Miss Lina's Ballerinas

In both its pictures and rhyming text, this book is in many ways a ballet-themed version of the Madeline books: "In a cozy white house, in the town of Messina, / eight little girls studied dance with Miss Lina./ Christina, Edwina, Sabrina, Justina, / Katrina, Bettina, Marina, and Nina." Davenier (The Very Fairy Princess) is in fine form, with predominantly pink watercolors, accented with crayon, that blend soigné fluidity and slapstick comedy; while some grownups might quibble that her setting looks more Parisian than Sicilian, the spaces have a lyrical expansiveness reminiscent of an MGM musical. Maccarone's (the First Grade Friends series) story, which turns on the arrival of a ninth dancer (helpfully named Regina) who brings chaos to the corps' finely tuned "four lines of two," has a fairly flat narrative arc and near-instant resolution (Miss Lina quickly re-divides the girls into three lines of three). The girls' enthusiasm is undeniably infectious as they dance "t the park, at the zoo, at the beach, and while shopping"; but while the book is a charmer, it's a bit of a letdown in the end. Ages 36. (Oct.) Copyright 2010 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.

PreS-Gr 1--Miss Lina has eight students in her house in Messina: Christina, Edwina, Sabrina, Justina, Katrina, Bettina, Marina, and Nina. In four lines of two, they dance doing math, while they read, at the park, at the zoo, and at the beach. But with the addition of a new student, Regina, the girls are unable to perform in their familiar formation and chaos ensues. When Miss Lina patiently instructs her ballerinas to arrange themselves in a new configuration, order is restored: "everything's perfect now there are nine, /because dancing in three rows of three is divine...." The delightful colored pencil and pastel illustrations, with an appropriate dose of pink, beautifully complement the simple, rhyming text. The children are full of movement and expression, and the setting has a Parisian feel. Reminiscent of Ludwig Bemelmans's Madeline, this will be a crowd pleaser with aspiring ballerinas and also makes a great introduction to a math lesson on number groupings.--Rachel Kamin, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Highland Park, IL

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

"French illustrator Davenier (one of the New York Times' Ten Best illustrators for 2002) keeps the little girls exuberantly dancing in class, through math lessons, in the park, at the zoo, and at the beach. Her ink, watercolor and colored pencil drawings are lively, detailed, and witty; readers may enjoy tracking the shades of pink from pale to potent in fashions for nightgowns, bathing suits, school dresses, and shopping outfits—as well as tutus. (They can also note that the new classmate wears hot pink leg warmers, as do all the others when they finally accept her.) Maccarone's agile rhyming text dances along, too, making good use of the nine musical names Christina, Edwina, Sabrina, Justina, Katrina, Bettina, Marina, Nina, and new friend, Regina. Girls who love dance will likely find this story of immersion in ballet, making friends, and learning to adapt, most appealing." —Children's Literature