Talented little Tanya is growing up, and she’s starring now in her sixth story from collaborators Gauch and Ichikawa (Presenting Tanya the Ugly Duckling, 1999, etc.). Like all female ballet students, Tanya longs to begin pointe work with her first pair of toe shoes, especially after she watches the movie version of The Red Shoes. Her class finally gets toe shoes (though children at the age shown are really too young to begin serious pointe work), and they slowly learn to dance sur pointes, as their teacher says. Tanya struggles through blisters, feeling like an elephant, and actually flinging her toe shoes across the room, but she perseveres with plenty of practice and some kind encouragement from her older sister, an experienced dancer. Tanya extends her budding accomplishments on the final page (and the cover) with a dream sequence of herself dancing skillfully in her own red toe shoes. Effectively capturing Tanya’s effervescent personality, Ichikawa’s polished watercolor-and-ink illustrations also show a superb understanding of the proper positions and dynamics of ballet, right down to finger placement and the correct tilt of the head. Gauch’s first-person story has Tanya wobbling believably between a frustrated little girl and a determined young dancer, but the lovely cover illustration of Tanya in a perfect arabesque shows us that she is ready to soar. Brava, Tanya—come back again for another encore. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: April 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-399-23314-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2002
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A book that will make young dog-owners smile in recognition and confirm dogless readers' worst suspicions about the mayhem caused by pets, even winsome ones. Sam, who bears passing resemblance to an affable golden retriever, is praised for fetching the family newspaper, and goes on to fetch every other newspaper on the block. In the next story, only the children love Sam's swimming; he is yelled at by lifeguards and fishermen alike when he splashes through every watering hole he can find. Finally, there is woe to the entire family when Sam is bored and lonely for one long night. Boland has an essential message, captured in both both story and illustrations of this Easy-to-Read: Kids and dogs belong together, especially when it's a fun-loving canine like Sam. An appealing tale. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: April 1, 1996
ISBN: 0-8037-1530-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1996
Sloat collaborates with Huffman, a Yu’pik storyteller, to infuse a traditional “origins” tale with the joy of creating. Hearing the old women of her village grumble that they have only tasteless crowberries for the fall feast’s akutaq—described as “Eskimo ice cream,” though the recipe at the end includes mixing in shredded fish and lard—young Anana carefully fashions three dolls, then sings and dances them to life. Away they bound, to cover the hills with cranberries, blueberries, and salmonberries. Sloat dresses her smiling figures in mixes of furs and brightly patterned garb, and sends them tumbling exuberantly through grassy tundra scenes as wildlife large and small gathers to look on. Despite obtrusively inserted pronunciations for Yu’pik words in the text, young readers will be captivated by the action, and by Anana’s infectious delight. (Picture book/folktale. 6-8)
Pub Date: June 1, 2004
ISBN: 0-88240-575-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2004
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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