Many children dream of becoming dancers, musicians, actors, and
artists, but few have the opportunity, the skill, and the
determination to live out those dreams. Rachel Isadora is the
exception. When she was young, she wanted to be a ballerina--and
she became one. And now she has firmly established herself in a
second career as an artist with an impressive string of picture
books, including Ben's Trumpet, a Caldecott Honor Book.
Born and raised in New York City, Rachel studied at the School of
American Ballet (associated with the New York City Ballet) as a
Ford Foundation scholarship student. She danced with the Boston
Ballet until a foot injury forced her to consider another career:
book illustration. "I had always drawn for my own entertainment,"
says Rachel, "but I'd never had any instruction, and I wasn't sure
how to proceed. So I just took a collection of sketches-odds and
ends on bits of paper-to the first editor who would see me. She
suggested I do a book about what I knew best." The result was Max,
published in 1976 and named an ALA Notable Book.
Since Max, Rachel has written and illustrated many other books, and
has illustrated three books by her editor, Elizabeth Shub. When
Rachel begins a new book, she first imagines the story through the
pictures. I 'see' each illustration separately," she says. "I write
a description of what I envision on each page; then I go over it
with my editor and make revisions. Next I do the actual drawing,
and finally I write the text."
Rachel Isadora lives in New York City with her two children. When
she is not busy with her family, she spends most of her spare time
drawing. "Work like this is a dancer's fantasy," she says. "Because
ballet is so demanding, dancers' stage careers are short. They can
only dream of going on and on forever. With art, I can go on and
on, and for me it's the only work that compares in intensity and
joy."
Many children dream of becoming dancers, musicians, actors, and
artists, but few have the opportunity, the skill, and the
determination to live out those dreams. Rachel Isadora is the
exception. When she was young, she wanted to be a ballerina--and
she became one. And now she has firmly established herself in a
second career as an artist with an impressive string of picture
books, including Ben's Trumpet, a Caldecott Honor Book.
Born and raised in New York City, Rachel studied at the School of
American Ballet (associated with the New York City Ballet) as a
Ford Foundation scholarship student. She danced with the Boston
Ballet until a foot injury forced her to consider another career:
book illustration. "I had always drawn for my own entertainment,"
says Rachel, "but I'd never had any instruction, and I wasn't sure
how to proceed. So I just took a collection of sketches-odds and
ends on bits of paper-to the first editor who would see me. She
suggested I do a book about what I knew best." The result was Max,
published in 1976 and named an ALA Notable Book.
Since Max, Rachel has written and illustrated many other books, and
has illustrated three books by her editor, Elizabeth Shub. When
Rachel begins a new book, she first imagines the story through the
pictures. I 'see' each illustration separately," she says. "I write
a description of what I envision on each page; then I go over it
with my editor and make revisions. Next I do the actual drawing,
and finally I write the text."
Rachel Isadora lives in New York City with her two children. When
she is not busy with her family, she spends most of her spare time
drawing. "Work like this is a dancer's fantasy," she says. "Because
ballet is so demanding, dancers' stage careers are short. They can
only dream of going on and on forever. With art, I can go on and
on, and for me it's the only work that compares in intensity and
joy."
K-Gr 2-This lovely book provides a dreamy look at the world of ballet. A multiculturally diverse group of boys and girls prance and pose through the alphabet, demonstrating grace, drama, and dedication. Specific terms are used, such as "D?velopp?," "En pointe," and "Pas de chat" but other word choices, such as "Kiss," "Sleep," and "Zipper," are much more generic. A glossary explains the significance of the chosen words and/or the ballet to which they refer (for example, the image for K shows Titania, Queen of the Fairies, kissing the donkey in A Midsummer Night's Dream). The charming, full-page illustrations done in colored pastels capture the luminescence of this art form. Young children studying ballet will appreciate the art and may know the Firebird or who Odette is, but others will need adult assistance to make the connections between the featured items and illustrations.-Carol Schene, Taunton Public Schools, MA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
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