(3) 4-6 Edgar Degas's ballet-inspired sketches, paintings, and sculptures fill Rubin's handsome book about the artist's fascination with ballet. Brief but detailed text about Degas's life and artistry accompany each artwork, giving readers a closer look into his process. The book also contains compelling glimpses into the Paris Opéra, and what the ballet students thought of the artist who was often in their studio. Extensive back matter adds value. Bib., glos.

Reviewer: Mariko Turk

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Cristina Pieropan. "The world was changing. Paris was alive" begins Friedman's spare text, which follows Edgar Degas as he observes and records "life in motion." At each stop--a milliner's, a laundry, the racetrack, and the Opera House--related Degas reproductions are integrated into the story. This practical introduction to the artist's (and Impressionism's) fascination with everyday modern life includes lively, finely rendered cityscapes.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Rachel Isadora. Works of art by Edgar Degas. This attractive introduction to ballet, accompanied by Degas's art and Isadora's color illustrations, is well organized: an overview of the class environment leads to details about technique, costumes, and performance; summaries of three famous ballets, a brief history of the form, and more information on Degas's love of ballet and the featured works help young dancers contextualize and revere their art.

Reviewer: Amy Kellman

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Lucie Albon. A wintry tale of a kindly peasant (Bird); a young ballerina transported to nineteenth-century Paris (Ballerina); the legend behind a Japanese celebration (Wave); a mailman on a dreamy voyage finding love (Journey). Four attractive oversize picture books inspired by works of Bruegel, Degas, Hokusai, and Chagall contain homage-paying illustrations, a reproduction of the influential masterpiece, and artist biographical information in question-and-answer format. Review covers these titles: A Bird in Winter, Little Ballerina, The Great Wave, and Journey on a Cloud.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) YA Great Artists & Their World series. This series contextualizes the artists’ works by placing them alongside those of their contemporaries and within their historical milieus. Features include "How Were They Made?" which explains media and techniques, and "What Do the Paintings Say?" which discusses symbolism and iconography. Cramped design, including small reproductions and teeny-tiny typeface, compromise the thoughtful texts. There are four other fall 2010 books in this series. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Great Artists & Their World titles: Cézanne, Degas, Gauguin, Manet, and Picasso.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(4) K-3 After a young ballerina unintentionally switches bags with Monsieur Degas, she must dash about nineteenth-century Paris to find him. The story, contrived as it is, acts as an effective vehicle for readers to learn about Impressionism. Using elements of works by Degas, Monet, Cassatt, and others, Montanari's illustrations provide a creative introduction to an artistic movement.

Reviewer: Chelsey Philpot

(3) K-3 Smart about Art series. Beginning and ending with notes from a fictional teacher, the artist studies in this series are presented as school reports written by "students." Each report incorporates biographical information, descriptions of favorite subjects, and artistic techniques with well-chosen art reproductions, cartoons, and comments from the student researcher. The tone is lively and informal; the format works well as a model for class projects. [Review covers these Smart about Art titles: Edgar Degas, Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet.]

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Edgar Degas. In a text drawn from her 1922 memoir, Pavlova explains how her life was changed when her mother took her to see the ballet Sleeping Beauty. Paintings by Edgar Degas accompany the story, though they aren't always appropriate for the text. The total package, elegant to look at but not especially childlike, concludes with facts about Pavlova's life and two black-and-white photos of the dancer.

Reviewer: Amy Kellman