Maria Tallchief (She Persisted)

by Christine Day (Author) Gillian Flint (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade
Series: She Persisted

Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger comes a chapter book series about women who stood up, spoke up and rose up against the odds--including Maria Tallchief!

In this chapter book biography by award-winning author Christine Day, readers learn about the amazing life of Maria Tallchief--and how she persisted.

Maria Tallchief loved to dance, but was told that she might need to change her Osage name to one that sounded more Russian to make it as a professional ballerina. She refused, and worked hard at dancing her best, becoming America's first prima ballerina. Many famous American ballets were created for Maria!

Complete with an introduction from Chelsea Clinton, black-and-white illustrations throughout, and a list of ways that readers can follow in Maria Tallchief's footsteps and make a difference!

And don't miss out on the rest of the books in the She Persisted series, featuring so many more women who persisted!

Praise for She Persisted: Maria Tallchief

"A rich, clear picture of how one iconic Native dancer persisted." --Publishers Weekly

"Inspiringly shows how Maria Tallchief persisted and made her dreams come true." --Kirkus Reviews

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Kirkus Reviews

Inspiringly shows how Maria Tallchief persisted and made her dreams come true. 

Publisher's Weekly

In six accessible chapters, Day (who is Upper Skagit), deftly parallels the struggles of the Osage Nation with those of Elizabeth Marie Tall Chief (1925–2013), one of the first American ballet stars. Born in Oklahoma to an Osage father and white mother, Maria Tall Chief faced a variety of hurdles after starting to dance at three years old, including having to learn about her heritage in secret, since Native ceremonies and gatherings were outlawed by the U.S. government until 1978. She also faced racist bullying from classmates and, as a professional dancer, was asked to make her name more sound Russian. Tallchief nevertheless rose to dance solos with the Ballet de Monte Carlos, the New York City Ballet, and American Ballet Theatre, becoming a major star with George Balanchine’s Firebird and receiving prestigious recognitions. Flint contributes simple, appealing b&w ink-and-wash spot illustrations throughout this rich, clear picture of how one iconic Native dancer persisted. Back matter includes a How You Can Persist guide and references. Ages 6–9. (Nov.)

Copyright 2021 Publisher's Weekly LLC Used With Permission

Review quotes

 
Christine Day
Christine Day (Upper Skagit) (bychristineday.com) grew up in Seattle, nestled between the sea, the mountains, and the pages of her favorite books. Her debut novel, I Can Make This Promise, was a best book of the year from Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, NPR, and the Chicago Public Library, as well as a Charlotte Huck Award Honor Book and an American Indian Youth Literature Award Honor Book. Her second novel is titled The Sea in Winter. Christine lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @bychristineday.

Chelsea Clinton is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World; She Persisted Around the World: 13 Women Who Changed History; She Persisted in Sports: American Olympians Who Changed the Game; Don't Let Them Disappear: 12 Endangered Species Across the Globe; It's Your World: Get Informed, Get Inspired & Get Going!; Start Now!: You Can Make a Difference; with Hillary Clinton, Grandma's Gardens and Gutsy Women; and, with Devi Sridhar, Governing Global Health: Who Runs the World and Why? She is also the Vice Chair of the Clinton Foundation, where she works on many initiatives, including those that help empower the next generation of leaders. She lives in New York City with her husband, Marc, their children and their dog, Soren. You can follow Chelsea Clinton on Twitter @ChelseaClinton or on Facebook at facebook.com/chelseaclinton.

Gillian Flint (gillianflint.com) is an illustrator who has a passion for painting in watercolors. She has been drawing and creating characters for as long as she can remember. Her work has been published in the USA, the UK and Australia. In her spare time she enjoys reading and gardening at her home in the UK. You can follow her on Instagram @gillianflint_illustration.

Alexandra Boiger (alexandraboiger.com) has illustrated nearly twenty picture books, including the She Persisted series by by Chelsea Clinton; the popular Tallulah series by Marilyn Singer; and the Max and Marla books, which she also wrote. Originally from Munich, Germany, she now lives outside of San Francisco, California, with her husband, Andrea; daughter, Vanessa; and two cats, Luiso and Winter. You can follow Alexandra on Instagram @alexandra_boiger.
Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9780593115800
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Philomel Books
Publication date
November 20, 2021
Series
She Persisted
BISAC categories
JNF007120 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Women
JNF018040 - Juvenile Nonfiction | People & Places | United States - Native American
JNF023000 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Girls & Women
JNF025000 - Juvenile Nonfiction | History | General
Library of Congress categories
-

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