7.9 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #775,536 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Something for everyone., October 17, 2001

By 

Carol Harrison (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pamela's First Musical (Paperback)

For anyone who loves the theatre and is either a kid, or one at heart (and who isn't) PAMELA'S FIRST MUSICAL is wonderful. Not only is the story great fun in an Aunty Mame-meets-Eloise kind of way, but it is filled with many of the recognizable greats of the Broadway stage. A book to read, to keep, and to give.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just Dahling!, April 9, 2003

By 

Robyn Lee Markow "webcat1" (Northridge, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pamela's First Musical (Hardcover)

Full of bright,highly expressive illustrations and loaded with plenty of amusing "the-tah" in-jokes,this is a book that is equally geared to both young and adult readers. A real treat!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AMAZING! A great, great book!, April 13, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Pamela's First Musical (Paperback)

Wassertein scores! This winning story is full of incredible illustations and a wonderful story. A four-star hit!