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Ballerina Dreams
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| List Price: | $16.95 |
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Product Description
Once upon a time there were five little girls who shared a dream. They wanted to be ballerinas and dance on stage like their sisters and cousins and friends.
But it would be hard for these girls to make their dream come true. They had cerebral palsy or other physical disabilities, which meant their muscles didn’t move the way they wanted them to. Some wore leg braces. Some used wheelchairs and walkers to get around. But these girls were determined. They had a dedicated teacher. Every week they practiced. They worked hard. And one day they were ready.
Ballerina Dreams is an inspiring true story of love, hope and courage for everyone and anyone who has ever wished (and worked) hard enough to make their dreams come true.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #591689 in Books
- Published on: 2007-10-02
- Released on: 2007-10-02
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Binding: Hardcover
- 40 pages
Features
- ISBN13: 9780312370299
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
- Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Starred Review. PreSchool-Grade 2—Five adorable little girls are given the opportunity to learn to dance like ballerinas and eventually perform on stage. This is no small accomplishment since the girls have cerebral palsy and other muscle disorders and several wear leg braces. To inspire them, their teacher, who is a dancer and physical therapist, gives each of them a glittery tiara and a wand. Assistance is provided to them, as needed, by helpers between the ages of 11 and 16 who work with them during each class and at the recital. As the children learn the steps, their confidence improves and their muscles grow stronger. Finally on the day of the recital, the excitement of makeup and lovely costumes combines with the magic of performing to the beautiful music from The Nutcracker and Swan Lake as they realize their dreams. This is an inspiring portrayal of determination and love that will foster empathy among young readers. The colorful photographs of this dancing community working toward a common goal accurately and sensitively capture the struggles and joyful enthusiasm of all of the participants.—Carol Schene, formerly at Taunton Public Schools, MA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
Praise for Ballerina Dreams:
“Thompson frames (the girls’) story as one of a dream come true . . . and in describing the girls’ work with their teacher . . . the author stresses what these girls might have in common with the audience—their excitement, their delight in their tutus and tiaras, their last-minute jitters, their unmistakable pleasure in dancing . . . The insightful presentation encourages readers not only to identify with the dancers, but to draw inspiration from them as well.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
“This is an inspiring portrayal of determination and love that will foster empathy among young readers. The colorful photographs of this dancing community working toward a common goal accurately and sensitively capture the struggles and joyful enthusiasm of all of the participants.” —School Library Journal, Starred Review
“Ballerina Dreams is a beautifully photographed book . . . what comes across most strongly is the matching joy on all of (the girls’) faces as they demonstrate the skills they have honed . . . a lovely gift to aspiring young dancers of all abilities.” —National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD)
“inspiring” —The Washington Post
“This lovely book focuses on five little girls who long desperately to be ballerinas on stage . . . the overwhelming theme is simply joy. An example of a small idea making things better for a small group of children, this program is truly noteworthy, as is its loving founder.” —Kirkus Reviews
“. . . the images of openly thrilled performers, all supported from behind by teen helpers, are affecting in the extreme. With adult guidance, this will support character education units about perseverance, and young dancers drawn by the pink jacket (which doesn’t hint at the girls’ physical challenges) will emerge with a new empathy for those whose outward differences tend to set them apart.” —Booklist
“(Ballerina Dreams) could go a long way to teach tolerance to today’s youth, and remind adults that no dream is out of reach.” —Oklahoma Gazette
“Get out the Kleenex! Ballerina Dreams by Lauren Thompson is such a charming, heartwarming, bittersweet book that you cannot fail to be moved.” —Readia: Children’s Book Reviews (blog)
About the Author
Lauren Thompson loved ballet class when she was a child, although she never got the chance to participate in a ballet recital. In creating Ballerina Dreams, she drew inspiration from her own memories as well as from conversations with the girls, their parents, and their teacher, Joann Ferrara. Ms. Thompson worked as a children’s book editor for eighteen years before becoming a full-time writer. Her many picture books include Polar Bear Night, which was a New York Times bestseller, and the Mouse’s First and Little Quack series, and most recently, The Apple Pie That Papa Baked. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and son.
James Estrin is a senior staff photographer for the New York Times and was part of a New York Times Pulitzer prize-winning team. His work has appeared in dozens of books, including A Nation Challenged, Portraits of Grief, The Century in Times Square, and Jews in America, and in thousands of newspapers and magazines throughout the world. He lives in Scarsdale, New York, with his wife, the writer Randy Banner, and their two children, Elizabeth and Marshall.
Customer Reviews
lovely and sweet
This is the story of 5 special girls who dream of being ballerinas. They all have some sort of physical ability that they have to try and work around. This is the story of their amazing class and how they work so hard to put on a great show!
This gave me a chance to talk with my daughter who takes dance classes about how blessed that she is with good health.
Simply Sensational
This astonishing book tells the story, through pictures and a straight-forward narrative, of five little girls who work hard to fulfill their dreams. The determination of these beautiful children, their teenage helpers, and their low-key, high-voltage teacher is an important -- and most assuredly delightful -- lesson for everyone.
Amazing :-)
What a stunning book in so many ways. It's touching and moving and beautifully put together. These little girls should be inspiration for everyone. When you're faced with a seemingly impossible task, you should take note of these little ones with physical disabilities and what they can do and nothing will seem impossible again.
It's a book for people of all ages, and it really focuses on your abilities rather than inabilities and these girls look like they are having the time of their young lives. Joann Ferrara started teaching them ballet four years ago with only five students. She was a physical therapist and wanted to make childrens dreams of becoming ballerinas come true. She's done a terrific job and with the help of handlers for these girls, they perform to standing ovations.
With the holidays coming up, this book will make an excellent gift. It's heartwarming and beautiful and I highly highly recommend it to everyone.
