Today's read visits a ballet and not just any ballet. Bunnies take the stage and let their movements take flight in what, I hope, will be a imaginative tale. I'm getting night-time vibes from the cover, too. So maybe, this one will work as a bedtime read?
Let's open it up and find out!
THE BUNNY BALLET
by Nora Ericson
Illustrated by Elly MacKay
Abrams Books
Picture Book
48 pages
ages 4 to 8
Prepare to be dazzled from your whiskers to your paws! From Nora Ericson and Elly MacKay, the creators of the award-winning picture book Too Early, comes a showstopping performance with precious performers, perfect for animal and dance lovers everywhere
Doors are closing, lights are dimming. Strings are singing, it’s beginning.
Hop on in, take your seat, and watch the curtains rise on the Bunny Ballet! When a brother and sister stumble upon an extraordinary woodland show, they’re introduced to the magic of dance. Noses twitch, whiskers quiver, and graceful bunnies leap and soar across the stage as the audience sits on the edge of their seats.
Nora Ericson and Elly MacKay’s enchanting picture book full of fluffy plies, grand jetés, and perfect bunny pirouettes is the ultimate read-aloud for dancers and dreamers of all ages and species.
Doors are closing, lights are dimming. Strings are singing, it’s beginning.
Hop on in, take your seat, and watch the curtains rise on the Bunny Ballet! When a brother and sister stumble upon an extraordinary woodland show, they’re introduced to the magic of dance. Noses twitch, whiskers quiver, and graceful bunnies leap and soar across the stage as the audience sits on the edge of their seats.
Nora Ericson and Elly MacKay’s enchanting picture book full of fluffy plies, grand jetés, and perfect bunny pirouettes is the ultimate read-aloud for dancers and dreamers of all ages and species.
MY TIDBITS
Gentle fantasy lures into a magical world, where bunnies dance and pirouette into nightly dreams.
The ballet is about to begin, and these pages lead readers to the show. With an invitation to come in and settle into the seats, a personal atmosphere is set to open the doors to vivid imagination. The stage is in the forest, and bunnies are dressed in matching outfits as they leap into action. Every page showcases movement as the animals spin or present their grand jetes. An intermission offers a little break as readers follow the characters to a refreshment area before the show begins again.
The entire book is set up to give readers the impression they are attending the performance. This just doesn't include the ballet but works in lovely interactions as things get settled or happen in the background, too. So there's a gentle sprinkling of light, cute humor to add a lightness without tip-toeing into the funny direction. This dive into fantasy holds the entire way through. While ballet fans are sure to enjoy every arabesque and pirouette, the warmth of the tale will lure others in as well. It's a warm setting, and while excitement surrounding the performance beams from every page, it still sets a comforting atmosphere of wonder.
The illustrations hold an innocent and imaginative mood while highlighting the bunnies' performance. These are ideal for young listeners to flip through on their own and dream of watching the ballet themselves. It creates a lovely read-aloud, too, as the text and vocabulary flow right along. There are several more difficult vocabulary words to help build the word skills, and the ballet terms aren't forgotten.
It's a magical read and lovely way to lead to the world of dreams.
And here they are...
Nora Ericson studied painting at Yale University and writing for children at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Originally from central New York, she now lives in Portland, Oregon, with two kids, two dogs, and two cats. Besides reading and writing, she loves cooking, tromping in the woods, and whittling spoons while daydreaming of her future miniature donkey farm. She’s also the author of Dill & Bizzy: An Odd Duck and a Strange Bird and Dill & Bizzy: Opposite Day.
Elly MacKay is an internationally recognized paper artist and children’s book author and illustrator. She wrote and illustrated the picture books Red Sky at Night, If You Hold a Seed, and Butterfly Park, among others. The distinctive three-dimensional quality in her works is made by setting up layers of painted paper in a miniature theater. She lights the scene and photographs it to create her unique illustrations. MacKay lives in Owen Sound, Ontario, with her family
1 comment:
Could there be anything cuter and more appealing than Bunnies and Ballet? And the book is charming without being saccharine.
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