Emma and Julia Love Ballet

by Barbara McClintock, Barbara McClintock (Illustrator)

Overview

Award-winning author/artist Barbara McClintock has created this enchanting picture book story that will charm every child with ballet dreams!Emma is little. Julia is big.They both love ballet.Emma takes ballet lessons. So does Julia.Emma is learning to be a ballerina. Julia is a professional ballerina. They are both excited about the big performance in the theater tonight.Emma will be watching from the audience. Julia will be dancing onstage!And afterward, Emma will go backstage to meet her ballet hero!Barbara McClintock's richly illustrated, heartwarming story is sure to become a perennial favorite.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780439894012
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	02/23/2016
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.90(w) x 10.30(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD480L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Barbara McClintock has written and/or illustrated over 40 distinguished books for children. Emma and Julia Love Ballet which she wrote and illustrated, received three starred reviews, and My Grandfather's Coat, retold by Jim Aylesworth, also received three starred reviews and was named a Sydney Taylor Honor Book. Her books have five times been named New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books. She has received a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor, as well as a myriad of other awards and honors. Barbara lives in Connecticut with her family and their four very graceful cats.

Editorial Reviews

★ 01/11/2016
Though they do not meet until the end of the book, two ballerinas—an African-American young woman named Julia and a Caucasian girl named Emma—mirror each other throughout the day. McClintock (My Grandfather’s Coat) uses a warm narrative voice and precise illustrations to highlight the similarities and differences between their routines: “They both stretch and move until their muscles are warm,” and while “Some of Emma’s friends dream of dancing on Broadway. Some of Julia’s friends do dance on Broadway.” Beyond emphasizing the care and passion both Emma and Julia bring to their dancing, McClintock does a lovely job of building tension as Julia’s evening performance approaches, one that Emma sees in person. Writing and drawing with an understated grace that dovetails perfectly with the subject matter, McClintock emphasizes how childhood aspirations can become attainable realities. Ages 4–8. Agent: Jennie Dunham, Dunham Literary. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Emma and Julia Love Ballet:* "McClintock's simple story captures the joy of ballet and affirms the idea that dreams can come true." — Booklist, starred review* "This engaging and matter-of-factly diverse (Julia is African American) behind-the-curtain look at a ballet dancer's life will be appreciated by young dancers, who will see both a reflection of their own experience and a glimpse of what's to come." —The Horn Book, starred reviewPraise for My Grandfather's Coat by Jim Aylesworth, illustrated by Barbara McClintock*"The narrative and illustrations make a perfect whole. Sweet and tender and joyful." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review *"This is a tale worth reading again and again." —School Library Journal, starred reviewPraise for Our Abe Lincoln by Jim Aylesworth, illustrated by Barbara McClintock*"Proving once again that they are a match made in picture-book heaven, Aylesworth and McClintock... turn out a biography of Lincoln virtually guaranteed to hook readers." —Publishers Weekly, starred reviewPraise for The Gingerbread Man by Jim Aylesworth, illustrated by Barbara McClintock*"... Satisfying in every way." —School Library Journal, starred review*"The familiar tale finds a fresh makeover in the hands of Aylesworth and McClintock." —Publishers Weekly, starred reviewPraise for The Mitten by Jim Aylesworth, illustrated by Barbara McClintock*"The narrative draws readers into the story and begs to be read aloud....Aylesworth's tale belongs in every collection..." —School Library Journal, starred review *"A satisfying blend of cozy comforts and slapstick farce, this will be a top choice for winter story hours." —Booklist, starred reviewPraise for Cinderella by Barbara McClintock*"This fresh, appealing version of the perennial favorite belongs in every collection." —School Library Journal, starred review

From the Publisher

03/01/2016
PreS-Gr 1—McClintock takes a turn from folk and fairy tales to share a sweet story of an aspiring ballerina and her professional counterpart. Emma, a young red-haired girl, gets ready for dance class and excitedly prepares for her first trip to the ballet. On mirroring pages is the story of Julia, a woman of color and professional ballerina, who goes through her day in the city preparing for her lead role in the evening's performance. As their days both come to an end at the theater, the opposing pages blend into one cohesive story and Emma and Julia meet backstage for a hug and an autograph and to express their love of dancing. Young readers interested in ballet will appreciate the glimpse into the life of a ballerina. The seemingly insignificant details of Julia's everyday life paint a picture of her as a real person, and the parallels to Emma's routine further encourage young dancers to see themselves in both of these characters. The story line is simple, the language straightforward and repetitive, further emphasizing the similarities in the lives of the two characters. The pen and watercolor illustrations are expressive and bright, the characters warm and emotive. McClintock makes effective use of white space and leaves the full-color spreads to the dramatic scenes of the performance hall and stage, where Emma and Julia's stories converge. VERDICT An informative and heartwarming selection about the lives of ballerinas of different ages.—Clara Hendricks, Cambridge Public Library, MA

School Library Journal

2015-11-17
Ballet is indeed beautiful for both a student and a performing ballerina. In parallel stories, Emma, a young white girl, and Julia, an African-American dancer, awaken and set off for their ballet classes. Each loves her familiar routine and practice session. In the evening, Emma and her parents attend a performance in which Julia dances. A special treat awaits Emma as she gets to go backstage and receive not only an autograph, but also a hug from Julia. In both her words and her colorful illustrations, done in ink, gouache, and watercolor, McClintock deftly balances the two worlds and the preparations involved in being a fan and a member of a company. Emma's mother chauffeurs her, while Julia waits for a city bus. Emma enjoys a family dinner, while Julia snacks with fellow dancers. Detailed drawings show a not-yet-accomplished student, while on the facing page, the ballerina executes her steps with perfect grace; there's no sweating or falling in this world. It is certainly a good thing to see an African-American ballerina, especially given the recent publicity about the lack of diversity in ballet, but why couldn't Emma also be a student of color—like three of the other girls in her class? It is nice to see a white girl looking to a black role model, however. Young fans will dream big while enjoying this picture-book-perfect world. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews