School Library Journal Review

PreS-Gr 3-A young ballerina attends a performance of Sleeping Beauty and receives a special birthday surprise. Tilly and her mother arrive early at the theater and meet up with Aunt Gina, a ballerina, who takes the girl backstage to stretch with the dancers, apply makeup, and even wear a pink fairy costume. Aunt Gina escorts her onto the stage where she marvels at the lights and scenery. Tilly joins her mother in the audience as the orchestra warms up and holds her breath in anticipation of the performance. She is captivated by the show and is especially proud of her Aunt Gina, who dances the lead role. Aunt Gina calls Tilly on stage at her curtain call and announces that it is the child's birthday. They dance and twirl and Tilly curtsies to the applauding audience as the orchestra plays "Happy Birthday." Geras's story imparts a great deal of information about ballet for beginning readers, and McNicholas's cheery illustrations clearly depict the costumes, the performance, and the theater.-Shawn Brommer, South Central Library System, Madison, WI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.