Customer Reviews:
 Exquisite book a masterpiece for children and adults both November 24, 1999
SL (San Francisco)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
I first read this book while in grade school and was instantly captivated, and it's had me under its spell ever since. The book contains stories of the great ballet classics--including "Swan Lake," "Giselle" and "The Nutcracker," as well as lesser known works like "Petrushka"--and accompanies them with a wealth of the most beautiful illustrations (by Maraja) I have ever seen. The writing is interesting to audiences of any age, and the illustrations are enchanting. This is probably my most treasured book. I recently purchased a copy for my nieces, because as much as I love them, they're not touching mine.
A Magical and Captivating Experience for People of All Ages July 17, 2001
Deborah Earle (USA)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
I first read this book in Junior High School and recently checked out a copy for a young cousin of mine who has studied ballet. As an artist, I was able to share my memories of having recreated the scene from "Giselle" featured on the back cover for a class project. This book, after all, introduced me to that ballet.I could share video taped scenes of "Coppelia" as I showed her the illustrations in the book, and she seemed impressed. I hadn't really paid much attention to either "Petrushka" or the plot of "Swan Lake" until now, but in the nearly 20 years since I first read it, I've been struck by the sadness of those stories, and I've never forgotten how beautiful this book is.
|
