Product Description

"Lili will capture the dreams of countless balletomanes as she arrives at the theater to prepare for her debut as a party guest in "The Nutcracker". . . . The atmosphere crackles and the book delivers as much enchantment as the ballet itself".--"Kirkus Reviews" (pointer review)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1656381 in Books
• Published on: 1998-10-26
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 32 pages

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3?In this sequel to Lili at Ballet (Putnam, 1993), Lili is performing in The Nutcracker for the first time. Her moments on stage as a guest in the party scene quickly pass by, and she and her friends take their bows. Backstage, she encounters the dancers who will appear in Act II and takes flowers to her favorite ballerina, who autographs a toe shoe for her. An enchanted Lili settles into bed that night, shoe in hand, pondering the magic of the evening and looking forward to the next performance. Isadora provides a note telling the story of the ballet, but text and art concentrate on the accomplished young dancers' behind-the-scenes activities?stretching, making up, dressing, rehearsing, and waiting to go on. Nearly everything about this book?from the tutu-pink endpapers to the graceful watercolors depicting delicate details of bodies and costumes?will appeal to ballet enthusiasts. The only problem is that at times it's hard to pick Lili out from among the other girls. Nevertheless, this romantic offering will fire the imaginations of children looking forward to or familiar with The Nutcracker experience?and may make clumsy hopefuls drool with envy.?Vanessa Elder, School Library Journal
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Ages 4^-8. A sequel to Lili at Ballet (1993), this picture book tells of Lili's experiences on opening night of the Nutcracker ballet, where she plays a party guest in act 1. The children warm up, reflect on their teacher's advice, apply their makeup, put on their costumes, watch from the wings, play their parts, and take their bows. At home in bed, Lili looks forward to the next performance, when "the magic will begin again." The book's charm lies partly in the subject, but mainly in the simplicity and realism of both text and illustrations. The deft pencil drawings, brightened with pastel washes, capture both the awkwardness of some positions and movements in the young dancers and the precision of placement and gesture that ballet training makes possible. Young dancers and dreamers who enjoyed the first Lili book will definitely want to follow in her footsteps through the backstage door. Carolyn Phelan

Customer Reviews

Superb look at the life of a child ballet dancer
My daughter is entranced with ballerinas, and since her name is Lillian, someone gave her "Lili On Stage" for Christmas one year. It's perfect for any little girl (or boy, as boys are shown herein as well) who dreams of becoming a dancer.

Rachel Isadora, the author and illustrator, is a former ballerina herself and she graciously lets us into this magical world. Lili and her friends are shown getting ready to go onstage to perform in "The Nutcracker"--we see them stretching, getting into costumes and make-up, waiting with baited breath for their cues, and so on. What I like best about the book is that Isadora shows us the pixie dust and the magic along with all the incredible hard work that goes into not only being a ballerina, but putting on a ballet for the public. The teacher, costume mistress, stage manager, and prima ballerina are all shown doing their disparate jobs. We see that creating this dream of a ballet takes the commitment and cooperation of a great many people.

Wow!!!
This book is great! I bought it for my younger sister, and when I read it, I just didn't want to give it up. It depicts backstage life beautifully, and I would recommend this for anyone under 11.

beautiful book!
My daughter is newly 3yo and newly involved in ballet. She LOVES these books. Even at age 2 she would happily listen to the story as many times as I would read it to her. My son enjoyed it too as it showed boys dancing as well.
The illustrations are gorgeous. The story gives a very realistic glimpse into the magic of being on stage and the work that goes into performing.
I have and will continue to recommend this book to anyone who has a child, boy or girl, that is interested in dance.