Aunty Lulav Favorites,  Book

Miss Lina’s Ballerinas

Wave the LuLav 5/5 waves

Author: Grace Maccarone

Illustrator: Christine Davenier

Publisher: A Feiwel and Friends Book

ISBN: 978-0-312-38243-8

Word Count: 341

Published: 2010

This story is perfect for ages: 2-4, 4-6

Straight from Aunty LuLav

Grace Maccarone spins a lovely tale of a Ballet school in Messina where 8 little ballerinas dance through the day in four lines of two. Everything is just as it should be, until Miss Lina introduces a new student, Regina. 

Now, no longer eight but nine, the dance is not so graceful as the girls try to incorporate a new friend into their dance. After a bit of adjustment, they solve the problem and Regina fits in perfectly, in a mathematical way.   (Not giving away the secret!)

Oh the JOY, JOY, JOY of a perfect rhyme in perfect time!!! 

The “read aloud” factor of this book is 10+ for rhythm, meter, and layout with illustration. The girls’ names tumble out like a tongue twister, delighting any little ballerina.  

The rhyme is spotless and the word count just enough to keep our interest. 

Scriptural Underpinnings & Positive Themes

FRIENDSHIP
Particularly with girls, opening the circle of friendship to a new friend is a challenge. This book illustrates the problem using the dance as an objective visual.  When a new girl joins the group, the ballerinas are flustered, not knowing how they will ever dance in unison again. 

The solution comes from elegant Miss Lina cleverly using math and ballet form. They learn to dance a new dance to include the new friend.

KINDNESS
The resolution is calm and matter of fact, not emotionally-charged. The result is a beautiful dance, incorporating all the ballerinas, in one accord.

Bravo Miss Lina! There is no “mean-spirited” exclusion of the new girl, just some confusion on how to open the dance and incorporate her into their group.    

Unity & Love – Psalm 133:1, 1 Corinthians 13, Romans 12:9-18, Proverbs 17:17,

 

Illustrations

The illustrations are pink perfection with wispy lines. Each scene is delicately rendered and soaked in pink. Christian Davenier conveys the elegance of Miss Lina and the glory of the ballet studio complete with a little old piano player and her cat. Your little one will dance with the girls at each page turn. A Ballet Term glossary is included on the last page.

Representation

One Ballerina is an African American child, the others Caucasian.

The End of the Matter
5/5 waves

Put on your Tutu and Pirouette with your lulav, en pointe!
YES, YES!! This is an “Aunty Lulav FAVORITE!”

Publisher: A Feiwel and Friends Book
ISBN: 978-0-312-38243-8
Word Count: 341
Published: 2010

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