Tchaikovsky Discovers America [Paperback]

Esther Kalman (Author), Rick Jacobson (Illustrator), Laura Fernandez (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2000 | Age Level: 5 and up

Tchaikovsky kept a detailed diary of his trip to America and these observations are woven into the fictional diary of shy and awkward eleven-year old Jenny Petroff, who meets the composer during his stay in America. In the tormented Tchaikovsky, Jenny finds a kindred spirit who loves music and ballet as much as she does. Their brief encounter leaves Jenny with treasured memories of a man who gave the world some of the best music ever written.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Aided by elegant, realistic oil paintings, this work (which is based on a recording by Douglas Cowling) makes a graceful leap to print. The story unfolds through the diary entries of 11-year-old Eugenia Petroff, the daughter of Russian emigres living in New York in 1891. Weaving historical fact (Tchaikovsky's visit to America toward the end of his life) with fiction (Eugenia and her family), Kalman creates a believable tale that, like Barbara Nichol's Beethoven Lives Upstairs, sheds light on a great composer and his times. Eugenia meets the composer on a train to Niagara Falls, and they strike up a brief friendship. She discovers that he suffers from homesickness, he tells her the story of Swan Lake and they talk of their mutual love of ballet. The illustrators, who previously collaborated on I Heard My Mother Call My Name, greatly enrich Kalman's already fluid prose with their sweeping landscapes, intimate portraiture and interesting perspectives (at one point, readers find themselves looking over Tchaikovsky's shoulder as he makes sketches for the Nutcracker). As an introduction to one of classical music's greats, this one strikes all the right chords. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5?A charming tale told in diary form by a wealthy young girl of Russian descent. She is named Eugenia after Tchaikovsky's opera, Eugene Onegin, which her parents adore. They take her to see the composer conduct a performance of his own music at Carnegie Music Hall; several days later, traveling to Niagara Falls, she recognizes him in the train's dining car. She shyly approaches him and they have a glorious conversation. Her diary entries record Tchaikovsky's demeanor, gentle nature, and his loneliness in America. Although the story is fictional, it is historically accurate and captures the tenor of the times. Eugenia's shy and precious character is pleasant and intimate. The oil paintings are absolutely luscious and give the text a rich, formal feeling; the three double-spread illustrations are spectacular. Fine historical fiction that enhances the discovery of a great composer for youngsters.?Barbara Peklo Abrahams, Oneida City Schools, Manlius, NY
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Orchard Books (NY) (March 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0531071685
• ISBN-13: 978-0531071687
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.8 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,130,038 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.