(3) K-3 Illustrated by Luciano Lozano. Presented by the American Ballet Theatre. Seven boys (four with brown skin, three with light skin) participate in a dance class as a rhyming text comments on the dancers' athleticism and skill: "Training hard, you'll break a sweat / while you rehearse your pirouette." The class practices various positions and movements; posters in the studio feature male dance stars for inspiration. The dynamic illustrations emphasize the dancers' joy in movement and show that dance transcends gender. Eight male dancers from the ABT are profiled on the final two spreads.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Rachael Dean. Presented by the American Ballet Theatre. "E's for épaulement, which makes a simple stance impressive. / Just turn your head and shoulders, and a pose is more expressive." Each letter of the alphabet inspires a rhyming couplet highlighting a dancer (Copeland), dance (The Nutcracker), pose (jeté), or other related subject (leotard, orchestra). Some examples may be obscure (e.g., "T's for Mr. Tudor's work..." refers to choreographer Antony Tudor); thankfully, the back matter provides information about the wide variety of ballets, choreographers, and dancers mentioned or featured in the color-rich accessible illustrations. Balletomanes will enjoy losing themselves in this picture book.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Mark Siegel. This special edition of the graphic memoir about Cherson Siegel's youth as a School of American Ballet student effectively embodies ballet's paradox: every moment of seeming effortlessness on stage is the product of years of grueling work. Softened outlines and delicately hued watercolor washes depict young Siena's long-cherished dream and the ethereal-looking dancers; extended, well-paced panel sequences convey training's tedium and immense physical toll. A spacious redesigned layout heightens the emotional effect. Six new pages of photos and ephemera are appended.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2006; November, 2019

(3) K-3 Follow four boys as they rehearse for the National Dance Institute of New Mexico's multi-school literature-themed recital. Ancona shows the joy, as well as the hard work, discipline, and strength of this art form. Large color photos of the boys at practice and in costume closely follow the brief, factual narrative. A great (and refreshing) introductory photo-essay about male dancers.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(3) YA Hip-Hop Insider series. This title, ideal for student research, explores hip-hop dance in historical, political, and cultural context. The clean layout employs a large font, wide margins, plentiful color photos, and informative sidebars. Overall, this series celebrates hip-hop as the voice of urban and marginalized populations while also objectively addressing concerns such as commercialization. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(3) K-3 Dabble Lab: Sock Puppet Theater series. After a quick summary of the source material, each book instructs children in making sock puppet characters and props and also provides a script (with a few contemporary touches) for putting on a play of the folktale. Material about staging, voices, and extending the stories into original scripts (reusing the same puppets) adds to the fun. Illustrated with clear color photos. Reading list. Glos. Review covers these Dabble Lab: Sock Puppet Theater titles: Sock Puppet Theater Presents "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" and Sock Puppet Theater Presents "Little Red Riding Hood".

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(3) K-3 Dabble Lab: Sock Puppet Theater series. After a quick summary of the source material, each book instructs children in making sock puppet characters and props and also provides a script (with a few contemporary touches) for putting on a play of the folktale. Material about staging, voices, and extending the stories into original scripts (reusing the same puppets) adds to the fun. Illustrated with clear color photos. Reading list. Glos. Review covers these Dabble Lab: Sock Puppet Theater titles: Sock Puppet Theater Presents "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" and Sock Puppet Theater Presents "Little Red Riding Hood".

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) 4-6 Snap Books: Top Sports Tips series. This volume focuses on the ins and outs of types of dance, from "the basics" to specific training techniques to advice about taking one's skills "to the next level." The text is upbeat, if occasionally vague, with select (bolded) vocabulary words defined at the bottom of the page. "Tip" sidebars appear throughout. The many photographs mainly show young women. Reading list. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) 4-6 Writing and Staging Plays series. The series imparts a decent variety of information and focuses on producing one's own plays rather than analyzing professional productions. Touching on writing (e.g., characterization, dialogue) and production aspects (casting, lighting), the texts address young playwrights as well as directors and other theater roles. The clean page design includes informative sidebars, photos, and case studies; improv games appended. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Writing and Staging Plays titles: Writing and Staging Funny Plays[cf1 and Writing and Staging Real-Life Plays.