Marilyn Singer has written more than ninety books for children
and young adults, including
Tallulah's Tutu and A Stick Is an Excellent Thing, as well as the
award-winning Mirror Mirror: A
Book of Reversible Verse (Dutton). She loves to watch ballet and is
an accomplished dancer of
swing, foxtrot, and chacha. While researching the books about
Tallulah, she sat in on a number
of ballet classes for girls and boys at the Third Street Music
School in New York City, which now
puts on performances of the Tallulah books, featuring Marilyn as
the narrator. Marilyn lives in
Brooklyn, New York, and Washington, Connecticut, with her husband
and several pets. You can
visit her at www.marilynsinger.net.
Truth be told, Alexandra Boiger really never took any ballet
classes. If you ask her about her
feelings for Tallulah and dance, she will tell you that the
passion, strength, and humanity of this
little girl are what spoke to her while doing the art for both
Tallulah's Tutu and Tallulah's Solo.
Going back to her own childhood, Alexandra felt about drawing
exactly the way Tallulah does
for ballet. Looking to the present, Alexandra sees all of
Tallulah's emotions in her own little girl,
Vanessa, who wants to be either a professional soccer player,
storyteller, or actor at the school
play--all equally enthusiastically. Alexandra was born and grew up
in Munich, Germany. She
now lives in California with her husband, daughter, and two cats,
and has illustrated many
picture books, as well as the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books. You can
visit her at
www.alexandraboiger.com.
"[A] charming follow-up to 2011's Tallulah's Tutu." --The New York Times Book Review "A lovely story that gently and effectively presents common childhood difficulties wrapped in a world of tutus and sparkles."--Kirkus Reviews "A lovely tribute to the closeness of brothers and sisters, this title holds appeal for the child needing patience, yet wanting to be recognized."--School Library Journal "Conveys Tallulah's shifting emotions as a dancer and as a sister with equal perception and finesse. Full of light and grace, Boiger's watercolor illustrations bring the characters to life in lively paintings. An appealing choice for ballet lovers and a fine sequel to Tallulah's Tutu"--Booklist "Boiger's gouache and watercolor art is as fluid and graceful as a pirouette."--Publishers Weekly --
PreS-Gr 2-Tallulah is a wonderful dancer and she's certain that she will be chosen for the principal role in the upcoming ballet recital. However, she's worried that her scatter-brained younger brother, Beckett, who just began taking ballet lessons, might not be chosen even for a minor part. As Tallulah warns and encourages Beckett, she imagines the accolades that will come her way when she stars in the production, complete with thunderous applause and beautiful bouquets. Tallulah is dismayed when Beckett earns a leading role and she is relegated to the cast. Although the story line is immersed in the world of dance, Singer's picture book (Clarion, 2012) offers a lesson in handling the universal feelings of disappointment and sibling jealousy. She doesn't shy away from the messiness of emotions, but rather offers an honest perspective of Tallulah's tantrum and her need to be noticed. Alexandra Boiger's watercolor illustrations and her use of fainter washes to depict Tallulah's imagination are brilliant. Christina Moore's narration is clear and precise, and she accurately portrays Beckett's character in just four syllables, "Uh-huh, uh-huh." Page-turn signals are optional.-Terri Perper, Middletown Public Library, MD (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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